Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Five)

Musings and In-Game Scribbles playoffs

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).

#8 Montreal Canadiens (39-33-10)
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#1 Washington Capitals (54-15-13)

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Round One – Playoffs (Capitals lead series 3-1)
Game Five (score posted following scribbles)

Missed it? Musings capture the game in writing. A written transcript typed during the game, posted and edited about thirty minutes afterward. Based on the RDS French telecast of the Montreal Canadiens game, 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. A unique way to re-experience the game.

Caleb Green sings the Canadian national anthem.  He seems happy about it.

He’s wearing a Capitals home jersey.  And holding a wireless mike.

Let’s sing our national anthem loudly and respectfully. Thus spake the PA announcer at the MCI Center.  Crowd sends gushers of sound at selected points during the rendition.

Jaroslav Halak is the starter after missing Wednesday’s game as the designated backup.  Semyon Varlamov is the Washington goalie.

Dennis Larue and Chris what’s his name are the refs.

First Period

Scott Gomez line is first on for Montreal.  Gomez wins the faceoff against Nicklas Backstrom and Montreal winger Brian Gionta is in on the right side with a quick shot.  Varlamov loses it briefly but has the butterfly effect he needs and holds it for the faceoff.

Josh Gorges and Hal Gill are Montreal’s starting defensive pairing.

Canadiens manage an entry following the faceoff but the Capitals are out quickly and forward Tomas Fleischmann gets a shot from the right side.  It’s repelled.

Washington continues the possession and creates a shot.

Finally the Canadiens get it out.

After some dithering, Andrei Markov is sent in on the left.  He is stopped near the hash but instead of dumping it in he backhands a pass to Mike Cammalleri in the high slot.  Cammalleri shoots and scores.

Montreal 1, Washington 0

Montreal defender Jaroslav Spacek is still out of the lineup.  Reseau des Sports colour-man Benoit Brunet says that Spacek didn’t even make the trip out to Washington.

Tomas Plekanec line (with Cammalleri) stays on.  Their shift ends with Washington resetting behind their blue line.  Pass into the Montreal zone is intercepted and the Canadiens are back in Washington ice again.  Dominic Moore has it at the right circle.  Tries a slot pass that finds nobody.

Markov cleans up outside the blue line and allows the Canadiens to enter yet again.  Gionta gets a shot which Varlamov handles with aplomb.

Slot pass misses an attacker but goes to Gorges at the point where he whacks it almost gently into Varlamov’s glove.

Faceoff.

Canadiens win it.

But in the corner, Washington defencemen Cody Carlson and Tom Poti share the disc and start a rush.  Caps can’t keep it in.

Response rush sees Plekanec shoot from about twenty-five feet and wide.

Ovie has it on the right side now.  Shot.  Wide.

Ovie finishes his shift with a hit in the corner to Halak’s right.  (Alexander Ovechkin, the captain non-munchkin.  Washington’s Dynamo.)

Pace is temperate with gusts up to urgent.  Thanks, Red.

Gomez line is back on.  Moore gives it to Gionta on the right side but the winger loses it in his skates deep and the Capitals are able to move in and get a long shot.

Puck is lodged to Halak’s left now.  Some digging.  But Halak’s glove ends the pressure.

Faceoff to his left.

Plekanec is using a different technique on the faceoff.  Power hand is much lower on the stick.  He wins this one.  Canadiens have the worst faceoff rate of the sixteen playoff teams.

And, yeah, therefore the Caps have the best.

Bonne fete, Stephane!

Play-by-play impresario Pierre Houde tells us that Montreal is 0.718 when they score the first goal this season.

Faceoff is won by the Canadiens but they have to work under the end-line to recoup.  Gomez’ assist moves the Canadiens up and out.  Puck goes out of play in the neutral zone.

Washington defenceman ShaoneMorrison is out of the lineup for a second straight game.  Washington’s other Morrison, Brendan, a forward, is still around, though.

Faceoff is to Varlamov’s right.  Montreal’s Travis Moen comes up with it on the boards.  Puck goes behind the net.  It’s in front now.  Moen.  Backhander.  In.

Montreal 2, Washington 0

Gionta passed it from under the end-line.

Washington’s stalwart defenceman Mike Green retrieves following the won faceoff.

Morrison is in on the left side.  Shot from a sharp angle is stopped.  Morrison could have crossed the crease but chose the tepid shot instead.  Odd.

He wins the subsequent faceoff.  Back to Green.  Shot is wide to Halak’s right.

Sergei Kostitsyn is on with centre Glenn Metropolit and Cammalleri.  For Montreal.  And Roman Hamrlik and Marc-Andre Bergeron are paired.

Caps move the puck in a trapezoid.  Pass is intercepted up high.

Canadiens exit and are stopped.  On the re-entry, Ryan O’Byrne is called.  It’s a close call.  Holding.

Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin and Ovie are on the first wave.  Faceoff is won by the Caps.  Some puck movement and a mild shot is stopped by Halak.  Faceoff soon afterward.

Gill and Gorges are the defensive pairing.

Plekanec exits with a near breakaway.  Semin is chasing.  Close.  Drops.  Sweeps his stick.  Clears the puck away as the slot is entered.

Gomez line creates a two-on-one.  Pass and an open net is missed by Gomez.  He recovers the puck and sends it to the slot for Markov.  Post.

Moore is in now.  To Gorges.  Glove save and a hold.  All short-handed.

Faceoff to Varlamov’s left.

Plekanec wins another faceoff.  Puck is dumped in.  Plekanec’ stick leaves his hands.  Slashing.  Against Plekanec.

Replay doesn’t look convincing.

Washington goes to a two-man advantage.  Saku is in Anaheim.

Call is a high stick.

Backstrom wins the faceoff to Halak’s right.

O’Byrne is back on.  Makes a play up high and gets the puck out.  Goes to the bench.

Gionta and Gomez are the kill pairing.

Caps struggle to re-enter.  They work in the neutral zone.  Good work on the upper left side by Montreal delays the set-up.  And finally Gionta moves it up the left side and passes to Moore.  He sends it to Pyatt in the corner to Varlamov’s right.

Thirty seconds left in the penalty as the Caps re-enter.  Washington’s Mike Knuble is called for interference.

Interfered with Hamrlik.

Faceoff is to Varlie’s left.

Caps win it.

Gomez is on.

Four on four for twenty seconds.  Ovechkin moves down the right side.  Open man in front.  Bergeron keeps up and deflects the pass.

Canadiens move to an eighty-second man advantage.

Plekanec, Cammalleri and Andrei Kostitsyn.  Canadiens are repelled inside the Washington blue.

Player down.  It’s Washington’s Belanger.  Took a stick to the face.  Refs missed it.  Crowd boos.  It was accidental, says Houde.

Canadiens retrieve following the faceoff.

Entry is bounced quickly.

Second attempt works.  Cammalleri has it underneath.  To the hash.  Pass to the blue.  To the other point.  Shot.  Varlamov stops Bergeron’s medium blast.

Caps now click a puck out.

And it goes out of play.  Plekanec line leaves the ice. Plekanec utters an oath.

Gomez line is next.  Moen is with them.  He is on with them as a regular.

Penalty ends.  Just under six minutes in the period.

Crowd starts a standard go cheer.

Long puck is called against Washington.

Moore and Lapierre are on.  Moore picks it up from behind the net.  Entry.  Shot from Pouliot.  No rebound.  Whistle.

Caps are skating but are lethargic to a degree.

Canadiens are committed but not in fifth gear.

Martin seems sure and Boudreau is excitable.  Some yelling at the refs.  His team isn’t listening.

Yet.

Three games on Saturday on RDS we are told.

Canadiens have outscored Washington 6-3 in the first period, this series, we are informed.

Washington’s dangerous Semin is on with Brooks Laich.

Entry.  Long shot from Laich.  Not much on it.  Caps keep it in.

On the end boards.  Morrison beats two men for the puck.  Halak makes two saves from slot distance.

Now on the right side, Semin gets Washington’s best chance of the game.  Halak is there.  He’s wearing Slovakian garments tonight.  Long glove and an assist from a defenceman are enough.  Pat a puck to the pant-seat.

And held for a faceoff.  Halak didn’t know where the puck was after the glove.

Faceoff squirt is jammed up against the boards.  Two against two on the boards.  Plekanec and Hamrlik press jerseys against the wall.

Now it’s to the front.   Halak is splayed.  Puck is stopped.  Then it’s lost.  Halak is still down.  Disc bounds out.  Nobody can find it.

Now it’s whistled.

Backstrom line is on again.  He has nine points so far.

Canadiens retrieve following the faceoff.  Terrible pass by Gill underneath.  Nearly results in a slot shot from Backstrom.

Canadiens exit.  Moen.  Left side.  Defender all over him.  All over.  And Moen falls.  Into the net.  Net’s off.  Whistle.

Green gets called for holding.

Replay shows it’s legit.

First wave is Cammalleri, Plekanec and Andrei K.

Early possession is ended immediately and the Canadiens retrieve.  Markov.  Up on the left side for Andrei K.

Puck goes too far and the Canadiens have to reset.

They do.

Passes along the right side.  Cross-ice.  Markov from Cammalleri.  Misses.

Gomez, Metropolit and Gomez are the next wave.  They nearly create a slot chance.  No sticks reply.

Two minutes in the period and thirty seconds in the penalty as the Canadiens re-enter.  Gomez down the left side.  Turnover.

Chimera has it now.  In the corner to Halak’s right.  Slot pass.  Intercepted, only one Montreal player in the area.

Penalty ends.

Seventy seconds left.

Ovie is on the ice.  Enters following some puck dithering.  Left side.  Veers close.  Covered.  Shot.  Not enough on it and too sharp an angle.  Halak has the post.  Whistle.

Faceoff to his right.

Backstrom against Plekanec.  Still using the new faceoff grip.  Has to leave the circle.  Cammalleri loses the faceoff.

Puck hangs near the circle.  Gorges lobs it up and I groan.  Delay of game.  First penalty against Gorges this series, we are informed.

Faceoff.  Backstrom against Plekanec.  Backstrom wins it.  To the point.  Opposite side to Green.  They keep it in and pass it around.  Pyatt is in movement up top.

Uses a Plekanec positioning to prevent the point pass.  Puck is sent out.  Caps retrieve.

Backstrom exits.  Right side.  Ten seconds.  Five.  In the corner.  Horn goes as Laich works the boards to Halak’s right.

Small gathering.  Lasts three seconds.  Teams leave the ice.

Shots are in favour of Washington 15-9.

First Intermission
Montreal 2, Washington 0

Faded checker pattern on Jacques suit jacket.  Charcoal and chalk grey.

Alain asks Joel about Washington’s extreme nonchalance tonight.  Joel nods and says that the Capitals big players have been horrible.  He says they’re cheating (taking it easy).

Chronique “A La Une”.

Francois Gagnon discusses the Devils’ upset by the Flyers.  And he discusses the importance of having played fewer games than the finals’ opponent for Stanley Cup winners.

Would it surprise many girlfriends to know how little their boyfriends know and understand about the game for which they profess an expertise?  Ask a few scientific questions.  And surprise, surprise.

All work and know play, all work and know play, all worth no play.

Luc Gelinas interviews Montreal assistant coach Kirk Muller.

Second Period
Montreal 2, Washington 0

Ovie line is minus six, we are told.  Math for trogs.

Plekanec, Pyatt are the kill pairing with Gill on the blue without his defensive partner who remains in the penalty box.

Brief delay as the clock is set properly.  The arena clock.

Hand on hip pose by one of the refs as he waits.   Reminds me of Little Lord Fauntleroy.

Martin nods as he is informed by the same official.

It’s the camera that is being adjusted.  The one over Varlamov’s net.

It’s about a six minute technical delay.

We resume.  Caps enforce their power-play.  One chance.  A second.  Canadiens survive.

Penalty ends.

Lines change.  Caps are looking for weapons.

Canadiens are dirty gravel, ignoring nothing.

Long shot from O’Byrne causes an exclamation from Houde.

Sergei Kostitsyn and his linemates shift well.

Ovie is on.

Caps press.

Longest sustained possession at five-on-five.

To the point.  And around.  And again.  Shot.  Rebound.  Jammed in from the crease.   Capital goal.

Halak had the first brave save.  Knuble kept working.

Ovie pumped it in.

Montreal 2, Washington 1

Crowd is at its loudest.

They retain their fervour.  Gomez, Moen and Gionta are on next.

Gionta is set that Washington won’t follow with their usual post-goal shift of doom.  And they don’t.

Markov has a good backcheck one-stick swipe to prevent an entry and then a long puck is called.  This one results in a faceoff outside the Washington blue line.

Plekanec line.  One shot from the high hash.  And a long shot from Markov on the other side.  Markov is making one star sticker play after another.

Caps are in.  High slot shot.  Good save by Halak point-blank.  Canadiens clear it out.

On the other end.  Stoppage. Penalty.  Lapierre gets up limping.

Corvo slashed Lapierre on the back of the legs.  There is no padding there.

Faceoff to Varlamov’s left.  Puck goes out of play immediately.

Houde says this is a good chance to restore the two-goal lead.

Early clear by Washington.

Habs enter.  Markov follows it into the corner.  Allows the possession to extend.  To the blue line.  Bergeron is the diamond tip.

Cross-ice pass and a slot puck sails through.  Markov nearly puts a shot on.  Hit the post along the way to Markov.  Gionta.

Canadiens are covered well and take about twenty seconds to re-enter.  Shot.  Thirty feet.  Varlamov is square.  Holds it for the faceoff.

Gionta has to adjust his skate.  Members of the crowd boo.

Gomez takes the faceoff.  And is kicked out.  Metropolit wins it.  Puck goes past Bergeron at the blue line.

Re-entry is repelled.  Canadiens retrieve as Corvo leaves the box.

Twelve minutes left in the second period.

Lapierre line.  Lapierre has it behind the net.  From Gill.  Sends a pass through the slot untouched.

On the other end, Ovie grim-faces in.  And a penalty is called.  Against Montreal.  They had coverage.  Break.

Moore is called for slashing.

Caps go to a power-play.

Backstrom, Ovie and Semin.

Kill pair for Montreal is Plekanec and Pyatt.

Brunet says they could have been called for too many men, additionally.

Early clear.

Caps re-enter.

Ovechkin.  Right side.  Puck is blocked into the stands by Gill.

Faceoff to Halak’s left.

Gomez wins it.  Canadiens work the boards.  Gorges falls but moves it up for Gomez to carry it out.  Now he gets help from Gionta and their two-on-two results in an around-the-net weak backhander.  Stoppage soon afterward.

Faceoff to Varlamov’s right.  Habs win it.  To the point.  Across.  Shot.  Nope.

Caps exit.  Ovie.  Closing with coverage.  Shot.  Halak is the tip of the arrow.  And covers for the faceoff.

Won by Montreal.  Sent down.

Thirty seconds in the penalty.

Halak is shoved into the net on a save.  The puck stays out.

Penalty.

Eric Fehr is called for roughing.

Can’t see it on the replay.

Mid-point of the period.  And game.

Four-on-four.

Another angle shows that Fehr’s shove of Halak was unacceptable.

Moore is back on.  Caps had Montreal behind the play.  Habs move in.

Andrei K has it.  Gets it to Markov.  Markov gives it away.  Two-on-one.  Plekanec gets back.  Swats the puck off a stick.  Takes a hit on the back boards on the instant.

Stoppage.

Habs dump it in.

They set up.

My fingers are venom-bit.

Penalty ends.

One Hab fell.

Moore line now.

Moore creates a defensive turnover.  Moves it up for Lapierre.

Short possession.

Caps exit.  Ovie again.

In.  Shot.  Still in play.  Closer.  Another shot.  Halak.  And Halak.  Stoppage.

Faceoff is to Halak’s right.

Caps win it.  Gorges outstrengths Backstrom on the end boards.  Takes the puck.  Gets an accidental stick to the face.  Blood.  Four.

Habs attack massive.

Faceoff is won.  Markov advances.

Creates.  Pretty icy.  Varlamov survives the best textbook chance by the Canadiens.  Rebound is a weak backhander.

Caps clear.

Gomez line.

One minute.

Markov is doing all the extra work.  Support.  Advance.  Sweeping eagle.

Gomez’ pass to the slot was a sure scoring chance but went off a stick.  Canadiens retain.

To the blue.

How was that four minutes?

Plekanec waits in the slot but Andrei K can’t come up with it in the corner.

Andrei gives it away.  Now he takes a bad-angle shot that turns into a turnover.

Semin is down the right side.  Has an ice pie-slice of space.  Fires.  But Halak gets out further and blocks it.  Vector save.

Habs exit but the puck goes out play seconds later.

The Canadiens must press.  Against a three-hundred goal juggernaut, there is no other option.

Faceoff.

Brunet compliments Markov’s work thus far.  Sixteen minutes of First Mate work.

Jeff Schultz gets a long shot from the blue line.  Wide.  Hard shot.

Plekanec line is on.  Neutral zone.  Back to Gill.  Up.

Dumped in for a line change.  Washington corresponds.

Ovie is on.  Right side.

Gorges does some good work on the opposite side.  It’s out.

Cammalleri enters down the middle.  Swerving, searching, hacked and has to leave the ice holding his glove.

Lapierre and Moore hop on.

O’Byrne takes a puck off an offensive troll.  Very nicely done. One of his best defensive plays of the series.

Exit and re-entry.

One minute mark is announced.  Crowd cheers in anticipation.  (They expect another late-period Washington goal as has been the trend.)

Brunet and Houde say that the Habs had too many men on for more than twenty seconds.  Missed.

Gill takes down a Cap to end a brief incursion.

Habs close the period with a decent possession.  Horn goes.

We see the replay of too many men.  Brunet is guffawing, then giggling.  Six in the zone.  Lucky, lucky.

Caps outshot the Habs 11-10.

Second Intermission
Montreal 2, Washington 1

I prefer the regular season.

Perry Pearn is interviewed.  Purple tie.  Swiggle incense.

Third Period
Montreal 2, Washington 1

Oh.  It’s the Verizon Center now.  Great, great.  Just nod and have some pistachios.

Faceoff.

Centre ice.

Caps win it.

Semin is on.

Laich with him.

They work the corner. Early whistle.

Moen enters. Gionta on his right.  Puck goes to the boards.  Caps come up with it.

Stopped at their own blue.  Puck is batted back in and Plekanec’ line is able to join the action.

Cammalleri is with them now.  High shot from the former Flame forces Varlamov to hold a rabbit and wait.  Nearly dropped the rabbit.

Caps win the faceoff.

Ovie takes it up alone.  Quick skating strokes.  Turnover.

Backstrom turns and veers into the crease.  Side of the crease.  Jams at it.  Nope.  But Halak can’t capture it.  It sidles on the opposite side.  Caps aren’t there.

Canadiens move it out.  Dump it in for a line change.

Metropolit, Sergei and Pyatt are on.

Metropolit has a lane from the blue line.  Shoots.  Hard.  Varlamov has to extend fully.  Big rebound but Pyatt is turned and covered.  No shot.

Both teams are cautious.

High lob from Gorges.  Into Capital ice.  Plekanec.  Along the boards.  Around the net.  Turns and shoots high.  Stopped.

Caps exit with four players but can’t create the space nor the passing.

Andrei K is in down the right and his backhander from the hash gives Varlamov some difficulty.

Stoppage.  Replay shows that Moen got his stick on that backhander.

Fifteen minutes left in the game.

And possibly in something else.

Backstrom line is on.

Pouliot is following him.

Moore gets back to push the puck up.

He comes up with it in the neutral zone.

Holding is called as Moore moves up with the disc.

Crowd sounds anticipatory.

Call is legit.

Caps go to the man-advantage.

Caps win it to Halak’s right.  Semin.  Shoots.  Wide.

Caps keep it in.  Bad pass along the blue from Ovie allows the Canadiens to whack it down.

They’re back in.

To the point.  Green.  Stopped.

Now underneath.  Backstrom has it.  Pass to the slot.  What blind madness.  Semin was whited.  Halak.  Save of the night.  And he got over for more.

Halak makes another game-saver to close the penalty.  Right to left and a small mountain square.  Sure chance on an eight-footer.  One-timer.

Penalty is over.

Plekanec is on.

Gill and Gorges are the defensive pairing.

How much emotional will has eroded or fallen off in huge, melting ice chunks?

Puck goes out of play.

Replays.  Saves.

Andrei K drives down the right.  High shot.  Too high.

On the other end, a small lob is gloved by Halak.

Faceoff to his left.

Chimera is a good last name.

Gomez and Gionta.  Moen makes a sacrificial play to backhand it out.

Semin on the right side.  To Schultz at the blue.  Wrister.  High.  Great velocity and torque from the defenceman.

Giveaway on the Washington boards now but Pyatt can only turn and backhand it into the endboards.

Long puck from Markov.  Icing.

I wait for the team to get Halak a goal.

Faceoff to the goalie’s left.

Faceoff is lost.  Dribbles to the high circle where a shot is stopped by Halak.

Habs win the next one.  They’re out and down.

Moen and Gorges collude on the boards.  Now it’s on the other side and after a shot, Montreal has to regain it in the neutral zone.

Brief entry is stopped.

Ovie is in on the left.  Uses a cool new move.  Screened shot, peeking.  Just wide to Halak’s right.

Another chance.  Halak survives it.  Halak survives us.

Faceoff.

I’m a discharged ice academic, reduced to begging outside the halls I once knew.

Just one goal, just one goal, just one goal.

Stats, my cross, Barlow is in the tomb room.

Faceoff to Halak’s left.

Caps win.  To the point.  Too many deflections and Montreal is able to clear it away.

And after some board work they move it out.  Lapierre follows a puck and initiates collision.

Caps work it out.

Plekanec intercepts a pass and mini-dumps it up.

Caps enter on the left side now.  High, undangerous puck is fielded by Halak.

Stoppage.  Glass need to be replaced.  Rambling doesn’t seem to happen in the second season.  Now does it, Homme?

Overall-looking outfits.  But they are red two-piecers.  The arena staff, all male, work quickly to fix it.  All corporal.

Semin gets a quick light shot from the faceoff.

And another unharmer from the blue seconds later.

Exit.  Caps regain.  Enter offside.

Morrison leaves the ice.

Martin’s jacket is fully unbuttoned.

Puck is fired down into Capital ice.

They start out from behind their net.  One pass. A second goes out of play in the neutral zone.

Markov leaves the ice.

Moen is on.  Gomez wins the centre ice faceoff.  Puck is down the Washington boards.  Moen chases.

Backstrom wheels back.  To Schultz.

They enter but Montreal’s coverage pushes the Caps out.

Seven minutes left.

Canadiens are going to hang back for seven minutes.  I hope I’m wrong.

Moore is in against three.  Taken down.  Back up.  Takes the puck behind the net against two.  Sends a pass to the slot.  It’s back at the endboards where Moore eventually loses this third puck battle.

Dominic Moore is the most tenacious board forward we have in this series.

There are other guys who are just as tenacious but they occupy different spots in the offensive.

Gill and Gorges are back defending following a Cap won faceoff.

Gill is doing yeoman’s work.  What is a yeoman, anyway.  Yeah, I know.

Behind the Cap net.

One pass.  Carry.  Across.  To Backstrom.  He crosses the line but loses the puck on the end boards.

Canadiens exit.  Gionta.  High shot.  Nearly leaves the surface.  work continues.  Up to the blue line.  Back to the corner.  Pyatt has it.  Shoots.  Gloved by Varlamov from a nearly obtuse angle.

Five and a half minutes left.

I’m trying not to reference the game.  Trying not to think about it as I type.  You understand.

Yes.

We resume.

Some more numbers are shown.  I can’t read anymore.  My literacy rate is half.  I can only write.

Gomez takes it along the Capital back boards.

Just under five minutes.

Caps move it down.  In the corner.  Knuble has it.  He’s pressed into the boards by Gorges.

Canadiens support.  Plekanec.

O’Byrne is slow as Backstrom gets around him.

The Canadiens follow and cover.  They stay smart.

Now Lapierre makes his best play of the game.  Takes a puck off Ovechkin’s stick.

Canadiens are using a one-mind text page.

Stop.  Look.  Then pass.  Chase.  Finish.  Angle first.

Shift after shift.  It’s Russian taxonomy on ice.

Just over two minutes.

Andrei K goes around the net.  Veteran’s backhand.

Clever rebound.  Gomez isn’t taken down in the slot.  He stands taller.  Gets the shot.  How did Varlamov stop that kill-shot.

Stoppage.  We resume.

Canadiens control now.  About seven seconds.

Great work from each Canadien in the past two minutes.  Each one.

It continues.  Lapierre outskates a Cap to the puck in the neutral zone.

Now a giveaway in our zone.  What a gaffe.

Habs are there.

Icing.

Too many men is called now.

Against the Capitals.

Lucky, lucky.

Boudreau calls the ref over.  He keeps calm.  Calm.  Calm.  Stays calm.

My head motions are an old man’s, my veins are thick.  Quiet.

What is sweat anyway.

It’s not good for a keyboard.

Varlamov is going to the bench before the faceoff.  It’s outside the Montreal zone.

Scottie wins it.  Yeah, he’s Scottie now.

Puck is sent down.

Gionta follows Ovie.

Gomez has it now.  Still following.

Thirty seconds as the Caps enter.

Refs ignore the penalties.

Moen shoves it down.

Backstrom has it.  Long harmless shot.

Ovie is open.  In the slot.  Can’t get a stick on it.  Why was he open?  Poti missed it.

Game ends.

How did that happen.

Markov fanned on it.

Now I can tell myself to catch up to time.

Canadiens win.

Capitals lead the series 3-2 with a return to Bell Central on Monday night.

Montreal 2
Washington 1

Survival feels like an electrode towel.

HDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Scott Gomez, Travis Moen
RDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Alexander Ovechkin, Hal Gill

Moore, Gionta, Markov, Gorges and Gill also get stars.

This is what a team sixty looks like for 2010.  One white glove, twenty red-blue sequins.

Related posts:

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Seven)
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Six)
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Four)
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Three)
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Two)