Buffalo Musings, In-Game Scribbles
March 28, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
Buffalo 4 at Montreal 3 (SO)
First Period
Our analogue to a certain extent, the Buffalo Sabres, bring a game of integrity, definition and respect to the arena. They are our Ken Norton, our Joe Clark, our confreres in speed, diligence and uniform defensive spirit.
Komisarek’s shot is blocked. Waste of a shot.
Higgins seems to go behind the net but surprise, drives to the front and jams a shot at Buffalo ‘tender Ryan Miller.
The changes are quick and we see Metropolit, Lapierre, Kovalev and the rest in the first two minutes.
Brisebois’ shot is blocked on a Sergei Kostitsyn-led rush. Puck care is a top responsibility in these pseudo-playoff times. The team is echoing that the playoffs have started early for this club.
Kaleta is down on the ice. Injury to the mouth. Lapierre is penalized. A boarding call. A fair call as Kaleta was vulnerable on the play.
Buffalo goes to the power-play. Buffalo is 21.2. But Higgins and Metropolit create a pass and shoot for Metropolit in front of Miller early. Miller makes a very good save. He is certainly one of the top NHL athletes in net.
Montreal keeps Buffalo from bringing danger for the first minute. Higgins and Metropolit come on for a second time late in the kill. Or were they just very late leaving?
Kostopoulos and Dandenault are the next pairing. They are on ice not long before Price makes a high-optic glove save following some whack-slash bungling by Markov and Komisarek to his right. Montreal has killed the penalty.
KTK line is on and they continue their high level of play from last game. Lapierre gets three good chances on the shift. He is able to knock down a high shot for a deflection and it’s something I’ve not seen from him before. He has a range of talents broader than most Montreal forwards.
The Molson commercial insists their beer is majestic and integral.
Even Kovalev’s misses create problems for opponents. He is a canny master of puck geometry and physics. His wrister, surrounded by four Sabres, goes high but in bouncing back from the glass creates serious trouble for Miller who manages to smother.
Koivu and Rivet, best of friends, see no barrier to showing their intensity. Both are respective captains of their teams. Kostopoulos also gets into a mini-melee.
KTK is worth the price of admission alone. This time Koivu sends Tanguay down a lane to the right of Miller. Some magic and a backhander missed following a 180.
We wait for Sergei to emerge from his Hamilton refrigerator. It will take the reinstatement of his brother, methinks. Andrei remains a unavailable for this game.
Price makes a pretty Katarina backturn from the crease following the whistle. All five Montrealers are involved and the scrum subsides. This is a must-win for Buffalo, as well. Perhaps more so, as they remain outside the top eight.
Lapierre drives and both Latendresse Kostopoulos drive with him. As the flurry and flail escalate the puck ends up on the crease line but fails to cross. Miller falls to end the threat.
And now an oddity. Craig Rivet versus Tom Kostopoulos. Rivet wins a hardy bout. Fighting remains a grotesque and droll exercise, however.
I find myself thinking of Begin’s provoke-the-melee smile. This is his kind of game. Both teams are playing with a chip and a nail.
Kovalev takes a penalty and Buffalo scores seconds after he returns to the ice.
1-0, Buffalo
And Montreal goes on the power-play minutes afterward.
Sergei is on for the first segment. Defencemen are going deep on this one. Now KTK Internationale is on.
Koivu gets an open net backhand chance. Hits the post. Off some quick passing and long shot from the point.
First Intermission
Brunet says the team is showing great intensity and emotion.
Demers says that Lapierre has become an indispensable player for the Canadiens. He has come some distance from his laconic play of 07-08.
Francois Gagnon’s gold on gold with blue shirt is rather spectacular. Electric blue and the tie is electric gold. Suit is golden beige. Really the most daring suit of the RDS season.
Second Period
Team will start on the power-play. And nothing much to report. Where does Robert Lang watch these games?
High puck lost in the lights forces Hamrlik to interfere with Pominville. Two minutes. Probably a decent decision, nonetheless.
Metropolit and Higgins to start (Markov with Komisarek). Price makes an early stop on a point-shot deflection. Very good save moving left to right. Buffalo resumes and has control. Another lost faceoff for Montreal. Price stops another longer-range shot. Freezes for the faceoff.
Puck squirts backward out of a dangerous scramble and Connolly blasts it in. Price doesn’t see it.
2-0, Buffalo.
Two power-play goals. Tho’ stats will say one.
Price makes two good saves in under a minute. Connolly save is the best one. Moments later, Kovalev drives down the middle for a backhand on Miller. Sense of urgency is slightly higher overall.
And then Higgins gets a Cournoyer-style wrister. Higgins has great torque and the shot from the right dot is precise. Very good shot and a tenth goal.
2-1, Buffalo.
Kovalev is on the ice with Sergei and Plekanec. Seems D’Agostini might be shaken up, leading to Kovalev’s double-appearance.
Higgins’ 20 points in 50 games is see-ya-later material, however. How long will he be given chances? His Montreal tenure will hinge on his playoff performance.
If.
Price makes another good save. Teams are going end-to-end. A Buffalo-Montreal tenor.
Koivu sets up Tanguay in the slot. Miller stops it. Then another rush coined by Tanguay and Kovalev. Drop-pass to Komisarek and light shot creates a rebound. But Miller recovers the puck.
Ligne Internationale keeps working and when they work, it looks like world-level hockey. Koivu gets a going around back-hand. And it goes in. Linemates, baby. Linemates.
2-2, Norton-Ali.
Komisarek’s confidence is showing in his willingness to pause before deciding. And the decisions are sound.
Canadiens keep flowing. Delayed call against Buffalo gives Higgins and mates chances to coil and spring. Some good chances. Buffalo touches the puck and Sekera goes to the box for two. KTK return.
Kovalev sets up Koivu on a give-and-go from the corner goal-line. Different alignment. A good result as Koivu gets a shot on goal. Kovalev gets a shot from a quality exchange. Then Tanguay sneaks a puck into the crease.
And Buffalo in returning down the ice, take another penalty, a penalty of frustration. Markov is cross-checked after neutralizing Hecht on a break. Twenty-seven seconds with a two-man advantage. And KTK are back for more.
Koivu wins the draw. Schneider shoots. Gets the puck back. Shoots again. Kovalev scores. Takes it off his ankle from the side of the net.
3-2, Montreal.
Canadiens are 15-2-1 in games where Kovalev scores.
More power-play and more chances. Good ones. This time with Sergei on the ice. Canadiens are adept at keeping opponents from clearing the zone on the PK these days.
Still a minute. And then KTK again. Gainey is using them. If you have a big gun, you fire it.
Kovalev and Tanguay and Koivu. Each controlling the pace and lanes. Kovalev from behind the net. Koivu dumping it in. Tanguay wheeling for the opening. This time Kovalev gets it out to Metropolit but Miller stops this one.
It’s hard not to wonder what this could have been like for 82 games. And the team still misses Lang.
Price makes two good saves. He is out and aggressive for the first and nestled and angled on the second. The Dryden frequency (infrequent shots) is working for him. As it did for the Cornell man.
Price then makes another very good stop. This time a low-ball special that requires a quick trap. In fact, Price’s on-the-knees positioning is looking especially improved. More crab and more horizontal. He is working on his game and it shows.
Gainey looks as effusive as he can. He is chewing gum with the speed of a camel.
We are late in the period. And it ends. Montreal has the edge 12-8 and 15-13 in shots. And even more of an edge for actual chances.
Third Period
Buffalo scores.
3-3.
Price is too slow getting over to the left. On his knees.
Metropolit (earlier) said he is in heaven, playing for the Montreal Canadiens. We want him to sing like an angel.
Kovalev is double-shifting again. Montreal turnovers inside the blue line are forcing Price to earn some good saves. And he does. Finally Montreal moves it out. Kovalev and Lapierre are on ice together again.
Buffalo takes an unfortunate delay of game as the puck sails over the glass. Hecht. Montreal power-play will return. More KTK. Will Buffalo crowd the cross-ice or will they challenge the point-shooters? I suspect the former and see a Schneider goal coming up.
First line can’t control. This time it’s Higgins and Sergei together. But they also can’t control. A last sequence. But the dump-ins aren’t resulting in possession. Penalty ends.
Higgins is gassed again. And he watches a forward go by him. McGuire is wrong.
Price makes two great saves. Buffalo is intent.
Will of Ruff. Will of Gainey. Just 8:51 remaining.
Price, two great saves again. Then Koivu battles, fights to control. He is not the player he used to be. But he succeeds and gets the puck out front where it deflects dangerously, Kovalev in wait. Miller ends this thrust.
Quality chances are high all around and in favour of Buffalo. But what would be Bouillon’s matching, singular fire is missing. Nobody talks about it, though.
Koivu is winning faceoffs with regularity. Ligne Internationale. Encore. The ice time will be interesting to see. Kovalev will certainly have more than the fourteen minutes he had against Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Higgins turns and shoots on a curve-around. He is doing this more these days. Instead of curving up to the hash and losing the puck. Keep it up, dawg.
Buffalo is a poised defensive. Taking lanes away and staying in their parallel box. A trapezoid when need be.
Koivu line keeps taking the puck away from Buffalo. Great second and third efforts. One more 27-year old forward, please, Bob. We have the armament for exchange.
Shots are at 33 apiece with 4:27 remaining.
Price gives the puck away but makes up with two more solid saves on the sequence. He has played a very good game, overall.
Canadiens suddenly look tired. Metropolit gives the minimum behind Price’s net. Markov is slower. Schneider looks lively, though. Markov goes to the bench on the ensuing faceoff.
Only 3:10 left.
Latendresse delivers the hit of the night. Buffalo is all aplomb and sight, however and come back fine. Tallinder was on the receiving end. It’s Latendresse’s third hit of the night.
Gainey has plain ties and pretty plans.
Montreal takes their first icing of the period. Koivu line remains on the ice and Koivu wins the faceoff. Montreal gets the change of line.
Ice seems rough.
And then a small scrum. But nothing much. Laraque hasn’t played, fought, dressed for some time. Hamrlik is not afraid of anyone. Anything.
Price gets shoved rudely into his net. Looks accidental. Calm number 31.
Number one line returns. Less than a minute left. Radek Bonk is not here for the big defensive faceoffs late in the game anymore. Damn the cap. (Yah, yah, I know)
Higgins on the ice in this situation is something I’d prefer not to see. But he’s on.
Sabres have pulled the goalie for the deep Montreal faceoff. Just 00.7 on the clock. Ruff is tough.
And Buffalo does get a shot. But it sails wide and short of time, perhaps. Perhaps.
They go to overtime. But Price goes to the bench for a drink first. And RDS drags us to yet another mini-commercial. Dodge.
Muller seems to approve of what Gainey has written on his (think) pad.
Overtime
It’s Koivu and Brash 13 on the ice first. With Markov and Schneider.
Montreal attacks early. Great control. But Buffalo finally exits. And a harmless very high shot. More Sabres but they go offside. Good break for Montreal. Kovalev and Plekanec step on. Hamrlik and Brisebois join them. Veterans.
Hamrlik puts Kovalev in bad position. But a Buffalo offside saves Montreal from a Sabre thrust.
Lapierre is very aware of the puck’s danger-levels. Sacrifices body or possession for position.
Tanguay’s passes not as sharp in the third and this OT period. Fatigue, possibly.
Kovalev still dangerous. Brunet dit tres bon match de Kovalev ce soir.
Just 27 seconds left. Shots parried and deflected on both ends and we leave the neutral zone to enter the shootout.
Shootout
Tanguay says “My bad” in a discussion with a ref. Tanguay could be a captain in the future. Outspoken and confident player.
First up is Buffalo’s #19. Montreal elects to let Connolly open the shooting.
Kovalev, Tanguay and Koivu are the Montreal shooters.
Price makes a textbook grab going right to left on Connolly’s deke.
Miller challenges on Kovalev’s shot. Way out. And it works as he stops the backhand.
Stafford is stopped. Right side, this time.
Now Tanguay. High shot is stopped. Miller touches it with his glove.
Pominville. Shoots it high. Might have hit Price’s shoulder. On his knees.
The captain. Deke. Backhand. Stopped. Koivu was a bit slow on the return.
Now to one and ones. Derek Roy. Biscuit stop on a wrister. Now Markov. Forehand deke. New. Stopped.
Price. Stops another one. Plekanec rings one off the post. Lydman. Scores. Five-hole.
Lapierre. Slow. Then fast. Misses the net. Buffalo wins the game.
But Kovalev gets first star.
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