Canadiens Lineup

Jonathan Drouin  – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Tomas Tatar – Max Domi – Artturi Lehkonen

 Charles Hudon – Jesperi Kotkaniemi –  Joel Armia 

Kenny Agostino – Michael Chaput – Nicolas Deslauriers

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Mike Reilly – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Jordie Benn

Antti Niemi – Carey Price 

Karl Alzner, Matthew Peca, 

Andrew Shaw

Suspension

Paul Byron

Game Report

Canadiens fans were already counting chickens and taunting Leafs supporters. With their rival from Toronto idle tonight, Habs fans were confident that their team would leapfrog the Maple Leafs.

After all, Montreal had won four in a row. And they were facing the 26th ranked team at the Bell Centre. Perhaps the Canadiens took the Flyers too lightly as well. 

While the Habs came out flying in the first period, they didn’t finish their chances. It was all coming too easy in the opening frame. Shots started coming from the perimeter with little or no traffic in front of Carter Hart.

The first period ended scoreless with the Canadiens enjoying a 12-1 shot advantage. Perhaps the best scoring chance came off the stick of Wayne Simmonds who put the puck off the inside of the post while facing an open Montreal cage.

The Habs extended the shot parade to 16-1 early in the second period before the tide started to turn. Seven minutes into the middle frame, the Flyers got the first power-play of the game. With five forwards, Philadelphia fired three shots on the man advantage.

Six minutes later the Flyers had their first penalty of the game. But the momentum crushing Montreal power-play provided all the energy that Philly needed. The Habs managed just one shot, a 40-foot wrister by Jonathan Drouin.

Just a short time later, the Flyers scored two goals in 1:33 to end the period up by a pair.

“It’s not easy when your power play generates absolutely nothing. Things seemed to turn from that point on,” said Claude Julien.

The third period was a text book case of how sluggish a team can look chasing the game. Had the Habs cashed in a couple of early chances, they would have looked plenty fresh in the final frame.

To their credit, in post-game interviews, Canadiens players dismissed the fatigue factor in the loss. Max Domi said that it was “irrelevant.”

The Habs know that they missed an opportunity. Throughout the season, they have generally won the games against teams well below them in the standings. It is a lesson they will want to keep in mind going forward.

Plus / Minus

▲  Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Max Domi

▼  Michael Chaput, Mike Reilly, Kenny Agostino, Nicolas Deslauriers, Jonathan Drouin, Jeff Petry