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The Habs were taking on the Dallas Stars at home Tuesday night. Both teams were playing the second game of a back to back. Carey Price was back in the cage for the Habs, who are coming off a 2-0 shutout against the Rangers last night. It's always Difficult to play on consecutive nights and the players did show signs of wear and tear despite being so early in the season.
The Habs got off to an early first period lead when defenseman Raphael Diaz, who finished with two assists, took a shot from the point which bounced off of Stephan Robidas and found its way in the net. The Habs used the goal to generate more momentum in the back half of the period. Leblanc had a good scoring chance up close but was stopped by Kari Lethonen who stopped 22 of 24 shots. The Habs drew a penalty late in the period when Galchenyuk got hooked in front of the net but didn't generate much on this man advantage.
Dallas nearly nodded it up when Jamie Benn came in on a 3 on 1 however Carey Price came up with the big save. Price was struggling to handle the puck early on but seemed to regain composure as the period progressed. Especially in the final minute of the first when the Stars deflected a puck up close, Price made a great save and kept the lead intact . Aside from one or two chances neither team allowed the other to generate dangerous scoring opportunities.
What seemed to spark the club was a mid-period tilt between Francis Bouillon and Antoine Roussel. It was soon after this fight that the Canadiens got on the board.
Both teams were starting to feel the effects of fatigue stemming off the back-to-back games in the second. The Stars were trying to open the ice up a little more and make more creative passes, while the pace of the game did seem to accelerate Dallas wasn't able to produce results.
Bourque scored a good greasy goal off his own rebound to increase the lead for the Canadiens. The goal came moments after a power play where the Habs saw a lot of crisp puck movement, After the second goal it just seemed to break any kind of chemistry the Stars had going.
Fortunately for Dallas youngster Cody Eakin did manage to break the shut out bid for Price late in the second with a knuckler that should have been saved. This goal came at a great time for the Stars since the Habs were rather dominant until that point.
Early in the third rookie Valerie Nichushkin nearly tired it up but Bouillon saved the puck and cleared it from the zone. That seemed to wake up the Canadiens who nearly saw magic happen off of Subban's stick as he simply left the Stars watching him go by, his pass didn't create a scoring chance but was able to leave the fans in awe.
The next scoring chance was a sequence of passes that was tipped wide by Desharnais who hasn't been able to buy a goal all season.
Douglas Murray played his first game at the Bell Center and led the team in hits with 6 in his home ice debut. He dumped Roussel along the boards then followed up that play with a shot attempt and another big hit in the defensive zone to reignite the fans. He was called for interference midway through the third.
This penalty kill would have been a shooting gallery for Price had the Canadiens not been as active blocking shots. It wasn't simply on the penalty kill that the Habs were blocking shots, they were blocking lanes throughout the whole game and ultimately added to their league lead in blocked shots with a total of 29 on the night
With less than a minute left and the goalie pulled Price made a timely glove save and redeemed himself against the Dallas goal scorer Eakin. The stars wouldn't get any better chances and the Canadiens pulled through winning both games in their back to back.
The Canadiens hit the road and play in another back to back Friday and Saturday nights against the Wild and Avalanche respectively.
10 comments:
Can soeone explain something to e about the MMontreal hockey team, they go after some Smaller players that are supposed to compensate their lack of size by being more Skillful. So, how come players like Desharnais, Briere, and Gionta only have like FOUR points Between the three?? Habs management are MoRoNs.
I would trade Max Pacioretty and a second rounder for Tomas Vanek any day of the weak, you wanns know why..Vanek at least Plays. PS Habs need a power foward badly. Like for years now. Thats the type player Trevor Timins cant ever seem to find us.
Anonymous #1 - The GM signed Douglas Murray (got back 2 games ago) and George Parros (should be back soon). Emelin is rehabbing from a big hit late last year. They already acknowledged that Murray played a big impact in both wins, so once he gets in the groove, and the others come back, they'll be more than fine.
It's a long season!
Did I just hear the Habs signed Emelin to $4.1 mil a Season?? For Four years?? Is this GM a Joke?? Emmy is a fourth or fifth defenseman, adds very little offense, he Hits, but thats his job.
Doesnt Montreal realize the Cap is Lower next year?? Subban gets more money, AND they have to continue to pay Useless players like Desharnais and Briere almost $4million Each for doing Nothing. Bergevin is as bad as Gainey and Gauthier..
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
montreal should trade D.D. & A. M. immediately
Hi, I am The Jackal from Hockey Inside Out, and when things get a bit too "Real" over here after another loss, like tonight to the Avs), I come on and bring some Delusional thinking to this forum ..Like when I say, "Just wait until we're healthy", Sure, like Prust and Emelin are gonna score goals for us. Twenty years now, and even I'm fed up. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@Habsfan47,, Either you're a Leafs fan trying to make Habs fans Think theyre a decent team, or you need some medication, the only reason Montreal Might Slip into the playoffs (and lose badly early) is because the East is weak right now. As for urraay, visit a Habs chat, he is a joke, slower than Molassas, and Parros is even funnier, one fight and useless for the rest of the game, Hired guns went out in the "70's, Get a couple of skilled power fowards that can fight, ya loser.
@Paolo, Can we get any confirmed info on this rumour floating around that After Montreal's loss tonight to Patrick Roy and the Avs, that coach Michel Therrien used a Racial epitapth in discussing PK Subban's play to the French media.
@anonymous. Nothing confirmed about any racial comments made by coach therrien.
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