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RECAP | Canadiens – Islanders: Tough Loss Hurts Habs Playoff Chances

Rick Stephens

Montreal Canadiens vs New York Islanders  Game Recap: Line-up, Score, Statistics, Highlights, Post-game, Three-Stars

FINAL | Game 71, Away Game 36 | Thursday March 14, 2019
Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

CANADIENS

Montreal

1-2

ISLANDERS

New York
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Canadiens Lineup

Forward lines

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Paul Byron – Max Domi – Andrew Shaw

Jonathan Drouin – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Jordan Weal

Artturi Lehkonen – Nate Thompson – Joel Armia

Defense pairings

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Brett Kulak – Jeff Petry

Jordie Benn – Christian Folin

Goaltenders

Carey Price – Antti Niemi

Scratches

Charles Hudon, Nicolas Deslauriers, Dale Weise, Matthew Peca, Mike Reilly, Charlie Lindgren

Injuries

none

Game Report

After coasting through a game against the Red Wings and witnessing Carey Price set a franchise record, it was crucial that the Canadiens deliver a much better effort against the Islanders.

They didn’t.

Again it was left to Carey Price to carry the load.

He did.

High danger scoring chances were 21-8 for the Islanders.

The rest of the Canadiens team couldn’t have looked less like a playoff team if they tried.

It the words of Claude Julien, the Habs were “outclassed”, “outmuscled” and “outraced.”

Let’s add one more: outcoached.

Only one team looked ready for the playoffs tonight. And one wonders if the general manager’s failure to make any impactful additions at the deadline is now catching up with the team.

Marc Bergevin went out of his way at the start of the season, in a self-congratulatory fashion, to say that the changes in the off-season meant that the Canadiens no longer relied on Carey Price. He was wrong then and it is painfully obvious now that if not for Price, this team would not be in a position to fight for a playoff spot.

Tonight, the Canadiens squandered a superb game by Carey Price. They don’t have many remaining to make it up to him.

Plus / Minus

▲  Carey Price

▼  Jonathan Drouin, Brett Kulak, Max Domi, Andrew Shaw

The Numbers

 Game Statistics 
CANADIENS   ISLANDERS
34 Shots 38
50 Face-off % 50
0-for-2 Power Play 0-for-2
4 Penalty Minutes 4
24 Hits 31
52 Corsi For 61
 Scoring Summary
 FINAL 1 2 3 OT SO T
 Canadiens (37-27-7) 0 1 0 – – 1
 Islanders (41-22-7) 0 1 1 – – 2
Scorers Goalies
  • MTL: Benn (5)
  • NYI: Pelech (5), Lee (25)
  • MTL: Price (L) 29-21-5
  • NYI: Greiss (W) 21-11-2

Stars of the Game

 NHL Official Three Stars
  1. Anders Lee  NYI
  2. Adam Pelech  NYI
  3. Thomas Greiss  NYI

Watch

 Video Highlights 

What Did They Say?

 Post-game Quotes
Claude Julien  
  • “We were totally outplayed in the first period. It’s unacceptable. We started playing in the second period and the game finished the way it started with a bad decision that cost us the outcome.”
  • “Of course it’s frustrating. We have to realize that now, we’re playing games that are like playoff games and we’re going to have to play the way they did tonight. We need to have more a bit more concentration and we need to make better decisions.”
Carey Price
  • “We played a team that looked like they were ready for the playoffs.”
Paul Byron
  • “They started very fast. They put a lot of pressure on us. We have to be better at starting games. The other team wanted to win the game more than us tonight.”
Andrew Shaw
  • “Everyone has to be playing their best every night. Lines are taking nights off, players are taking nights off. We don’t have that bite.”

Quotes courtesy of NHL.com

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