Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Six)

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)
host
#1 Washington Capitals (54-15-13)

Monday, April 26th, 2010

Round One – Playoffs (Capitals lead series 3-2)
Game Six (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.

Joseph Kaiser is singing the anthem tonight. Who?

PK Subban is in tonight as well.

And I foolishly decided to clean up some problems with my laptop and it is still working away.  So I’m using a netbook.  And my hands are too big.

PK Subban hasn’t been in since the regular season.  He is a very young player and has played very few games for the Habs this season.  He hasn’t played a full season with Montreal but is an athletic and creative defenceman.  Two full pro games so far.

Varlamov and Halak are the starters for tonight.

First Period

Tim Peel and Dan O’Rourke are the referees tonight.  Dominic Moore, Benoit Pouliot and Maxim Lapierre are a new line combination and they start for Montreal.

Faceoff after an offside and a bit of a rencontre au sommet.

Halak makes a save on a mid-slot chance.

Caps are asked to leave but on the re-entry they belong.  Shot from the side and another and a sure goal is stopped by Halak.  Laich got two bangs at a rebound.  Crowd is confetti and boom laughter over the play.

Then another save following the faceoff.

Gill and Gorges are the defensive pairing and their work to sweep it up along the boards following the faceoff is supported by Cammalleri. His entry down the right side results in a failed slot pass but AK46 picks it up and lances his dangerous shot. Too high.

Caps swamp it out. Neutral zone.  Green enters.  Makes a move.  Is clear.  Just stops and shoots.  Stopped.

Halak’s eyes are slits, his face a robot’s.  He is correct (use French accent).

Pyatt, Metropolit and Lapierre are together now.  Perhaps Martin is playing some line chess to keep Washington off-balance.

Sergei Kostitsyn is the player missing from the lineup to make room for PK Subban.

This would mean that near-tweener Bergeron would be shifted to forward and also play a role as seventh defenceman.

With just over four minutes elapsed all four forward lines have seen the ice surface.

Ovie is on.  Watched closely by Gill.   Has to go around and no eagle squacks this time. Something is happening to my brain; I couldn’t remember how to spell squawk.  Uh.  See?  Play continues.

Pace is slow from Washington and cautious to urgent for Montreal.

Now some pressure from Montreal.  I like the Subban move.   He is anointed and well-liked but he is a good player and may be a good kid.

Markov hits a post.  Moen gets a crease chance.  Houde is in tenor.  Crowd bowl is a cave orchestra.  Very big cave.

Pressure draws a penalty.  Cammalleri, Plekanec and AK46 are the first wave.

Faceoff.

Habs win it.

To the point.  Shot.  Deflected.  Cammalleri picks up Bergeron’s failed firing and fires it in himself.

It’s as loud as a mineshaft in here.  In there, really.

Montreal 1, Washington 0

Caps follow with their usual injection.  But the Canadiens hold them up on the blue line.  And then they settle it right down.

Another faceoff after a pedestrian Montreal entry.

Long shot off a won draw.  And a pass. Cammalleri again.  Goal.

I’m off my popcorn.

Montreal 2, Washington 0

Crowd is thunder kernel quarry.

Ten and a half minutes in the first period.

Halak makes a save on an “at last” Capital entry.

Laich’s line works the end boards for about three seconds following the save and the Canadiens are back in and deep.

Ole, ole chant is very involved.  Moreso than in the regular season.

Semin enters on the right.  Sends a pass for Ovie in the slot. Just a bit far.

Gomez, Moen and AK46 are on the ice together.

Martin fait des autres chimie.

And the Caps are called.  My Dell is done so I switch away from the fumble finger, bad Word version nonsense to my usual spot.  None of it is ergonomic.

Halak hangs his head like a cat in net.  Shakes his mask and prepares for the faceoff.

Halak.  Halak.  More Halak.  Paddle down.  Misses a puck.  Paddle still down.  Need I say it?  Ok.  Halak.

Faceoff.

I’ve had it with wires, regulated hunger and overheated computer equipment.  Large scenes magnify magnificent math.

Habs are called.  Will result in a brief four-on-four and then a power-play for Washington.

Early clear from the Canadiens.

Caps enter.  Long shot is repelled.  Caps penalty ends.  Four-on-four ends, too.

Hamrlik is called for delay of game.  Accidental lob up to the crowd.

Brunet says he feels sad for Hamrlik and cites the two days off Hamrlik has had and the good early work Hamrlik has shown this period.

Five on three.

Green and Ovie on the blue line.  I get goose ripples over my right knee cap as I ignore his number eight.

Puck is low on Halak’s left.  Backstrom.  Back to the point – no!  Gorges.  Sends it down.

On the re-entry, a star-shaped iron maiden squeezes arena hope tighter.  And tighter.  There are no holes in this maiden.

And it’s badly named.

But Halak sees it and doesn’t, feels it and smothers.

Faceoff.

Too many chances to process.

Off the faceoff, Montreal clears.  Gionta.

Joe Corvo carries it up for Washington and fires it down.

Fleischmann has it in the midslot.  I can’t remember.  But all I was doing was looking at the back of the net.

Penalty ends.

I’ve burned out three ganglions.

Stoppage soon afterward.

Ok, food is important but I’d rather play LEGO.

Washington’s chances have been from rebounds in the crease following medium shots.  But Halak has been reflexive or fortunate.

Ovie says something non-sandbox and spits onto the ice while watching from the bench.  Backstrom is expressionless beside him.  And looking like a mid-seventies guitar cherub.

Three minutes left.

Plekanec line is on.

Good entry.  Two deep coverage.  Pass to the slot and right onto the stick of Plekanec.  All pad.  Crease save from Varlie.

Lines change.

Canadiens re-enter.

Gomez gets a one-timer from Gionta.  Both in on the left and a sharp shot from the low column.

I should diagram what that means one day.

Caps have it now.  In Montreal’s zone.  Puck lobs high and Halak’s under-glove, bread waitering scoop fails but no sticks reply for Washington and the puck is skittered away and then controlled by Montreal.

Lapierre and Pyatt are on.

Pyatt is playing an inspired shift.

Action is underneath the Washington end line.  Now a puck wobbles through the crease.  It’s in front of the goal line and watching the netting.  But Montreal’s Lapierre is being handled by Morrison and a stick can’t spack.

Lapierre line leaves the ice.  Moore line, really.

Gomez is discussing some strategy with Lapierre now, on the bench.  Has his glove out, two fingers on the boards to indicate some entry logic perhaps and Lapierre nods, fully into it.  Lapierre reminds me of my buddy Ali and I find his listening endearing.  Gomez slaps Lapierre’s shoulder after the exchange.  Team, teammates, journeys.

Period ends.

Washington leads on shots 18-10.

First Intermission
Montreal 2 Washington 0

Jacques says that Halak can go home now, he’s got the first star.  Crete started the discussion saying that Halak was the clear star of the first period.

Jacques adds that Halak was vigilant and adds some other appropriate descriptors.

Joel gives us his usual solid and concise points.

Francois and Alain discuss Boudreau.

Then they discuss Jacques Lemaire’s retirement, announced today.

And, Pauly, Francois dit que Martin Brodeur demeur encore un grand gardien de but.  Alors?

Retraite.  Pffft.

Meme si qu’on l’aime pas.

Who would dare phone me in mid-game?  An idiot institution might.

Francois is discussing Jose Theodore again.  Theodore is a Bill Masterton trophy candidate.  Really.  Francois is sympathetic to Theodore saying that with all he has gone through in the past several years, it would be good to see him get it.  Theodore’s regular W-L record is flashed; 30-7-7.  Which really means 30-14.  And how much of that is attributable to the weaponry on his club?

I’m just sayin’.

Non-organic, mega-metallic.  Food is for chumps.

Some updates; Boston is leading 1-0 against Buffalo.  Boston leads the series 3-2.  A fourth win means elimination for Buffalo.  Just in case, just in case.

Renaud Lavoie talks to Guy Lafleur, I mean Mike Cammalleri at the break.  They film it right after the period ends but show it right before the next period starts.  Cammalleri was wearing a t-shirt (he had removed his pads and jersey) underneath that somehow reminded me of Lafleur.

Lafleur’s shirt was often light-blue while Cammalleri’s was darker blue.  So I don’t know what I’m on about.  But when my brain hisses is an alley, I listen.

Second Period
Montreal 2, Washington 0

Canadiens win the faceoff.  It’s sent in and Lapierre makes good contact in the corner.  Moore gets it.

To the opposite point.  Shot.  Puck goes high and stays in play.

Lapierre dumps it in and heads to the bench.

Brunet says the first period was Lapierre’s best of the season.

Cap entry.  Right side.  Backstrom.  Covered.  Has a lane.  Keeps, keeps.  Backhander.  And I feel only confidence.  Halak has the post and I’m watching Backstrom’s stick, the coverage and the angle rather than helplessly staring at the back of the net.

Penalty.  Houde and Brunet comment on the lack of consistency in the calls.

O’Byrne is called for holding.

Caps win the faceoff.

Gionta and Gomez are the first kill pairing.  They end the initial possession.

RE-entry.  Halak scoops a puck as the action closes to his right.

Faceoff.

Brunet compliments Gionta and Gomez combination work along the boards from the last shift.

Semin gets it in the circle.  A sweet spot.  A sure goal in many other circumstances.  But not here.  Halak is out.  And arrow.  His vector and reflexes are in sync.  Puck goes out of play soon afterward.

We see the replay.  Brunet says that it may not have been Semin’s best shot but that it must be acknowledged that Halak is at the summit of his abilities tonight.  That’s a direct translation.  So, yeah.  Bad signs in Osaka.

Penalty is killed.  Efficiency, urgency, luck, placement and one red glove.

Crowd cheers its approval.  It gets louder.  And louder.

Go Habs Go.

Plekanec line is on.

Pass up the right side for AK46.

He brakes at the hash.  Sends it cross-ice.  Just a bit behind Plekanec.  Entry peters out.  What does that mean, really.

Lapierre is called about twelve seconds later.  On the end boards.  Lapierre got called for diving.

Legit call.  Brunet says so, as well.  Brunet says that he should not do this kind of thing playing as well as he is.  Brunet adds that it’s Lapierre’s best game in three months.

Gomez and Gionta are the first pairing.

Halak has to kick a soccer ball out of his crease.  Gionta and Gomez nearly create a possession

Caps are back in.

Backstrom.  Left side.  Up for Laich.  To the slot.  And I don’t even have to look.  Halak is out.  Aggressive.  In position and the high glove ends play and launches applause.

Jaroslav Halak is playing his best hockey since the Olympics.

Faceoff to his left.

Ovie and Laich remain on.  Semin and Corvo are on with him.

Long lines.  Passes follow those lines.  It’s an ugly trapezoid.  And Halak is right from left.  And ahead of the puck again.  He gets a tap on the mask just after the play.  Falls to the ice.  But is fine.  And so is the puck.

Caps try just shooting now.  A post.

Exit.

Ovie is in.  Fifteen in the penalty.

Through two players.  Backhand.  Five hole.  Closed.  Trapped.  Save.  Stoppage.  Halak.  Blue.

Gomez and Gionta are on for one last segment.

They kill it.

Lapierre is out.  Has it.  Down the right side.  Followed closely.  Long shot is all he has room for.  Wide.

Steckel is on for Washington.  Green gets it in the neutral zone.  Tries to send it back into the Montreal zone.  And it goes out of play.

Halak has made twenty-nine saves tonight we are told.

Halak has made saves on at least nine quality scoring chances.  Eleven and a half minutes left in the second period.

Four penalty-kills.

Another stoppage.

Bouchard is down at the bench area.  He talks about the reactions on the Washington bench.  He seems pleased.

Homer.

Cool homer.

But a homer.

I know one can’t help it.  You see one team every day for months.

Ovie is on.

Belanger is raising the stakes.  There have been some words.  Or something.  Washington is giving more.  Much more.

This is it.  If Montreal can survive this wave, Washington won’t wake up again til late in the third.

Canadiens are hanging in.  And now Moore leads a three-on-two.

Harmless shot.  Houde says it’s Montreal’s first of the period.

Subban goes to the net. Lapierre has it down the left side.  Subban.  Enthusiasm (make it rhyme with Subban).

It fails.  And the Canadiens have coverage with Subban and Lapierre following to make four.

Canadiens re-enter.

Canadiens have some pressure.  At the hash.  To the slot.  Back.  Missed.  Markov comes up to keep it in.  His shot.  Nope.  Stoppage.  But the Caps are called.

Moments like these and moments like those.  Claude and Brian.  Gainey and Naslund.  Le Coupe et le roi.  The Lion and the Tiger.  Destiny is a round set of blue dice.

Initial entry is stulted.

Habs set up.

Markov.  Bang.  It’s in the crease.  Somewhere.  No whistle.  Five guys look for a puck.   Any puck.

Whistle.  Varlamov had it.  Replay shows he didn’t for long.

Faceoff to Varlamov’s left.

Cammalleri.  To Markov on the point.  Shot.  Houde compliments it and says he thought they had that one.  But no.

And with one minute left in the penalty, Markov retrieves.

Canadiens enter on the left.  Slot pass.  It’s scooped up by Varlamov.

Caps win the faceoff.  They crackabang it down the boards.

Canadiens have trouble exiting.  Stoppage after a puck-exchange gone wrong for both.  Caps win another faceoff.

Subban starts the team out.

Entry is done.

Hamrlik and Subban are on the blue line.

Gomez, Cammalleri and Gionta are together.  Hamrlik gets a shot after a few passes.  Stopped.

Ovechkin beats Gill easily down the left.  Pass to the slot is deflected by Gorges.

Canadiens move it out

Just over six minutes.  Washington’s determination from the ten minute mark has faded back down again.

They are a young man’s team for a younger man’s fan.

Ovie sucks chant starts.  It’s said about five times.  And I quietly hope that Ovie doesn’t figure out what’s being said.

Never provoke the great ones.

Time-out is called.

Bouchard says it was a wise move.  I missed why.  Was thinking about people like Larry Bird, Larry Robinson, Reggie Miller and Michael Jordan.  Just don’t wake them up.

And that Sawchuk story, Randall.  Pilote.  What a mistake.

“You’d better stay down, Sawchuk.”  I’m paraphrasing a translation of an interpretation of a vague shape in hockey history.   Ain’t it fun, though.

Four minutes.

Subban beats Laich to a puck with speed, balance and an arm out to protect the play, behind his net.

Canadiens are in now.

Subban’s talent is enough to change the texture of the game.  Usually one player is one player.  But Subban is more than that.  He has deep potential.

Lapierre is sent in.  Is ahead of his coverage by two strides.  Three.  Cuts.  Right to left. Backhanderrrr…. no.  Varlamov got across and Lapierre isn’t as quick as Lafleur.  But for a moment…

Ovie is getting booed as the play continues back to the Montreal zone.

The combination lock clicks and the safe trembles.  Goals can be had.

Fehr rams into Halak.  Puck went high and Halak got it.

Crowd.  Net is off.  Brunet says the Capitals had to do something to get Halak off his game.

Penalty will be called we are told.

Eric Fehr is called for cross-checking.

Brunet reiterates that Halak must be disturbed (disrupted by Washington) because he is playing perfectly.

Plekanec line.

Plekanec is low in his spot (under the end line).  To the slot.  Close.

Bergeron just misses a long blammer.

Markov set him up.

They exit and re-enter.

Two good chances.  And a backhander.  And more from the hash.  How did AK46 miss.

Brunet says what a chance missed by Andrei K.  Brunet says that he likes AK’s body language tonight, though.

Faceoff is won by Montreal.  Subban carries it out.

He skates up high, tall.  Odd movements.  Arms close to his torso.  Caps defenders don’t know how he moves yet.

Subban enters.  Side pass crossing the blue line.  But no long possession results.

Shots were 15-3 for Washington.

They lead 33-13 in total.

Second Intermission
Montreal 2, Washington 0

Not much to say.  Boston leads 2-1 in the second period.

Jaro’s standing on his head, says Gorges.  Renaud Lavoie effects a we’re-all-in-it-together tone.  Lavoie has George Bush junior ocular expressions.

Third Period
Montreal 2, Washington 0

This period must belong to Andrei Kostitsyn.

Jacket off, Brunet says what he liked was the pressure Montreal put on Washington in the first period.  And he adds more along those lines.  Some advice and such.

Penalty will continue for thirty-eight seconds.  Plekanec line starts.

Dithering.

Shot in by Cammalleri.

AK misses it on the first try but backhands it through the slot on the second. Bergeron had advanced and saw it coast past him and out of the zone.

Re-entry results in a Cammalleri shot and then the puck goes out of play.

Fehr returns to the ice as Varlamov stops a shot from his left hash.

Gomez takes the faceoff and wins it.  To Gorges.  Up.  Lost in the corner.

Gorges has it retreating.

Puck is in and out of Washington ice.

I’m back to watching the back of the net.  Backstrom misses the net from the slot.

Moore line is on.

Markov collects it at the left hash.  Long pass for Plekanec.  Shot by Plekanec from the circle.  Wide.

Back in Montreal ice.  In, on, around, on top of, whatever.

Plekanec reaches with one hand and pokes it up and out.

Another Cap entry.  Ended by Hamrlik on the boards.

Board battles.

Gomez line is on.

Following.

Caps skate in on the right side.  Fehr and Belanger work the boards.  In the corner.  Subban can’t take the puck off Belanger.  Puck finds its way to the side of the net.  Halak freezes it there.

Bouchard comments from ice level.

Quick shot of Semin.  Reminds me of Brind’Amour.

Great play.  Perfect.  Ovie from the low circle.  But Halak was there ahead of the play.  Somehow.  Again.

Caps keep it in.

Knuble loses the puck behind the Montreal net.  Caps retain.  Finally Plekanec takes it up and backhands it into the neutral zone.  Permits a line change.

Gorges gets it up for Lapierre.  Lafleur shoots.  Scores.  It hit Morrison’s stick.  It’s Lafleur’s first goal for the Canadiens since 1984.

Montreal 3, Washington 0

Well, it looked fine.  Red letter play.

Gionta is tripped.  Fleischmann is called.  But Houde is surprised.  Gionta is going too.  Gionta is more angry than I’ve ever seen him.  Martin demands an explanation and gets it at the bench.

Martin is emotive.  He calms down a bit after the discussion.

Replay shows that the call against Gionta was a mistake.  Well, mistakes happen.

Four-on-four.

Gomez and Pyatt are the first pairing.  Green is back for Washington and makes a nice play to take a puck away.  Dives.  But the Canadiens come up with it.

Turnover.

Washington enters.  Long shot by Corvo.

Carlson retrieves.

Up for Semin.  Off-wing shot is a thirty-seven footer wide.

Hamrlik sends it up.

Plekanec gets to it first.

But it bounds away.  On the boards Lapierre chases.  He is taken down.  I exclaim.  Martin’s influence.  It’s called.

Crowd is booing.  Lapierre is called?  What?

Are you effin kiddin’ me?

Lapierre?

Aw man.

Whatever.

They call diving.

It’s close.  Brunet believes it is a legit call.  I don’t.

Four-on-three.  For ten seconds.

Green has it.  Waits.  Ice cream patience.  Knuble gets it as a result.  One shot.  Certain.  A second.  More than certain.  No goal.

On the other side.  This one’s going in.  Halak dives head first.  Brunet chuckles.  It’s like watching a snowman break stance and sprint.  It’s like watching your dad race down the stairs in slow motion.  He’s coming to get … you.

What a save.  What another save.  And what a third save.

Comment?  Five.

Brunet says it’s the best post-season performance he’s seen since 02 playoffs by Theodore.  He might be right.  Big statement.  By all three.

Penalty continues.

Canadiens clear it.

Caps.  Set up.

I have no ripping idea how the puck stayed out.

No idea.  The replay doesn’t explain it.  Logic doesn’t explain.  The ref ain’t saying anything.  What a Conn Smythe performance.

Caps win the faceoff.

Long shot.  Glove.

Another faceoff.

I have to chuckle at last.

Wow.

Markov takes the puck from the end boards after the faceoff.

Eleven minutes left.

Moore is on with Pyatt.

Lapierre gets a puck from Moore’s work.  Comes in.  Dipsy-doodles.  Yep.  He’s all 1975.  In.  Still doodling.  Taken down alone in front.  Belanger.  This one is called.  And no dive.

Montreal is one of four.  Early clear by Washington.  Plekanec is on.  They work the boards after a dump-in but it’s cleared by Washington.

Puck touched high.  Gionta and Metropolit are on.

Smart.  Get Metropolit on the ice somehow.

Markov is very deep.

Puck is touched high again.  Crowd boos.  Houde says it was close but a good call.

Plekanec wins the faceoff to Halak’s left.  Canadiens exit.

They set up.

AK tries a slot pass.  Hamrlik gets it instead at the blue line.

Puck leaves the zone.

Semin.  Skates down.  Turns.  Shoots from under the blue line.  Tough shot.  Halak stops it.

Canadiens set up.  Move the puck around. To Subban at the point.  Breaks his stick on the shot.

Knuble misses a rebound on a long shot now.

Moore is on.

Lapierre falls entering down the left side.

Carlson.  Down the right side.  Goes around the net but turns it over.

The chant again.

Andrei K creates on the right.  Slows.  Turns.  Nobody can stop it.  Cammalleri shoots.  Stopped.  Andrei K steps up for the rebound.  Can’t get a stick on a sure open net.

Caps trog it out.  And now a penalty.

O’Byrne.  Cross-checking.  Legit.  Wiped out a player in the slot.

Plekanec is on first with Pyatt.

Gill and Gorges are the defensive pairing.

Diamond defence.

Perimeter passing.  To Green on the right point.  Shot.  High.  Glove.

Brunet says that Halak’s positioning is perfect and that he is calm.

Caps win the faceoff.

Three passes.

Canadiens push it out.

Caps set up again.  Seventy seconds.  Long shot.  Wide.

Gill clears it.

RDS shows some historic stats.

High glove.  Save.  Crowd stands.

Fiftieth save.  What do you think the historic stats might have been?  Do I need to say?

Caps win the faceoff.  Again.

Long shot is deflected.

Caps keep it.

Gill and Gorges are still on.  Same with Pyatt and Plekanec.  O’Byrne is back on.  There may have been a line change I missed.

Long puck.  Icing.

Halak keeps his eyes lidded.  Cleans ice shavings.  Gets ready.

Keep him.

Moore takes the faceoff to Halak’s right.

Loses it.

Pass to the slot from under the end line.

Gorges deflects it.

Shot by Washington from the circle.  In.  Washington finally scores.

Crowd lulls for two seconds and then stands up and gets even louder.  They wave towels.  Houde says they are thanking Halak.

Montreal 3, Washington 1

Moen is driving into a defender after a shot.

Stoppage and more ice shavings.

Four minutes left.

Faceoff outside the Montreal zone.

Caps work to keep their own snowman from melting.

Both teams are drained.  Sticks are doing more work on bodies than usual.

Refs ignore it.

Gorges falls on a stick defending an entry.  Puck goes to the side boards.

O’Byrne stops Backstrom on a break-in down the middle.

Varlamov is trying to leave his net.  He missed the earlier signal from his bench.

He is out.

Ninety seconds. Crowd is up.  Houde says that the crowd ovation is extremely convincing.

Gill. Kostitsyn.  Gorges.  Cammalleri.  Plekanec.  Work. Work.  Pass.  Skate.  Pass.  Shot.  Goal.

Montreal 4, Washington 1

Up and out from the zone with a man short.

Varlamov is back in his net.  Forty seconds in the game.

In Boston, Buffalo has scored to make it 4-3 for Boston.

Twenty seconds.  Halak handles a puck behind his net.

It stays in Montreal ice.  On the side boards.  Finally cleared.  Horn goes.  And again.  And again.

They hug and congratulate their goaltender.  Halak doesn’t smile.  Cammalleri hugs him.  Halak is in his well.

Ole, ole chant.

Price smiles at Lapierre.  They leave the ice.

Montreal 4
Washington 1

Game Seven is on Wednesday in Washington.  Series is tied 3-3.

HDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Mike Cammalleri, Maxim Lapierre
RDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Mike Cammalleri, Maxim Lapierre

The crowd loses it as each player is announced.  And my stars match RDS for the first time in weeks.

Houde says what a decibel level when Halak was announced.

Hartley is wearing a gigantic red Canadiens pullover.  He looks like an ancien gardien.  He looks odd.  Bright, bright red.  Bien fait.  They must have put them on right after the siren.  Or perhaps even before.

Related posts:

1. Laptop Failure (MTL V PITT GM 6)
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (Gm 1)
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Seven)
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Five)
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Four)
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. Washington Capitals (Game Three)