Montreal Canadiens vs Pittsburgh Penguins
December 10, 2009, by Homme De Sept-Iles
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 (15-14-2) host Pittsburgh Penguins (20-10-1)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Game Thirty-Two (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.
First Period
Plekanec faces Crosby to begin. Pens control early and get a pass to the point where it is shot harmlessly to Price’s left.
Gill pushes it up where Gorges battles for it near the right hash. Puck moves around behind the net and we see a similar scrum for the puck.
Malkin has an attempt from the doorstep. Left-handed jam-in attempt. . Looked a bit slow-mo.
Pittsburgh ices after a limited early offensive possession. Gomez wins the faceoff. Results in a point shot.
Laraque is in the deep corner. Assisted by Pyatt. Puck escapes them both.
Pens start a rush after some neutral zone nothing.
Cammalleri blocks the puck pass by Pittsburgh. Montreal has control now. And it lasts three seconds.
Crosby is a Corvette minus cape as he splits two red Hondas. They manage to keep the intrepid captain from causing harm. This time.
Gonchar carries it up and dumps it in dep. Pittsburgh can’t retrieve. Gomez is on with Sergei Kostitsyn and Maxim Lapierre. Gorges and Gill are the pairing as an early fierce rush by Gomez is thwarted and the Canadiens are backed deep again.
Price is his new self again. Alert. Low. Quick. Always in the right place.
How much longer can we take this transition? The answer is partially found in the phrase “winning cures everything”.
Pittsburgh scores as my pizza-guy arrives. This is the same guy that messed up my order a few weeks back; the order where the drink and salad were missing and the toppings were all wrong. Gonchar’s goal happens after I open the door. The driver is smiling the same insipid “what have I done wrong?” smile; the kind of man that causes vehicular homicide by reaching for the bug spray in his dash. .
Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0
Guests need juice. Sometimes the typing has to suffer. Soon I will buy a Canadiens cockpit and launch myself into the mesosphere for each game, undisturbed, clouded and cool.
Crosby and Spacek are working against one another deep in Montreal territory.
Plekanec enters on the right side and leaves it for Andrei Kostitsyn. Plekanec accelerates, chopping to the net. Andrei shoots from the spot he got the puck. Fleury handles it, unscreened and holds it for the faceoff.
Bergeron gets a great shot from the point. It ricochets. His bursts are artillery wakeners.
Now Kris Letang’s blue line shot for Pittsburgh on the opposite end is a little different. High wrister.
We see the Bergeron shot on the replay after the commercial. Two angles. Thousands of missed plays in a televised game. Just no time to show it all. And the Bergeron shot was much less interesting than Letang’s miss.
The frenzy when Pacioretty and Moen are on the ice against Malkin’s line is hard to evaluate but for the speed and the increased turnover rate.
Lapierre line is on and they miss a gorgon opportunity as Lapierre shoots and the pucks snakes out in almost three lines to the crease.
Now Bergeron gets away with a flagrant violation as Staal bursts past him and is on what should be a breakaway chance. Bergeron does it all, arm, stick, holding and gets away with it all. With two refs on the ice, there is no excuse. Worst missed call in weeks at the Bell Centre.
Pace increases, crowd agog, their screams meld with motion, with fear and anticipation. Both teams skate fiercely.
The action is outstanding to close the last two minutes. Lines jump on and match the intensity. It’s as if they’ve heated the puck to a centigrade point … and now they have to bake with it. Skillets are hot to hold.
Forty seconds left in the period and Pacioretty and Moen’s line are on for this. They win it and are allowed to change lines.
Gomez and Lapierre are on for the final shift. Crosby nearly sets up Staal flying in from the left. But the long pass flips over a Hab stick and the Canadiens narrowly avoid giving up a late-period chance.
Dan Bylsma takes a sip of clear water and we see that Pittsburgh has outshot Montreal 11-7.,
First Intermission
Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0
Crete and Gagnon discuss contracts and the CBA. Crete can’t hide his admiration for Gagnon and his pleasure at being paired with him. It’s subtle warmth but it’s something I believe I’m seeing.
We see Boston Bruin Marc Savard’s contract which starts out heavy and moves to light over several years. The strategy I first heard discussed in Bruce Dowbiggin’s Money Players.
Crete and Gagnon together are one of the best teams on RDS. I enjoy their chemistry and the great information that Francois brings to the table. Crete is equally prepared and directs the questioning using his solid background knowledge.
Second Period
Pittsburgh 1, Montreal 0
Skating pace is slower, more cautious. Both teams are watch and wait. Crosby’s line is on first and Cammalleri is on against them. (With AK46 and Plekanec).
Staal is sent ahead by Goligoski. Chases and finds his own dump-in.
Cammalleri line is still on and they have a brief possession.
Now Carey Price finds Kostitsyn for the longest possible pass down the right side, just to the Pittsburgh blue line. Big white swath. No players. Kostitsyn has two defenders back to handle him, though and he has to settle for a forty0foot shot.
First penalty is called. Pacioretty.
Holding.
Crosby is on. This Pittsburgh power-0play unit is at 14% and ranked 29th according to Houde.
Canadiens get the first chance with #87 chasing. Moen. Nothing dangerous.
Perhaps I should be bringing more to the Musing table and sourcing out digital nuggets rather than just watching and reflecting.
Pittsburgh finally sets up. Gonchar’s big shot. Price handles the fallout. He made an earlier save with more gusto required.
Long shot closes the power-play. Price covers it. Faceoff.
Price shows a new move that I haven’t seen before. It occurs with the puck to his right and nearly idle as four players, two Pens and two Habs poke at it. He right-angles his skate, on one knee like a mechanic. Then pushes himself backward, still in the position and back to his crease. He’s been working very hard on his technique and that has shown tangible results.
Michael Rupp gets called for boarding. Brunet says what I feel; there was no need for Rupp to do it. Gorges is ok but his body crumples backward in that way that has become too familiar.
Bergeron and Hamrlik are the initial blues-men. Kostitsyn, Cammalleri and Plekanec are the first wave. Martin has moved away from mixing unique trios for the power-play.
Chris Lee makes so many mistakes that even when he’s right, the players openly doubt him. What a tough job they all have. And I think they have been doing the best I’ve ever seen them. This season particularly.
Staal somehow has seven short-handed goals this season. He beats Gorges to a puck on the Pittsburgh blue line and takes it down. He forces Gorges to interfere with him and the Montreal power-play ends. We’ll see just over a minute of four-on-four.
Crosby and Malkin are the first Pittsburgh pairing.
Malkin creates off the boards. Backhander from the mid-slot. Price handles it.
Malkin is attached by Plekanec immediately after the whistle. Strange to see, strange to type. Still waiting to see the cause.
It’s because Malkin tapped Price’s equipment after the whistle went. Plekanec was very aggressive.
Gomez beats the band down to the end line. Gets the disc and serves it up with his easy, rubber-band release. Results in a failed back-hander. Fleury is all flat grill and pancake hands. Rupp’s penalty ends and Pittsburgh is on a brief power-play.
Even-strength.
D’Agostini scores.
Stole it at the top of the circle. Like an interceptor stepping in front of the receiver. Backhand. To forehand. Shot. In. Hmm. Unexpected. Not bad.
Montreal 1, Pittsburgh 1.
Pittsburgh is worth a 3-1 lead but the score says 1-1. One opportunistic moment by one soon-to-go guy and that’s it. The world knows it as an even game. It’s the game that least rewards its best plays, players and teams.
A great effort in football or basketball is more likely to get you a win than that same great effort would in hockey.
Andrei enters. Backhand. Puck rises. Three other Habs are crashing into the area. Net tilts. Goes off. Cammalleri is unafraid. He challenges Orpik after the whistle. Penguin Ruslan Fedotenko goes to the box for delay of game. Bylsma yells something about leaving (in prettier language).
First incursion is prevented and the Pens clear. Cammalleri and Kostitsyn with Plekanec are on the first wave. Puck finds its way to Hamrlik who shoots it in. Kostitsyn was screening. Fleury appeared to lose it momentarily. Looked like a puck he should have had.
Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 1
Hockey. Hockey, hockey. My sympathy goes to coaches and goalies. Always. Fleury has played well yet his team is behind 2-1. And in today’s “at the end of the day” world, there is even more unwarranted responsibility for wins and losses placed on goalies, quarterbacks and point-guards. And not enough on CEOs and presidents. Look it up if you don’t agree.
And I hate that saying “at the end of the day”.
Plekanec and Cammalleri. Two-on-one. Plekanec waits til the nearly perfect time. Sends it across. Cammalleri shoots. Perhaps the pass took too long. Then another chance. Also Plekanec. Retrieved it behind the net and got it in front again.
Pittsburgh exerts their first real pressure of the night. Four shots. A wrap-around. A direct shot and rebound whap. And a slot-shot. In about seven seconds. Malkin almost jammed in the second shot with his skates sideways and entering the crease, stick up.
Just over two minutes.
Gonchar from the point. Deflects. Matt Cook gets the goal.
Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 2
Crosby versus Plekanec. Strength versus strength as Houde said in the first period. Two offensive lines. Just over two minutes.
Cammalleri raises the stick to shoot. Hesitates. Shoots. Entered with two Pens to either side. And other players around. Shoots. His windup is so smooth he looks like a video game icon. Pixelated player.
Metropolit gets a backhander in the crease, almost alone.
Period ends but the action for the final two minutes is as flurry and frisson as the final two minutes of the first.
Second Intermission, Third Period
Pittsburgh 2, Montreal 2
Malkin hits the post very early. High ting. Shot hit a defender on the way up. Crossbar.
O’Byrne is called. Pittsburgh sets up for a short occasion. But Montreal’s penalty-kill, which has been very good for a few games is continuing their interruptive, fast-skating efforts.
Now a puck slides to the middle of the crease where players meet and puck meets glove. Price has it and Gill keeps order.
Montreal kills the penalty; it’s their twenty-fifth successful kill in a row. Seconds later, Gill is called for tripping. Legit call. Again.
Crosby wave is first. Gonchar stays on for the second wave. But Plekanec nearly takes the puck away from him, both moving and struggling through the neutral zone. Gonchar prevents the Czech forward’s peskiness.
But soon afterward, Moen carries the puck in, one hand on stick, long tadpole strides as he curves to the crease. His shot attempt becomes a missed pass across the crease.
Sergei is on the second protective forward pairing. He is playing well, effort is there but the goals are still to come. His play-making has been top-six since his return.
Habs end this power-play. Gill nearly sends a forward in but the tangle on the blue line frustrates this entry. Pittsburgh moves down and makes Price stop the play in workmanlike manner. Faceoff will be to the BC native’s left.
Houde informs us that the shot on goal differential is 31-17 in favour of Pittsburgh. Just over thirteen minutes left in the game.
Jacques Martin has solved the relationship between Andrei Kostitsyn and the team’s objectives. The older brother plays better from week to week and has the demeanour of a player whose efforts are being recognized with the higher frequency that I suspect he requires.
Metropolit and Pacioretty are on with Moen. Puck protectors in the audience can relax.
Price waits as a rush ends in his crease and then he pokes forward like a rabbit with a helmet and thrusts the puck away on his knees. But O’Byrne is called on the play. Brunet says that the team should be more disciplined but this was more of a penalty of context.
Price’s positioning is prescient panther. Great saves as the puck moves on long lines, always the hypotenuse when Crosby passes. His pucks stretch vectors, make Tron victims of defenders.
Thirteen seconds left. Four men on the diamond and Price is the slinky, snake king scepter. Another save. Gonchar’s fire-wrister is tapped by the glove and secured.
Penalty is killed and Pittsburgh is up 37-17 on shots.
Bergeron beats Staal in a corner puck battle. Lapierre wins his battle on the other end and the net result is a shot from Spacek.
Penguin defender Mark Eaton recovers behind his net and Price is handling it now as the teams change lines.
Rhythm is better now that the boxes are empty says Brunet.
Dupuis enters on the left. Fires. Scores. Alone. Price has played so well. High shot hit Price’s glove on the way in. He was on his knees and Hamrlik’s reaching stick deflected a puck that seemed to be going wide. Houde sounds disappointed on behalf of the Montreal goalie.
Pittsburgh 3, Montreal 2
Fleury has to make a tough save after giving up a precious rebound. Pacioretty line is rebuffed.
Faceoff to Fleury’s left. Lapierre scores. Whistle went first. Houde screams, “Et le but!!!”
But the puck wasn’t under control and the whistle went. It’s a fair call.
Crowd doesn’t like it but they get quiet after the replay. And then they bubble over some more.
Gomez wins the next faceoff and gets it to the point to Gill. Attack isn’t sustained and then Pittsburgh goes offside.
RDS tries to get a reaction shot from the Montreal head coach but he has settled into his game-face again.
Jacques Martin has similar “hidden emotion” facial expressions as NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Both men are accustomed to being frank in private (or so it seems) but maintain poker-face public personas. Bettman’s verbal break-out choices are well-designed and he has a performer’s knack for knowing how to present those blunt points he can. His resulting shock-point delivery is entertaining and laugh-out-loud sudden. I always enjoy his interviews.
Just over four minutes left.
Metropolit and Moen pair up to gain the puck but it wet tortellinis through legs and skates. It’s out. And soon it’s back in. Gomez passes to D’Agostini, sudden and a shot. Wide.
They have to dump it in for a line change.
Cammalleri line.
Long pass results in icing for Pittsburgh. And Houde says that it’s been a long shift for the Gwins. Brunet corrects him and specifies that only one Pen has been on for a long time.
Carey Price is very focused on his move following any initial shot. It’s this kind of commitment that is a good measurement for the urgency level for a goaltender. He not only is ready for a second move, he expects it. It makes a fraction of a second quicker.
Just over a minute.
Price leaves the net. Plekanec and Cammalleri are on with Hamrlik and Gomez. Spacek is on the other side. And of course, AK46.
They contain for about eight seconds. It leaves and Spacek has to make a goal-saving effort at the top of the Montreal crease. Booing begins as Montreal becomes trapped in their zone.
Seven seconds. Canadiens get a surge.
Booing. Ref lifts his arms.
Sharp-angle shot.
In my NHL, a penalty in the final minute would result in a full two-minute power-play regardless of time on the clock.
Pittsburgh 3
Montreal 2
Many stars tonight.
HDS Stars: Sergei Gonchar, Carey Price, Sidney Crosby
RDS Stars: Sergei Gonchar, Carey Price, Pascal Dupuis
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