Russians, Penguins, Czechs, Frenchmen …. It’s a Goal War
February 19, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
Montreal 4 at Pittsburgh 5
A loss that feels like a win.
Montreal’s increasingly intense third period, a frame that saw the Penguins and Canadiens exchange five goals was the reason the team finished on an emotional plateau and with a cohesion that, in recent weeks, has eroded.
With the expected return of both Alexes (Tanguay and Kovalev) on Saturday for the Ottawa game at Bell Central, Montreal has a chance to ignite for a hot first period.
It’s as if having humiliated themselves throughout this road trip (including big losses against Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary) the team had no further face to save. On the second of two games in two nights, the Canadiens let their tongues hang, tails point and went for the flanks-shuddering sprint.
Pittsburgh escaped with the two points as the Canadiens created more scoring chances in the third, played with poise and precision and started to get some of their fast-paced game back.
A focal point was recently added Mathieu Schneider who showed that he is the answer at the point on the power-play as he scored a second-period goal with the man-advantage on a heavy, high-velocity shot. He still has it. And the 39-year old skated like a 35-year old Chris Chelios.
There were warts. In the third, Schneider turned the puck over three times and misread two plays. However, the veteran blue-liner adds a moxie that seems to galvanize the younger defenders. With Andrei Markov on the first line with Schneider, Komisarek is on the second defensive pairing with Roman Hamrlik.
One guesses that separating the two all-stars (Markov and Komisarek) and placing them with the older defenders will be a learning experience for both. It’s likely they will be reunited again and the seasoning will elevate both players’ games.
As for the Canadiens, the offensive panache is returning. Thomas Plekanec served up his second blue-ribbon special in two nights and is playing with a purpose and duty that suits him best. His linemates Max Pacioretty and Andrei Kostitsyn were dangerous throughout.
The guys on l’Anti-Chambre have added Bob Hartley tonight. And despite the brighter outlook, most are busy with their spits and their roasts. Along with certain Montreal writers, they have missed the point and will miss the points.
Ignore it all and enjoy the revival of Vos Glorieux. (And we’ll give Bob Hartley a chance to show us what he’s got in the coming telecasts; maybe he can teach Michel Bergeron a thing or two)
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