Montreal Canadiens versus Pittsburgh Penguins

Musings and In-Game Scribbles

My English is as good as yours, I just write these in a stream-of-consciousness mode that I insist excuses me from small things like rules of grammar or general etiquette. Let’s call it conversational English, hopped up on beans. You know what kind of beans (no, Carl Mellesmoen, not the magic ones)

Montreal Canadiens (12-11-1) visit Pittsburgh Penguins (16-8)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Game Twenty-Five (score posted following scribbles)
Musings and In-Game Scribbles are a “live blogging” of the game that are compiled (typed, actually) during the game and edited and posted shortly after the game.

We’ll see David Desharnais for the first time tonight. He’ll be replacing Andrei Kostitsyn who was injured last night. It’s Desharnais’ first game as a Montreal Canadien.

Joel Bouchard goes on about Crosby for a while, pointing at his own heart, discussing the value of the “C” and the pleasure of watching such a young Stanley Cup champion. Whatever.

Michel Bergeron appears in a jolly mood again in giving us his three predictions for tonight’s games. He predicts a Montreal loss to Pittsburgh.

Goalies for tonight are Carey Price and Marc-Andre Fleury.

First Period

We begin. Quick entry by your Pens. Gonchar makes an uncharacteristically poor pass in his own zone (or do I need to be corrected?) and Orpik has to go forward to pick it up. He’s met by a forechecker but manages to move the disc away from harm.

Couple of faceoffs soon after.

We resume to the left of Fleury.

Lighting is somehow pinkish in Mellon Arena. Mario is probably watching from up top.

Pacioretty crosses the blue line and dumps it in past Fleury’s left. Puck nearly escapes but Cammalleri steps up and whacks it back in. His linemates are Lapierre and Ryan White.

Malkin gets a pass from Dupuis and shoots from the middle. Price drops and cradles it. Faceoff.

Some flubbing around with the puck inside the Montreal blue line by Pyatt and others but the Canadiens recover. Pittsburgh is skating too casually. Crowd can sense it and they begin to exhort their team, the defending Stanley Cup Champions (on paper) at about the 16:30 remaining mark.

Price is very reliable on most shots now. And he can make the big save. Here he does his golden Yukon panhandling save on the right post. One knee, one scooped glove and nary a chance for the sharp-angled Penguin shot.

Metropolit line works to contain the black (gold) disc deep but this incursion is swept away by the Pens.

Pittsburgh’s Maxim Talbot (who was interviewed prior to the game) now taps a puck to Price but no rebound can be had. Right idea.

Faceoff to the right of Price soon thereafter.

Fedotenko is on the ice but Montreal with Metropolit, on the ice again so soon, pushes it up. This time he gets support from Pacioretty who works in the corner while Travis Moen waits in front of the net. Pacioretty works it to the blue line where it is forced out.

Penguins enter. Guerin finds Crosby on a cross-ice pass down at the left circle. Crosby swerves in front of Price but can’t get a quality shot. Pittsburgh forces it back in after a brief exit.

Now they control along the points. Short-lived.

Desharnais and Chipchura try a two-on-two but Desharnais precedes the puck into the zone and offside is called.

Crosby’s chance is replayed and we see that Price had more to do with the stop than Crosby’s inability to get quality wood on the shot. Quality plastic, whatever. (Ottawa’s Jason Spezza prefers using a wood stick. By the random way.)

Good Montreal breakout is blown by the third pass receiver at the blue line.

We’re back to the neutral zone oval patterns. Black puck. White. Gold puck, Red. We’re seeing between the blues action and two that roll behind Price’s net. Second one is called for icing.

Pittsburgh wins the faceoff. Montreal gets it back at their blue line. Turnover. Crosby enters. Shoots. Scores. Right off the giveaway. Remember Harry Skipper? Coast to coast. This one had a lateral. Talbot intercepted the Hamrlik long pass, tapped it up to Crosby who lofted a beautiful shot over Price’s left shoulder.

Crowd is at its loudest since the puck dropped.

Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0.

Strand’s Theory is being observed as Pittsburgh exerts some initial pressure after the faceoff. Sergei Kostitsyn does his best to arrest that but another Crosby incursion results in a shot high by the captain.

Montreal has not named a captain yet and Joel Bouchard told us before the game that Montreal head coach Jacques Martin is the captain right now and that Bouchard doesn’t believe there is a real captain on the team right now.

Montreal is showing a greater sense of urgency. Shot from the point. Rebound. Metropolit. Can’t get a lot on it.

Pittsburgh now. Deep. Around the net. Controlling. Dupuis. Now Malkin supports him. Triple turnover by the two teams at the blue line and the puck is released to the Pittsburgh zone.

The 23-year old David Desharnais has four goals and six assists in seven games with the Canadiens’ farm affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs this season. More than respectable totals. Last season he finished with 24 goals and 34 assists in 77 games. Also good. He is wearing number fifty-eight.

With about five and a half minutes left in the first period both teams are playing a gritty perimeter, edge and board game. Icing on Pittsburgh after about three minutes of uninterrupted sloshing and struggle.

Another long pass is intercepted coming out of the Montreal zone. Two-on-one. Cammalleri with Plekanec. Crosby backchecks. Houde says what I feel; Crosby works harder against Montreal. His backcheck effectively ends the chance. But moments later Cammalleri fans (misses) on a setup that left him eight feet in front of Fleury alone and to the goaltender’s right.

Like Guy Carbonneau, David Desharnais played four seasons with Chicoutimi Sagueneens. About a 25-year gap between tenures, though.

Replay. Crosby’s back-check was reminiscent of some of those Gretzky moments when the Great One would take it upon himself to take over a game.

Now some goalmouth stick and puck fury. Fleury is on the ice, on his stomach and covering up after three or four goalmouth flare-ups courtesy of Metropolit, Moen and Pacioretty. That is a well-matched trio. Experience, fearlessness and a learning chance for Pacioretty. All three are bold players. As a group they are a handful for any line.

Pens control. Shot from the point. Some lovely tic and tac. Slot-slot goes too high after three, four precise passes. Canadiens seem fortunate on that sequence. Price was in position, however.

White line. They press. Pacioretty line next.

Pens are good at controlling passes to the point and keeping said pucks in play in five-on-five. Best team I’ve seen at that this season. The defenceman don’t hold it up there, rather they’ve looked and made a decision as the puck comes towards them.

Put 12 pounds and two inches on Koivu and he would have been a marvelous defenceman. Just a thought.

One minute in the period.

Pass goes to the slot. Crosby nearly nails it.

Crosby beats White to the puck in the right corner.

Canadiens miss a pass. Pittsburgh picks it up and gets it up for Jordan Staal. Nothing dangerous.

Faceoff to the right of Price. Goes around behind his net. Seconds tick off.

End of period.

Shots on goal: Montreal 8, Pittsburgh 8

First Intermission
Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0

Chroniques a la Une. Nothing interesting to me. Pascal Leclaire’s injury, some Ilya Kovalchuk talk and Milan Lucic discussion. All with video. Crete and Gagnon make a good team.

The 4-18 Leafs are leading the 9-12 Lightning 3 to 2. Mister Ninety (your buddy Ovie) has the only goal in the game between Washington and Buffalo (he’ll one day break Mister Ninety-Nine’s ninety-two goal record).

Joel Bouchard says that Crosby’s first period is perhaps the best period of action of any forward he has seen this season.

David Desharnais is interviewed and asked about his first-ever NHL game. He admits to some butterflies and comes across as open in his responses. This could very well be his last NHL game ever, too. If you’re twenty-three and haven’t played NHL hockey at that point, it’s unlikely that you’re an NHL-calibre player. Not trying to be rude, just citing what some NHL scouts and coaches say. Of course, Montreal has been known to promote many players later than many other clubs. Developmental philosophy.

Second Period
Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0

What about bigger Zambonis so that the ice gets cleaned faster? I mean really big. Huge.

Canadiens are out for lights. Scoreboard doesn’t flash yet. But Houde says that they have shown their teeth. They controlled with some icy ferocity. Three shots and nearly full control in Pittsburgh’s end for the first thirty seconds.

Checking is up. Both teams.

Guerin leads Crosby into the corner with a deep diagonal puck.

Shot from the point becomes a dangerous crease rebound and Price stops Guerin’s shot.

Brunet says that Price was ready and then adds “what an addition Guerin was for Pittsburgh last season.”

Lovejoy passes to his right and we see a shot from Dupuis at the end of the sequence. Puck bounds over the glass and we’ll have a faceoff to Price’s right. (I’m really tired of typing that. Time to name the circles. Harper and Layton?)

Two on one. Plekanec and Cammalleri again. This time Plekanec keeps it and shoots. Rebound goes right out to Cammalleri at about a 45-degree angle. Cammalleri misses again. Sergei sent the two in. Puck bounced over Cammalleri’s stick. Dommage.

Desharnais chases a dump-in by Chipchura but can’t come up with it. Just goes too far. The “s” in Desharnais is silent as is the “h”. It’s like saying “Des” and “Arnais”.  Or “Day” and “Arnay”, if you prefer.

Pyatt is called for tripping. Legit.

First penalty of the game. Houde says that the first penalty is, once again, going to the Canadiens.

Crosby whacks at a rebound from a distance shot. Stopped and held. On that sequence, Guerin stands in front of Price and plays the moving screen role. Crosby darts in and out of the slot.

Faceoff.

Pittsburgh controls off the faceoff and get it to the blue line quickly. Another shot and freeze by Price.

Eaton stays on for the second wave with just over a minute left in the penalty. Sergei Kostitsyn is on the second pairing. Canadiens can’t get the puck out.

To the point from Malkin. Back to Crosby. Gonchar sends a Markov-to-Kovalev type pass from the left point to the right hash for Malkin. Tries but can’t golf it in.

Now Price makes a savvy movement to eliminate a sure goal. Houde’s voice doesn’t reflect the gravity of the save.

Both teams work on the boards and then the puck is in front and in the net. Houde says what I think again: What happened?

It just slid in under Price’s glove in the crease. Price is talking to the ref. He feels the whistle should have gone. Guerin gets a gift goal.

Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 0.

Just over thirteen minutes left in he second period.

Canadiens have a failed two-on two but Plekanec and Moen keep the possession alive for about six seconds. Metropolit line follows and they continue the control but with a turnover just inside the blue line, Pittsburgh is able to exit. We see Jordan Staal deliver a great check but it changes nothing. Montreal retains the puck. Now Sergei scoops the puck away from a one-on-one battle behind Fleury and he tries to create something. Is relieved of the puck as he sidles up the side boards.

White says, “What are you looking at as a Pen tries to rough him up or intimidate him. Great reaction. White shakes his head and the refs pull the Pen away from the situation. Faceoff.

Plekanec and Lapierre combine to win the faceoff. Shot from the point from Bergeron. Dangerous. Wrister just to the right of Fleury. Pittsburgh ignites a brief response rush that ends at the Montreal blue line. Montreal with White and Lapierre doing the most work on the forecheck continue their possession. Finally the line must leave and we see Cammalleri join White with Plekanec. Gorges lose Fedotenko to the left of Price now and Talbot beats Plekanec going around. The quick pass fins nobody. Pittsburgh is controlling the play. Goddard and Talbot. Great presence for Goddard.

Moen takes it behind the net but three Penguins end that. Rupp enters down the right and controls enough against two Habs in the left circle to get a shot that deflects upward.

Gorges are having a bad period; gives the puck away to Malkin along the side. Now a slow line change from Montreal. Pittsburgh is changing so it doesn’t hurt.

Faceoff. No major reason.

Price from behind the net. To the left. Goes back around the other way where O’Byrne passes to Hamrlik and the breakout begins. But a broken Lapierre stick allows Pittsburgh to exit their zone eight seconds later.

Now we’re down to the right of Price where he jams the puck against the outside of the post to this right and we get another stoppage in play. O’Byrne is starting to bloom in anonymity. He doesn’t need any more negative attention after last year. The expression of non-confidence on the bench is slowly being replaced with a demeanour of “I guess I oughta be here, after all. Right?” He’s getting there and it’s a small positive.

Another faceoff to the right follows.

Pittsburgh wins this one but Montreal comes up with it. They clear it to the Pittsburgh right hash. And it is cleared back to Montreal. Both teams are less willing to carry it up, use the short pass and work hard. Six and a half minutes left in the second.

Gonchar dives but nobody notices. Metropolit fights with Staal for the puck. Kostitsyn supports. Shot. Fleury with a high glove save.

Faceoff.

Price’s backhander is weak but Gorges can still work along the boards to get it out. Canadiens are starting to show more care than the Penguins for the game’s outcome. Moen has it behind Fleury.

Plekanec follows up. Passes to the point. A shot. Back to Plekanec. Leaves it for Cammalleri. Too far. Canadiens have to re-enter.

Orpik bangs a Hab behind the net. Action pours down the right side towards Price. Puck rolls to him where he gloves it.

Just over four minutes.

Pyatt works to get it to the corner where he gets it himself. He clears it hard to the other side and it goes right up to the Pittsburgh blue line where the blue to blue resumes.

Crosby gets down the left side. Creates. Stops. Turns and looks from the hash. Backhand pass to Gonchar in the mid-slot. Beautiful play. Very Oiler. Vintage Grape Gretzky. Gonchar’s finish is almost as skilled. Puck goes from skate to forehand to backhand to the five-hole as Prices crosses. Experts’ goal. Have another glass.

Pittsburgh 3, Montreal 0

Canadiens are lax and defeated. Even Cammalleri. His forecheck is enough to seem as if he cares. Others follow his example.

Pittsburgh gets called for something. Montreal has one minute left in the period to feel better about things.

Early exits by Pittsburgh mess it up. Cook gets a shot on one of the sequences.

Just 25 seconds in the period as Montreal makes one last attempt. They control it well enough. But they can only manage a soft chance to the right of Fleury at a meaningless angle. Period ends on that play.

Jacques Martin is annoyed and says something un-Disney to assistant Perry Pearn as he catches up to him to walk across the Pittsburgh ice.

Second Intermission
Pittsburgh 3, Montreal 0

Joel Bouchard delights us with blue arrows and player details.

We are told that David Desharnais has clocked 4:30 so far this evening.

Third Period
Pittsburgh 3, Montreal 0

Still one minute left in the Pittsburgh penalty. Under a minute.

Orpik is the first to blast it out.

Mara to Metropolit to Cammalleri and it is fired out by Pittsburgh after a turnover.

Whistle soon after.

Pittsburgh wins it to the right of Fleury.

They clear it again.

Penalty ends.

Only Maxim Lapierre is playing with the highest level of urgency. Pittsburgh ices twice. They’re not very interested either.

Wasting everybody’s time.

Bergeron pinches. Handles it, loses it. But at least there was something extra. A three-goal deficit requires something extra. Now doesn’t it?

Houde says that there is no energy left from the Canadiens. It is two games in two nights, true.

Chipchura line loses the puck and a Pittsburgh offside saves Montreal from a rush.

Plekanec line is on.

Cammalleri exits after a blocked shot, it’s one on two but he can’t generate a shot.

Moments later, Sergei and Pacioretty enter with a trailer. Three-on-two results in a drop pass from Sergei Kostitsyn to Pacioretty in the high slot. High shot goes in.

Pittsburgh 3, Montreal 1.

Sergei Kostitsyn was patient and his pass was rightly placed. It’s Pacioretty’s third goal of the season and Kostitsyn’s first point.

Malkin is not the smooth Cadillac tonight. Playing hurt?

Hamrlik takes the puck and takes a penalty. Lifted it after a trip; he’d lost the puck just inside the zone. Reminded me of Souray a lot on that play. Not usual that Hamrlik will do that, though.

Pittsburgh power-play occurs with close to 11:23 left in the third.

Early work by the Canadiens keeps the puck trapped on the boards. But Pittsburgh gets their passing going. Gonchar gets two shots from the middle of the blue line. Two saves by Price.

Pittsburgh maintains control. They get a shot and a very dangerous rebound goes to the circle where Malkin adjusts like a hit-man and fires it right on net. Too much traffic.

Now Montreal exits and O’Byrne is robbed, just trained on his high point-blank shot to Fleury’s glove side. How did Fleury stop that? A guess is my best guess. Gambled and won. Frontier save.

Montreal keeps Pittsburgh out for the rest of the penalty.

Montreal resumes their let’s mail-it-in status. So yesterday’s win is worth losing today’s game. Martin will be fuming. What a waste of two points.

Just over six minutes left. I think conditioning is not enough of an excuse but I may be talking outta my hat. Am I? Pittsburgh didn’t play last night so they are supposedly better rested. But if Montreal’s conditioning program allows them to play two games in two nights with the same energy level, shouldn’t that be enough? All things being even, I imagine Pittsburgh has the energy advantage.

Granting that, shouldn’t Montreal ice four or five players that might be fresher if a little less-talented? Martin’s actions indicate otherwise.

Regardless, Montreal is not up to their energy level of last night.

Using a laptop as it is literally advertised, keeping it on my lap while typing just can’t be good for future generations. Can it? Aspartame was a bad idea as we all found out, too.

Three minutes and forty seconds left.

Crosby is on the ice and he is creating. He isn’t finished for the night.

Plekanec does the minimum for appearances as he checks Guerin. Just under three minutes. Few on this Montreal team believe and are playing as if a win is still possible.

Chipchura line creates a dangerous chance in front of Fleury now. Canadiens are trying again. Lapierre and White’s line. It’s easy to have a sense of urgency when we are at just over one minute left. Where was this effort with ten minutes left? Unimpressive.

Thirty-two seconds. A win is still mathematically possible. Price stays in the net. Houde agrees with the decision.

Crosby makes it in for one last shot. Off a leg. Game ends.

Pittsburgh 3
Montreal 1

HDS Stars: Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Sergei Gonchar
RDS Stars: Sidney Crosby, Sergei Gonchar, Max Pacioretty

Related posts:

1. Expressly Canadian (Gm 7)
2. Expressly Canadian (Game Five)
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Gm 2)
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Gm 1)
5. Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins
6. Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins