Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders
April 6, 2010, 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 (39-32-8) visit New York Islanders (33-35-10)
Tuesday, April 5th, 2010
Game Eighty (score posted following scribbles)
Missed it? Musings capture the game in writing. Based on the RDS telecast, Musings take about 20 minutes to read. More detailed than an article, fresher than a looping highlight and good with morning coffee. Or late-night chocolate.
Three grown-ups sit at a panel in suit jackets but without ties. Is it just a game for them? Or is it something less? Or is it something more?
It’s RDS, le Reseau de Sports; Jacques Demers, Alain Crete et Joel Bouchard. And many more luminaries, mes amis.
Jacques Demers says that the Canadiens are a of team speed. Not as much as last season, I would caution.
Joel Bouchard discusses young Islander star, John Tavares. Joel says that Tavares has been ordained the next Sidney Crosby but that his numbers are a little disappointing and don’t match the heraldry. He adds that Tavares has done well but that he may not have what it takes to be Sid.
Tavares has 22 goals and 27 assists so far this season, his first in the NHL. But anointed he shall remain; he is from the England of hockey; Ontario, Canada and their loud carpets remain rich and red.
Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak’s pads make him look thinner than last season. Martin Biron is the Islanders’ starter tonight.
First Period
Scott Gomez’ trio starts for Montreal. Isles trio features Kyle Okposo. The “k” is silent, the dignified Pierre Houde informs us.
Islanders enter early. Okposo works in the corner to Halak’s left and gets it to the point. Shot goes out of play.
Isles switch lines while Gomez’ guys stay on. Just 22 seconds elapsed.
Quick excursion ends at the centre line. Isles send it in but it’s out just as quickly. Montreal sends Plekanec’ line on.
He enters on the right side and backhands a pass to the slot where Andrei Kostitsyn is upended by Josh Bailey and slides on his back into the net.
Islanders are called for interference for the gesture.
They go to a power-play. Mike Cammalleri, Andrei Kostitsyn and Tomas Plekanec are the first wave.
Former Montrealer (and Swiss stalwart) Mark Streit is on the ice for New York on defence.
First segment features rectangular passing but no dangerous shots. Isles clear and Gomez’ line hops on the ice.
They set up with about thirty seconds left in the penalty.
Gomez gets it under the end line but his pass parallel to the boards is intercepted.
Penalty ends soon afterward.
Josh Bailey is on with Sean Bergenheim for New York. A slot pass sails through without a deflection.
Both lines change.
Montreal defenders Josh Gorges and Ryan O’Byrne combine with a kick and a skate to move the puck along the Montreal bowl-end. Isles keep it in twice and are able to control from the blue line now.
They outwork the Canadiens on the boards and keep possession for eight and ten seconds.
Finally the Canadiens clear the puck. Lapierre is on briefly.
Plekanec line follows. Andrei K comes out of the corner and slides high. Nothing.
A missed shot results in another Andrei K carry-out, this time to the other side. Turnover is the eventual result.
Isles try a long, bounding shot from outside the blue line. Halak bounces it to a defender.
The Islanders are head-up and blue stride and purpose.
Now a slot pass to Bailey results in the best chance of the evening but the disc goes high. Houde says he was certain it would be a goal.
Replay shows that Bailey hit the crossbar. He was open enough to move the puck from backhand to forehand and delicately flip it at the net.
Plekanec line is back on with about twelve and a half minutes left in the first period.
Gorges is pinching.
Maxim Lapierre is on now. They keep it in the Islander zone. Mathieu Darche manages to get on and Tom Pyatt joins him. Gorges pinches.
Darche comes up to support Lapierre and the puck is kept in for an extra few seconds.
The puck leaves but Lapierre is swooping back to pick it up.
Canadiens have matched the Islanders’ intensity and commitment to the game.
Now a chance for Islander forward Matt Moulson from a low circle. Can’t get enough composite on it.
Gomez shift comes and goes without a Montreal possession nor an Islander shot.
Gorges sends the puck in long but Biron leaves his net to play it behind the net and prevents an icing.
Islanders’ Richard Park loses it inside the Montreal blue.
The line changes are quick but there have been no stoppages for some time. Eight and a half minutes left in the period.
Action is along the boards. Finally Andrei K tries a cross-ice pass to Moore under the Montreal blue line. The risk taken, no turnover occurs but no rush can be generated, either.
Puck goes out of play following a failed Islander entry.
All of the Islanders’ work is done at maximum speed and no passengers are in evidence.
The Islanders, with 76 points, are in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, eight points behind the eighth and final playoff-qualifying spot. With four games left to play, they are already eliminated. Boston’s point in Monday’s game against Washington removed New York from the scene.
But they play as if it matters. The dangerous teams, some say, are the ones with nothing left to lose.
Blake Comeau scores for New York.
Islanders 1, Montreal 0
Crowd gives a shark’s roar for a dolphin’s jump. Captive joy. About a five-shark surprise. A seaman’s audio bark. But they’re happy.
Hamrlik is working the puck on the Montreal boards. To O’Byrne on the other side. Rush results. A mild shot is gloved from a sharp angle and Biron holds it to cause a faceoff.
Quick shot of Charles Wang, New York’s owner. Tieless, too, he looks on. He has interesting presence for someone who gets labeled as a “kook” so often. He has charisma, for one thing.
C’est Mechant Mardi. About the same a Silly Sunday.
Lapierre line fuzzles around under the end line and manage a muffled side shot. Biron ends all that.
Gomez is on for the ensuing faceoff.
Isles work it through the neutral zone but can’t maintain possession. Second incursion is stopped a bit lower. Third incursion results in a good slot chance that goes a bit far. Halak would have been beaten.
Another stoppage. Brunet says that Montreal is losing the one-on-one battles. Sounds like my kitchen. The onions are losing.
But my cupboard handles are winning.
New York’s Jon Sim deposits the puck in a safe corner. Moore is out with it within one dig and a pass.
The Islanders are younger than Montreal. But they play with more purpose.
Montreal, Montreal. Never able to give us an 82-game effort. But can any team? Does any team? Teams prepare for Montreal and look good. And then return to complacent play for large portions of the season. Some teams.
Montreal is always under examination. It isn’t for everyone. Is it for anyone?
(Frikken cap. We could have kept the guys who weren’t affected by it; like Bonk, Koivu, Brisebois, Kovalev, Bouillon and so on.)
Canadiens go to the penalty-kill. Houde says that it’s going from bad to worst.
Islanders control for most of the advantage. They get a puck-hopper near the crossbar. Floats in the air. And falls harmlessly.
They get two good possessions, one that lasts past the end of the period. And the horn goes to end the period.
Jacques Martin sighs the sigh of a man whose car has failed him despite having taken it to Canadian Tire three times in two months. He adjusts his jacket and demeanour and prepares to go to the dressing room.
This period-break will be one of his talkers.
And I was wrong. The Islanders are the twelfth-oldest team in the NHL to Montreal’s 21st.
Isles lead on shots 15-5.
First Intermission
Islanders 1, Canadiens 0
A La Une. Alain is in Montreal and Francois discusses things from the upper bowl, media section in the Islanders’ home.
No tie for Francois either.
They discuss the Leafs, Hurricanes and Islanders, Montreal’s last three opponents of the regular season. Francois says that all three are playing well since the Olympic break. All three are at about 0.500 or so. To me, the OTL is just a loss and I add it to the loss column to come up with a W-L percentage.
They end off with some chuckles at the expense of Ottawa’s Alex Kovalev. Gagnon is nearly falling forward laughing. One thing said was that Alfredsson isn’t the guy to watch, it’s Kovalev. It’s another “enigma” commentary; Kovalev has gone long periods pointless this season but has had some isolated newsworthy nights including a four-goal outing.
My personal hockey affiliates have had enough of Kovalev and have no use for him. General Consensus and Colonel Dismissal. One a Hab and one a Pen.
Great art can’t be denied, however and I still find inspiration in his play. Though I view so few Ottawa games.
Alain asks Jacques what the other Jacques might say to his team. Demers says that the team didn’t have the intensity needed.
Luc Gelinas interviews Perry Pearn. Pearn comes off much mellower than in his last interview.
Change an image, change a chocolate bar. Play a prank. Throw some books. Dryden was right, of course. But the body doesn’t lie.
Much.
The cue and eh was uninteresting. Luc should have asked Perry why he isn’t chewing gum for the interview. Or why so much mauve and purple has made its way into the coaching costuming in recent games. Martin is in mauve ce soir.
Second Period
Islanders 1, Canadiens 0
If the Canadiens can’t care maybe I will cheer for Mark Streit tonight. The former Canadien is probably the Islanders best player.
Islanders are playing with the same intensity but they are turning the puck over more. Some in the crowd, perhaps old enough to personally recall the great four-cup dynasty of the early eighties are booing the home team.
Back and forth we go.
And the tie Martin is wearing isn’t mauve, after all. It’s violet (with silver).
I should wear a suit while writing up each of these games.
Are you shocked I don’t?
Lapierre line is on. Pyatt dumps it in on the right side. Biron plays it. Puck goes off the netting somehow and a faceoff follows to the goalie’s left.
I trust the refs as much as I used to trust the US government. It’s a nice feeling. Imagine being able to just sit back and trust that all is well, eh. The luxury of beliefs.
Tavares line is on. Okposo with him. Tavares crosses the Montreal blue and fires a shot wide. Thirty-five feet away. Hey, Lafleur used to shoot wide. Remember? Oy.
Moen is compromised and nearly turns it over.
Canadiens exit. A chance; good one in the slot.
Another from Sergei Kostitsyn from the low circle. Nope.
Ref falls.
Puck goes the other way.
Streit is now retrieving a long pass missed.
Lapierre line is back on.
Lapierre supports O’Byrne behind Halak. Canadiens watch Park skate past them along the boards. Bouillon would have taken him out.
Puck is smothered soon enough by Halak but Houde says what I notice; the Canadiens end a rough sequence.
And I’ll add that it’s getting worse. This team is doomed.
Ok, just kidding. That’s a bit strong but this team is not in the right mental space for this point in the season. They look to their opponent to determine how they’ll respond on a game night. They look at the standings and play up or down to the level they perceive. As a group, I’m saying.
Some teams do it to a greater degree, some to a lesser one. Canadiens are in the former group.
Plekanec takes the faceoff and wins it to Halak’s right. on the boards Nilsson beats Gorges to the puck. Houde says that Gorges is having a rare rough night.
Now a Canadiens rush. AK enters. Long pass as he crosses the blue line and stops. To Plekanec. It goes in. What. How?
Montreal 1, New York 1
I can’t tell from the replay.
One-timer dribbler, I’d say.
Houde says let’s see if this goal changes things. He means the tenor of the visiting team.
Two-on-one. Moore with Gionta. Moore crosses. Sends it. Gionta looks for the best option; quick, best shot. Biron has it. Gionta didn’t want to get too fancy with the game in the balance. He is a wise hockey mind.
Islanders are called soon afterward. Bailey hooked Gomez.
Plekanec line is the first wave. Bergeron and Markov on the blue. Habs win the faceoff.
Two passes to the blue line. One shot. One broken stick. Bergeron gets another stick and the Canadiens retain possession.
Bergenheim is on the first kill pairing. Diamond formation. Good work from Bergenheim gives Montreal some trouble but deft passing from Markov and Bergeron keeps it going.
Islanders clear after about fifteen seconds of suspense.
Next entry sees a long shot, three whacks and backhand goal from Gionta.
Montreal 2, New York 1
Hockey. Least often rewards its best teams. Islanders have dominated for most of the game but are down a goal. Montreal’s two goals in about three minutes come with just under ten minutes left in the period.
Ole, ole change starts from the Habs fans in the crowd. Hmmm. Maybe they were the ones booing, eh? Sounds more plausible, anyhow.
Darche and Pyatt are on and chasing. They have done well tonight. All night and not just the past three minutes.
Plekanec line is on. Kostitsyn is the wind. He accelerates on the right. Puck to the slot. Good chance. Biron is there. Stoppage.
Gomez line is on.
They chase the puck through the neutral zone. And they come up with it. In the corner a battle is won and the positioning and spacing is good enough for a blue line pass and shot.
Islanders are behind the play for the first time in five-on-five.
Biron traps a puck following a second even more pronounced sequence.
Faceoff to Biron’s right.
Sergei, Moen and Moore are on.
They have early control on the shift but Park escapes down the right side but he is unable to get the goal. He beats Halak through the pads, short side. Puck skitters behind Halak but off to the side.
Lucky, lucky.
One guy says he’d rather be lucky than good. Another guy says he’d rather be creative than competitive.
I say I’d rather be a Canadien than a Nordique.
Stoppage.
Plekanec takes the faceoff to Halak’s right. Wins it.
Exit.
Tight three-on-two. Disc to AK in the slot for a perfect pass. And a perfect save. Zeros are hockey perfection.
Now another entry and a shot. Stoppage. Scrum. Markov’s helmet comes off. Markov is less cowed than in previous years. He is starting to emerge. This season, I mean.
Penalty is against Markov. And another to New York. Pearn’s tie is violet and silver as well. Now I just have to spot Muller’s.
Four-on-four.
Gomez and Gionta are the first pairing.
Gill is on the blue line with Gorges.
Bergenheim is on the right side. Shot. Huge rebound. Way too much puck, dawg. But the Canadiens swipe twice and then sweep. The disc bounces harmlessly against the Islander end-boards.
Icing.
Plekanec and Cammalleri are the next pair. Hamrlik and Bergeron are on defence.
Tavares is on with Okposo. Streit is back for New York. Streit wears number 2 here, number 32 in Montreal days. Fourth dude, I dunno.
Tavares is in on the left side. He’s covered and unleashes a high shot from the short side, off-wing and it goes high. Could have hit Halak. Not sure.
Four-on four ends.
Moore line is on. Scramble in front of the net. Pouliot doesn’t see it in his skates. Gorges is deep in the slot. An Islander sees the puck. Houde can’t see it either.
Isles get out of trouble. Stoppage.
Faceoff is outside Islander territory. Gomez line stays on. Moments later, Gomez gets called for roughing. Brunet says that Gomez punched Jackman in the face.
Gomez takes a lot of these types of hothead penalties. He’s not as hotheaded as Souray. And the replay shows that this one wasn’t hot-headed rather it was a calculated cross-check from behind. Legit call.
Hey, it may have been hot-headed; something might have preceded it but as with much of hockey, the reasons and the why remain a mystery.
Shapes in the ocean.
Early man-advantage sees Montreal’s Moore and Moen snipe, interrupt and variously irritate the Isles. Puck leaves. It’s back in but the horn goes and the Isles first minute on the power-play is shotless.
Canadiens outshot the Islanders 15-9. Isles still lead 24-20, overall.
Muller’s tie is black and grey. No special purple people party.
Second Intermission
Canadiens 2, Islanders 1
The digital pulpit.
Joel says that as we approach the playoffs and as Coach knows, covering the natural scorers is a must, coverage is a must. Demers is Coach.
We see Comeau’s goal and Bouchard shows how Markov was a bit behind the play, missed coverage of Comeau in the slot and that the goal would likely have been prevented if Markov had closed more quickly.
Another replay and breakdown and Joel asserts that the Canadiens (we, he says) are lucky to be ahead by one.
Demers follows.
Crete agrees that the Canadiens are playing more forcefully this period.
Joel says comme on dit “commitment” en Anglais and Alain and Jacques both quickly augment Joel’s French saying “engagement”. Fair enough.
But French won’t be the language that survives into the 40th century.
We’ll see about the other one.
I fear the day when government words like “signage” are the dominant ideology for communication.
Nah, the electro-impulse brain-chip will precede all of that.
Stop me anytime.
Or just get rid of the commercials. Somebody. Do something.
The letter “C” on the Canadiens jerseys is actually a horseshoe with an “H” inside. Just turn it and you’ll see.
Horseshoes are a western motif. Are they not?
We are updated on NHL scores tonight. Caps lead Pittsburgh 3-1.
Caps and Chicago in the final? Or will it be Detroit and Buffalo?
Alain says that Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson is playing his 1000th game tonight. He asks Jacques and Joel if Alfredsson should go into the Hall of Fame (once his career is over). Jacques says yes and adds that number eleven is one of his favourites and an upstanding man. Joel says that Alfredsson deserves to go the hall and remarks on his consistency.
Seems acceptable.
Alfredsson is, I agree, a great player and one game is all you’ll need to realise it.
Gionta is interviewed by Gelinas. Game of momentum. Bounces. Is it tough to play without watching the out of town scores? And, and, and.
Third Period
Canadiens 2, Islanders 1
Quick shot of the retired jerseys in this building. Trottier and Nystrom are up there. And Bossy. And others. About six. Clark Gillies and some goalie you wouldn’t like.
White always looks dishwater in this rink. It’s better than in the eighties but the lighting is weird in Long Island.
O’Byrne delivers a Komisarek trap-em check on the hash. Very low spot to see such a check. And I am very impressed. It wasn’t a wasted check, the kind that results in a shot against. Great work.
Bergenheim sneaks over the blue. Between two guys. Just blasts it from eight feet out. Slapper tings in. Hamrlik was beaten on the play. And Halak? Well from eight feet out. No chance.
Islanders 2, Canadiens 2
Reese sent Bergenheim in with a pass from the neutral zone.
Again the crowd cheers as they would for free hats and then quiets down. Are they wise, low-energy old men? Or are they wine and cheesers who don’t give a hoot?
O’Byrne knocks down Hillen in almost precisely the same spot with a very similar result. Not a hip-check, though.
Crowd may be gorgonzola but the Isles are flying again.
Faceoff.
To Halak’s left. Gomez and Park tangle sticks and Gomez falls forward. Puck dribbles back. Picked up. Canadiens exit.
Pouliot falls in the corner to Biron’s right. Gionta is going the other way. Isles send it out.
Canadiens change five players as the puck goes back deep in New York ice.
Hunter comes out of the corner and fires a high wrister. Stoppage soon afterward. He is nodding after the play and shrugging as he discusses something with someone off-screen.
We resume. Tavares sends Okposo in, fighting for the puck, reaching but a rush can’t result.
Moments later, Tavares moves from the side to the slot and backhands a puck high. Halak looks beaten.
But he isn’t. Glove. Brunet says it was splendid and that even the refs were watching and impressed.
Faceoff. Won by New York. To the point. Shot. Pad kick-save.
Fourteen minutes left in the game.
Isles entry is interrupted in the slot.
Lapierre line is on.
Lapierre wants to make something happen.
And boy, he does.
Circles back. Drops it. Gets a lead pass. Uses his great speed and gets through two defenders, free. And gets two, three feet of ice to work with. Stickhandles. Up. Over. In.
Beautiful goal. Lafleur kind of goal.
Canadiens 3, Islanders 2
I’m not exaggerating on the Lafleur comparison. It’s not a proportional comparison. It’s exactly how Lafleur would look if he was pulled out of the seventies and placed on the ice. Just a bit off. Players weren’t as skilled then.
But a delightful goal, nonetheless.
Lapierre line stays on. Stoppage soon afterward.
Gomez line follows.
Gorges up for Gomez. Shoots it down. Picked up by Streit. His hair is longer than it was in Montreal. The New York effect, eh.
Or not.
Islanders control on the boards to Halak’s right. To the point. Blast. Wide.
Isles keep it.
Canadiens are in watch and chase mode. They get it before the possession can get beyond nine seconds.
Moen line hops on as the Canadiens try and keep the puck deep to effect a line change.
Brunet says that Jacques Martin has always liked guys that can play two-way hockey. He cites Plekanec’ good defensive work and we are shown an example.
We resume with Park entering on a two-on-two. Bergeron slides over and takes the puck away.
Canadiens go offside.
Lapierre takes the faceoff. Wins it. Gill goes back to regroup.
Short pass. Complete. Another. Intercepted.
Tavares is in. Gets a tepid shot in his slow, deliberate stride. It’s close in and dangerous.
Lapierre chases Okposo along the Montreal boards. Finally Okposo loses the puck.
Lines change as the puck goes the other way.
Isles exit. O’Byrne has it behind his net.
Isles resume.
They are able to effect one and then two passes to the point. And then a third.
Three good chances result. Rebounds, white ribbons, widen eyes and spaces. It’s the kind of raggedy andy hockey that Montreal’s complacency allows time and again.
Defence may be boring but played well it is calming, as well.
Gill traps Okposo along the boards for a moment. Houde says that the play could have been called. Okposo keeps chasing the puck.
Six and a half minutes left in the game.
Darche backhands it down the ice from the centre line. Gomez line is able to follow.
Puck goes out of play.
An Islander with a mouthguard half out of his mouth is shown on screen. And then we see a night-shot of the city.
Road trip avec les boyz. A sign is waving in the crowd. Canadiens fans. Ca n’a pas de prix. Priceless.
Sorry. Lost in translation.
Sorry again.
Hey, it’s not a controversy. It’s a good situation.
Now which one will play better without the pressure? What’s your guess?
Plekanec line.
Andrei is in. Houde remarks on his strength. Can’t score. This time. Now he turns it over with a careless pass from the side boards.
Canadiens have stopped taking risks.
They are going to protect this lead. Or try.
But the Islanders own risks are giving Montreal ice and opportunity.
Finally the islanders are able to get some control.
Okposo and Tavares do the best of the work in keeping a possession. It goes from eighth seconds to much more.
Now Lapierre exits with Moen. Two on zero. Closer. Closer. Faster. Shot. Biron and the glove.
Puck is kept in play by the goalie.
Canadiens continue to press despite a line change. Andrei K keeps the puck in Islander ice for the nonce.
With two minutes left the Islanders are able to get over the Montreal blue line but a long shot deflects up into the crowd.
Darche accompanied Lapierre on the two-on-zero and the shot was not very strong.
We resume.
Some dithering.
Suddenly Nilsson scores. Over the line and a long shot. He scores moments after Brunet says that it hasn’t been a big period for the Canadiens.
Nielsen’s goal beats Halak on the glove side and is a wrister.
Islanders 3, Canadiens 3
Divine right means nothing in this rink. And it means little more in Bell Central.
Isles deserve a lead.
Justice means little here, too.
Just under a minute in the game.
Puck is in the corner to Halak’s left. Sent to the point but it ekes out and is called for offside.
Park leaves the ice with a cloth against is check. He is unassisted and Brunet suggests Park was hit in the face with a puck.
With fifteen seconds left, the Islanders enter on the left side.
They have to round the net. Puck goes out and to the centre line. It’s shot from there and stopped by Halak as the period ends.
Brunet says the only team that could have beaten the Canadiens tonight was the Canadiens. He says they weren’t properly prepared tonight.
They lead 14-12 on shots to end the period.
Overtime (four-on-four)
Islanders 3, Canadiens 3
Okposo and Bergenheim are New York’s first pairing. Early shot from Markov goes wide.
Gomez enters. Gionta is with him. He is forced to make awkward moves but retains the puck. To the point. Hamrlik shoots it out play.
Gomez stays on. Loses the faceoff to Biron’s right. At least Biron wasn’t a deity tonight.
Lapierre is on with Sergei Kostitsyn. Gorges and Gill are back on defence. Just under three minutes.
Tavares rounds the net and backhands it. Stopped.
Rush from Montreal. Sergei. Two on one. Pass. Shot. Save. Shot. Post.
The other way just as quickly. Bailey is alone. Shot. Halak.
Speed picks up.
End to end. Andrei K is called. Hooking. Houde says it is a very bad penalty. Brunet says good job by the refs. He means it. This ain’t CBC always blaming the policeman for charging the drunk driver.
Time out.
Assistant coach Kirk Muller talks over stuff with Gill.
Some guy in a Centennial sweatshirt approves of the Canadiens plan as they leave the bench area. What is he so strong about? The lineup for the short-handed segment?
First incursion is repulsed.
Streit has to reset the team. He does. The passing begins.
Neilsen to Okposo underneath. Turns and shoots from the circle. There’s so much space on a four-on-three situation.
Now Martin calls a timeout.
Houde says it’s a well-chosen time for it. He says it’s a good way to keep your best on the ice and rested. So we will continue to see Gorges and Gomez. Brunet concurs that it’s a good decision.
Faceoff. To Halak’s Right
Plekanec wins it but the puck bounces away to Streit at the blue line. Just under a minute left.
Islanders pass it. Neilsen passes it now to Streit at the blue. One-timer. Just wide.
Islanders keep it in.
Another long shot from Streit. Too high. Off the glass.
Third shot from Streit. This one gets to Halak. Save.
Halak stays calm. I can only watch him now as the puck is close and whapped, fallen on and searched for. Halak knows where it is. And when it emerges, he flicks it to the corner with his glove. And the period comes to an end.
The shootout.
Shootout
Moulson is first. For New York.
He skates forward. Shot. Scores. Little fake is seen on the replay.
Lapierre is next.
Moves and a shot. Along the ice. Stopped.
Martin exhales.
Neilsen.
Deke. High. Scores.
Cammalleri next. If he doesn’t score, that’s it.
Skates up.
Beautiful. But off the post.
Islanders 4
Canadiens 3 (SO)
Isles deserve the win. But Montreal deserved the loss, too.
HDS Stars: Sean Bergenheim, Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey
RDS Stars: Sean Bergenheim, Tomas Plekanec, Frans Nielsen
Jacques Demers just made my day; he says the two teams he hates the most, Carolina and Toronto are Montreal’s last two opponents. He is rarely so outspokenly critical. And, of course, those are two teams that are on my list, as well. Actually, this season, Toronto is much different. Faster and skilled. And much cleaner. But Philadelphia …
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