Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (GM 7)

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).

Montreal Canadiens
visit
Pittsburgh Penguins

Wednesday, May 12th, 2010

Round Two – Playoffs (Series tied 3-3)
Game Seven (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.

Reseau des Sports’ colour man Benoit Brunet is looking his sharpest ever.  Sand platinum suit and tie.

Pierre Houde, play-by-play maestro says that Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby needs to rediscover his shadow.  Is that really what he means?  I’ve lost something in translation.

My Dell 860 is dead, died with all the text from game six about ten minutes into editing on Monday.  Says the hard drive is not detectable.  Makes a strange ticking time-bomb sound.  What a waste.

So I am using my Macbook to muse. First time.   It’s said it’s best not to introduce new ideas late in a story.  It’s said you dance with who brung ya.  It’s said that one doesn’t get fancy on a game seven night.  It’s said, it’s said, it’s said.

Capture laptop is back online, though.  So.

This and that, whatever.  It’s not as bad as Washington.  But if it is, in fact, worse, it’s less palpable.  Less extrusive.

There has never been a game seven between these two teams.  We are shown the darkened arena, the Tufnel tunnel and white towels wave as shadows leap to the ice surface  And skate low.   Fast.

Sweat dries in the waiting and the warmup’s galvanizing shroud is lost.  Terrible music on the PA system.

The players skate around almost absently as the house lights go up and the PA announcer requests attention for the Jimerson mulch.

Montreal winger Brian Gionta appears to hold back a smile.

Scott Gomez and Gionta are on the ice for Montreal.  Lined up on the blue line.  Travis Moen is with them.  We see a shot of Michel Briere’s jersey hanging from the banner area of the rink.   Briere, a promising young Pittsburgh player, was killed in a car crash many years ago.  He wore #21.  I don’t believe he was related to the Philly centre, Daniel.

Anthems end and all are standing.

Jaroslav Halak and Marc-Andre Fleury are the goalies.  Montreal and Pittsburgh, respectively.

Brunet says it’s the last duel between the two and compliments both.

Dan O’Halloran and Tim Peel are the refs.

First Period

It’s palpable now.

It’s worse.

Great.

Crosby line.  Chris Kunitz and indubitable Pascal Dupuis are with him.  Gionta, Moen and Gomez are on for Montreal as I mentioned.  Gomez is wearing the “A”.  Lumberjack Hal Gill is on the ice with Josh Gorges.

Faceoff.  Montreal wins it.  Quick penalty.

Crosby is called for boarding.  Well, he isn’t sainted in Peel’s eyes, clearly.

Faceoff is to Fleury’ left.  Gomez line is the first wave.  Intrepid Mike Cammalleri replaces Moen.   Youngster PK Subban is on the blue line.

Cross-ice.  Cammalleri has trouble with it.

Now to the hash on the other side.  Another penalty against Pittsburgh is announced.  Short-side and a goal.

Matt Cooke is called.

Montreal 1, Pittsburgh 0

Yeah.  I did.  Prayed.

Early neutral zone negation.  Subban retrieves.   Crowd boos as Subban carries it up.
Another repulsion.

Jordan Staal covers Montreal defenceman Roman Hamrlik closely and effectively at the right Montreal circle.

Fleury makes a save on the short side to his left.  Andrei Kostitsyn.

Now Craig Adams and Maxime Talbot exit on the left side for Pittsburgh.  Save by Halak and he has to hold it for a faceoff.  Harmless short side shot.

Gill replaces Ryan O’Byrne in the lineup tonight.  It’s a good thing.

Gill is still wearing the “A”.  For alternate.

Two Montreal entries and no shots.

Penalty ends.

Subban has it at the point.  To the end line for Cammalleri.  Shoots.  Fleury has to make a pad save.  Cammalleri managed to create a decent shot angle for himself.

Lines change as Pittsburgh pushes it out.

Brunet says that Fleury is very nervous early.

Dominic Moore, Tom Pyatt and Maxim Lapierre are on for the visitors.

No dictionary auto-fill for your scribe-goofball tonight.

Stoppage.

I become a bit braver and raise the volume.  Butter on the formica.

Hamrlik gives it away.  Alexei Ponikarovsky fans on it.

Penguins dump it in.

Zero, zero, zero.

Shot on Fleury.  Houde’s voice rises.  Nope.

Penguins drive down the right side.  Stoppage.  Kunitz bumped into someone.  Crowd boos.  What do they know.  About as much as Bell Central.  No call.  Houde says it was not callable.

Martin is in deep porcupine mode.

Sturdy Glenn Metropolit, overwhelmed Benoit Pouliot and Travis Moen are on together now.  Marc-Andre Bergeron and Jaroslav Spacek are the defence pairing.

Long shot on Halak.   Turned away.

In the corner Metropolit and Bergeron work against one Pen.  They come up with it and exit.  Neutral zone repulsion.  Pens enter.  They are stopped.  But they re-enter and Cooke’s long shot leads to a freeze.

Cooke is looking for a rumble.  Gionta won’t cede.  Nobody will.  This time.

Faceoff to Halak’s right.

Pens win it.  Crosby.  To the point.  Across.  Shot.  Pad extension.  Stoppage.

Gill and Gorges are back on.

They combine to move it out.

Short-side shot.  Fleury is there.

Crosby leads a two-on-two.

Sends it across.  Just a bit far. It was the only lane really.

Gorges got a stick on it.

Faceoff.

We resume.

Lines change after a dump.

Cooke and Lapierre.  In the corner.  Cooke is being his dastardly self.

Puck appears rolling across the slot.  Nobody sees it for a moment.

Other end.  Pyatt.  Shot.  Huge rebound.  Shot.  Now Lapierre picks it up.  Slot.  Moves right.  Wrister.  Post.  Moments later the whistle goes and Houde says that Lapierre will be called for interference.

Call is against Moore we are now told.  Pyatt and Plekanec are the first kill pair.  Crosby and Malkin are on the first wave Gonchar is on the blue.

They control but a missed pass from 2009 Conn Smythe winner Evgeni Malkin to elite defenceman Sergei Gonchar misfires and the Pens have to retrieve.

They enter but another missed puck at the blue line leads to an exit and reset.

Gionta intercepts a pass attempt, tips it out, really.

Pittsburgh’s Bill Guerin strides in on the left.

Malkin goes around the net.  To the hash back for Guerin.

Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec is sent in on a near breakaway.  Coverage and a bouncing puck leaves Plekanec with too sharp an angle and Fleury saves it.

Houde says that Plekanec’ work is colossale.

Halak paddles down and holds a puck.

Brunet said that the Pens aren’t prepared.  Interesting.

Moore penalty is over.

More line.

Puck goes out of play.

I have no energy for complaint.  Just despair, woe and hope.

Faceoff is deep to Fleury’ right.  Moore loses it.  Penguins fire it around their end boards.

Spacek sends a poorly thought puck to the Montreal blue where it is intercepted.  No shot results.  Now the puck is on the other end where Fleury captures it.

Houde and Brunet chuckle and discuss the audience composition.  Someone is laughing.  At least.  Not me.

Stoppage.

Andrei Kostitsyn is shown.  Big iceberg.  On attend.

Crosby and Gomez collide in the corner to Halak’s left.  Pass to the blueline results in a Moen crack and breakout.   Houde compliments the play.  Rush is inconsequential but crosses the Penguin line.

Lapierre line is on now.

Lapierre is playing a robust brand.

Secrets, he says.  So we wait.

Moore shift leaves.  Late change results in a right side entry.  Shot goes high over Halak.

Canadiens.  Enter.  Metropolit. Creates something from nearly nothing.  No-look backhand pass to the slot.  Is missed.

Subban pairing.  Plekanec, line.  Cammalleri and Andrei K are with him.

They give up ten seconds of fear and finally on the end boards Hamrlik’s work helps exit the disc.  But not before Halak makes a jam-post save.

Crowd is awake.  And they stay awake this time.  Long puck is called.

Gomez line.

Faceoff to Halak’s right.

Penguins win the draw.   They retrieve.  They work the Montreal boards but Gionta and Gomez combine to effect their exit.

Behind the net.  Lapierre is stopped by Orpik.  Orpik keeps hitting Lapierre.  Keeps on.   Keeps on.

In the meantime, Montreal scores.

Have another hammer.

Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 0

Living room clapture.

Five minutes left in the first period.

Slot shot goal.  I dunno cuz I was watching Orpik.  Use the alternate spelling.

Halak comes out like a bottle collector.  Way out to the dot.  Andrei Kostitsyn assists the odd and high plunging maneuver.   Standing.  Sends the puck behind the net.  Habs survive.

Remember when Huet slid way out?  Carbonneau smiling.

Pens retrieve.

Houde notes a Moen elbow on Penguin defender Kristopher Letang.

Houde elaborates by saying that Moen has been generous with his elbows this period.  They should call those.  Those pads are pure plastic.  Moulded pain.

Halak sees a crowd in front of him.  A Pen advances.  Shoots.  Halak is across from left to right.

Now Cammalleri shoots high going the other way.

And a long puck is called.

Some in the Pittsburgh crowd are booing.

Game seven stats are shown.  Historic.  Home team.

Visitors’ corresponding numbers were shown earlier.  I cannot say.  Super.

Bowl.

Two minutes.

Orpik fires one down the boards.  Moen moves it out.

Ponikarovsky enters on the right.  Off-wing distance shot.  Wild shot.  [Walton].

Judges flurry?  We shall see.

Potato break.

We are close to the minute-warning.

More numbers.   And a replay or two.   One of the white jersey guys.

Montreal manages the draw and an exit.

Plekanec line.

One forward on the blue.  Two defencemen.  For Montreal.

Long puck.  Houde remarks on possible home team nervousness.  Related to the long pucks.  Fair enough.

Deep to Fleury’s right.  Gomez versus Crosby.  Crosby wins it.  Pens exit.

Malkin receives a pass from Crosby just inside the blue but suffers a turnover.

Pens work the end boards on the re-entry.  Montreal wins the numbers game and the Pens have to reset.  Dump-in with twenty seconds left in the frame.

Hamrlik picks up the puck on the end boards.  To the hash for Moore.  Horizontal pass.  And the period is close to an end.

It ends.

Shots are 10-8 in favour of the visitors.

First Intermission
Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 0

Demers raises a thumb.  Grins.

He gives a mild criticism for Fleury.  Says that Fleury should not give a goal away like that in a game of this type.  He frames it as a responsibility to teammates notion.

Bouchard says that the Canadiens are in the Penguins’ heads.  He’s said this before.  C’est juste.  Just ask Ted Leonsis.  You’ll have to scroll down.

Outcomes.  Process.  Ask me later.

Francois Gagnon and Alain Crete discuss this arena.  This could be the last game in this arena.  Apparently Montreal played in this building’s first game.  October 11, 1967.   Asterisk season.

Gagnon has a black shirt with a fat black tie.  Grey jacket.

We see Mario lifting the Cup in 91 and 92.  Now we see his famous goal against Bruins. The breakaway roofer.   And a few others.  Jagr.  Lemieux.  Francis.  Badger Bob Johnson is shown.  Great man.  Good coach.

Crete and Gagnon’s effusive repartee is smile-worthy.  They close with a comment regarding Jean Béliveau.  He sold the game puck from the October 11 game.  Or something.

Yeah, yeah.  I know.

Moore is interviewed.  His French is accented but solid.

Luc Gelinas (Moore’s interviewer) mentions that there are 40 minutes left.  Electric lemon feeling pulses once under my heart.  Can we just not reference anything?

I look over at my Acer and it is failing.  I have VCR backup.

Second Period
Montreal 2, Pittsburgh 0

Montreal enters. Right side.  Action slows.

Crosby rams Halak.  Brunet is forgiving in saying that it might have been accidental.  Crosby has a no-remorse expression on his face.  Pacifier, passive, pacific, Pittsburgh, penitent, pantaloon.

Stoppage.  No call.  Alright then.

Lapierre line.

Lapierre loses and then comes up with the puck in the neutral zone.  New suit, new spats, new smile.  J’aime tout ca.  Bien fait.  Fires it down.

Penguin clump.  Shot.  Hamrlik picks it up and moves it out.

Renegade equipment.

Gionta gets a chance from the slot.

That all comes to an end.

But moments later Andrei Kostitsyn steals, yes, steals a pass.  Pass across.  Spacek.  Cammalleri.  One-timer.

Scores.

Montreal 3, Pittsburgh 0

Whistle.  Plekanec line stays on.

Six, seven seconds later Andrei Kostitsyn is called for roughing.

Crosby, Guerin and Malkin are the first wave.

Pyatt intercepts an errant Malkin pass.  Pyatt stayed in place and Houde remarks on this as a factor in the clearing pass.

Another clearing pass results from the next entry.

Kunitz enters.  Turns the net.  Moen intercepts.  Carries it up the left.  Shoots.  Scores.

My caveman throat gravel is a shameless living room echo.

Brent Johnson enters to replace Fleury.

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 0

Short-handed.

Thirty-five seconds left in the penalty.

Malkin and Crosby are back.  Kunitz is with them this time.

Entry.  Shot.  Halak.

Crosby.  End-line.  Gives it away in the slot.

Penalty ends.  Andrei Kostitsyn gets the puck.  Two-on-one.  Lead pass.  Pass back.  Missed.  Gionta follows as third man.  Backhand.  High.  Nope.  What a chance.

Lapierre hits Orpik while the defenceman retrieves the puck.

Other end.

Eaton with a long shot now.  Halak makes the save.  Rebound.  Nope.   Puck goes out of play.

Gill pairing.  Faceoff to Halak’s right.

Puck is behind the net.  Dupuis pops out on Halak’s left. Houde growls.  Halak is across.

Pace is good.  Penguins get ahead of the Canadiens now.  Gill loses his stick.  Ref hits the puck.  It goes in.

Kunitz gets the opportunistic crease goal.

Brunet says hopeful things for the Penguins.  Hopes that the crowd gets them back into it.   Ref didn’t hit the puck as I said.  The puck went off the ref’s skate on the way to the scoring area.

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 1

Crowd sound crests.  A chance.  Crowd and a leg.

Gomez exits.  His twenty-footer is handled.

Brief control for Montreal.  Then the puck goes out of play in the neutral zone.

Moore takes the faceoff outside the Pen zone against Staal.  Staal pushes it up to win it.

Lapierre comes up with it after the Pittsburgh dump-in is picked up.

Other end.  Defenceman Alex Goligoski behind his net for Pittsburgh.

Starts his rush.

Montreal is watching a bit now.  Jordan Staal enters on the left.  Slows.  Looks.  Turnover.  Montreal exits.  Stoppage in the neutral zone.

Commercial.

Nay-grape types are going to talk about luck and ghosts.  But Leonsis had it right.  The visitors run a unique system.  And the white-board will show the answers.

Belle Centre?

Philly takes a 1-0 lead in the other game tonight, we are told.

Shot of Lemieux.  Sitting this time.  Sees himself on the screen.  Shoves his tongue frustratedly into his left cheek hollow.

We resume.

Cammalleri flits close and shoots.

Dupuis, defenceman Mark Eaton and Kunitz combine for a six-second possession.  They stretch vectors for the second time in three shifts.

But though a puck hops over a Canadien stick in the slot, Gionta picks it up and lofts a mini-dump to the neutral zone.

Action crosses sticks in the slot.  Slot pass after a drive in.  Pyatt nearly scores on the one-timer.

Stoppage and a faceoff to Johnson’s right.  It’s his first action in 2010.

Johnson is solid and once put up consistently good numbers in St. Louis.  I’m not sure how much he has left.

Pace slows slightly.

Crowd is tepid.

Moen is sent in alone.  Just past the coverage.  Eaton gets back to interrupt.  Beautiful defensive play.

Puck stays in Pen ice.  Johnson cradles a high puck standing and Moen leaves the ice.

Faceoff is to Johnson’s left.

Lapierre against Talbot.  Lapierre has to leave the circle.  Moore’s draw results in an eventual shot.  But now Ponikarovsky drives the right side and is held by Hamrlik.

It’s called.

Hamrlik’s beard is as full as I’ve ever seen it.  Captain Haddock.

Crosby, Guerin and Malkin are the first wave.

About six minutes in the second period.

Initial clear by Pyatt.

Pens set up.

Shot from Gonchar.  Hits something.  Is cleared.

Gonchar retrieves.

Letang is careless with a puck and a clear results.

Now Malkin enters on the right.

Another missed pass.  Malkin didn’t look.  Gonchar had left the blue line.

Viard.

Pens enter again.

Guerin weaves horizontally across the high slot.  Stickhandles.  Shoots.  Bossy range.  Yike.  Nope.

Plekanec is on.  Spacek stands up an entry on the left.

Gomez and Gionta now.

Penalty drains away.

Hamrlik is back.  Pens continue possession on the boards.  Montreal chases.  Staal has it on the boards.  Slow.  Deliberate.  Loses it.

Has it again five seconds later.  Three Habs.  Two Pens.  On the boards.

Now to the point.

Shot.  Goal.

Crowd goes white.

Staal celebrates in that pirate way.  Justified exuberance.

Deflected puck.

Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 2

Staal gets credit.

Halak remains calm.  Looks up at the scoreboard.  New expression on his face for me.

Three and a half minutes left in the second period.

Another Pittsburgh turnover.  Plekanec gets a slot chance.

Wide.

Andrei Kostitsyn is involved defensively.  Penguins surge.  Puck control is difficult for them.  They keep it in.  Now it’s out.

Canadiens are nervous.

Crosby with a point shot.  Bops high.

Crowd is alive.

Pens fail to keep it in on the right side and the crowd boos.

It’s getting ragged.  That is to Montreal’s advantage.  At least it has been these playoffs.

Faceoff outside Montreal ice.

Canadiens pick it up.

Gionta receives a pass on the right side and dumps in a diagonal puck to the corner at Johnson’s right.

Gomez and Cammalleri are with him.

Crosby and Malkin are against them.  Guerin with them.  Endboard control from Pittsburgh.  Point pass results in a turnover.

Penguins re-enter.

To the opposite point.

Shot.  Stopped.  Whistle.  Scrum.

Kennedy is in it with Cammalleri.

Halak is sticked by Kennedy, we are shown.

Cammalleri and Kennedy are both called.  Houde says that a Cooke gesture is overlooked.

Martin yells to get a player off the ice.  Andrei K.  Brunet chuckles.

Crosby is on.  Dupuis with him.

Subban makes magic.  Slot pass for Pyatt.  Fails.  Subban picks it up again.  Doesn’t dump.  Keeps it under the hash.  Turns.  Marvel magic.

Finally the Penguins get it out.

Now in the corner to Halak’s left, Gorges is called for interference.  Legit call.  It’s cross-checking.  Took down Dupuis.  I shake my head.

Four-on-three.

Plekanec wins it.  Gill clears it.  Period ends.

Brunet wonders if Bylsma will re-insert Fleury.   Houde says it’s possible but his tone indicates he doesn’t expect it.

Pittsburgh led 13-7 on shots in the second for a 21-17 lead.

Second Intermission
Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 2

This is no time for a nap.  Eh.

Philadelphia’s lone goal is shown.

Bouchard gets intense.  Crete remains balanced.

Interview.  Cammalleri says that “we’re good here, just get a big penalty-kill.”  He voices his thanks to the fans at home watching in the Bell Centre.  They sold tickets for people to watch it on the big screen.

Third Period
Montreal 4, Pittsburgh 2

I can’t even adjust my hat properly.  My hands are lemon dough.

Gill is on with Subban.  Guerin is on with Crosby and Malkin.

Four on three.

Pens win it.  Deliberate, calm pass to the defenceman.

They enter.

Shot.  Rebound.  Halak.  On Crosby at the doorstep.  Initial shot was from the blue line by Malkin.

Pens reset.

Crosby shoots on re-entry.  Stopped.

First penalty ends.

Five-on-four.

Plekanec and Cammalleri combine to enter and kill about eight seconds.

Pens get one last sequence

It’s on the blue line as the penalty ends.  Shot.   Rebound.  Habs survive.

Long puck.  Play continues.  Houde says that Spacek was hit hard in his own zone.

Lapierre line hops on.  Neutral zone.  Now Leopold retrieves.

To Orpik.  To the blue line.  Dumped in but Subban sends it out immediately.

Long puck bounces off the end boards and Halak scoops it for a faceoff.

Faceoff to his left.

Plekanec is chased from the circle.  Cammalleri wins it.  It’s on the boards.

Plekanec picks it up and backhands it long for icing.  Plekanec discusses his chasing from the circle.

Faceoff.

Quick shot.  Halak is on a knee and controlling it.

Brunet says the Penguins were cheating on the faceoff.   Whistle.

Faceoff is again to Halak’s right.

Now the officials decide to check the video replay.

Brunet says there’s nothing to indicate a goal.

Refs concur.

We resume.

Sixteen minutes left.

Plekanec is asked to leave again. Gomez loses it to Crosby.

Gionta.  Drives the right side.  Refs ignore a penalty against Pittsburgh.  Slot pass fails.

Montreal’s Gomez skates back to pick up a puck at the Montreal blue line.

And a whistle

Moore line.   Moore loses the neutral zone faceoff outside the Pittsburgh blue.  Puck moves back to the Montreal area unchased and another whistle.

Centre ice.  Moore wins the draw.

Moore follows Gonchar along the Pittsburgh boards.

Now the Pens set up.  To Gonchar.  Good solid shot.  Rebound is cleared.  Montreal move down.  Shot   Stopped.  Board work.

Pens finally come up with it.

I’d give more but I can just barely think.  Just barely type.

In the Montreal zone.

Staal and Kennedy work the end boards.  Montreal is following.  Spacek finally comes up with it.  Loses it.  It goes to the blue line.  No coverage.  Halak comes out a few feet further than normal and butterflys.  About two feet out of his crease to his left.

Whistle.

Gill and Gorges are back on.

Crosby wins the faceoff.  Dangerously moving to the net.  Puck hops over the Montreal net.

Gill falls on a man behind the end line.  To the side.  Shot.  Stopped.  Moments later Gill smiles.  He is called.

I’m not smiling.

Penalty kill situation for Montreal.

Again.

Legit call.  And Pittsburgh’s tenacious board work is what drew it.  Dupuis.

Call is holding.   And it was Crosby he held, not Dupuis.

Faceoff to Halak’s left.

Subban is on.

Habs win the faceoff but lose the puck on the boards.

Long shot.  Deflected. Certain.  Halak gets across.  Somehow.  Save of the night so far.

Pens win the ensuing faceoff.  Crosby creates down low.

To the slot.  Perfect.  Missed.

Another shot skirmish.

And a clear.

Gonchar drives in.

Under the line.  To the circle.  Gomez golfs it.  Hamrlik chased well.

Moen and Moore are the pairing now as the Pens re-enter.

Spacek is underneath.
Aggressive kill

Thirty seconds.

Crosby stays on the ice.

Crosby to Letang.  One-timer.  Halak gets across.  This is a mega-understatement.

Malkin enters on the right.  Off-wing shot.  Close.  Halak.

Penguins continue.  Trapezoid. Penalty ends

Moore escapes.  Company and coverage.  But some space.

Delays.  Shoots.  Misses the net.

Whistle.  Too many men against Pittsburgh.

Arena sounds like an alley.

Gomez, Gionta and Cammalleri are on.

Malkin is the designate for the Penguins.

Arena staff comes out to check the glass.

Shot of the Bell Centre interior.  People.

My chemicals settle.  Wiring is a fuzzle.  Commercials are in slow mo.

Action resumes.

Prediction stat first.

We are shown some goals from the recent past.  Thirteen.

Early clear by Pittsburgh.  Aggressive forecheck by Pittsburgh.  As aggressive as they can afford.

Montreal sets up.

Subban advances then moves left.  Signals with a high glove to Bergeron to cover.

They move it around.  Eight passes.

Two more.  And a pass.  And a shot.

And a goal.

Gionta.

Cammalleri from the end line to the crease.  Lobber pass and a cricket bat.

I’m allowed.

Montreal 5, Pittsburgh 2

Nine and forty.

Pyatt and Moore follow.

Crosby has it. Across.  Kunitz.  Shoots.  Halak is there.  Sixteen-footer.  And Gorges and Kunitz collide and then Kunitz is chin on post.  Standing.  And ok.  No calls.  Net went off.  Glad that we don’t have the old ones.

Commercial.

What hand-eye coordination from Gionta.

Kword Nation.

Shot of the Bell.  People.

Montreal assistant coach Perry Pearn is shown at the bench.  Nervous.  Assistant coach Kirk Muller is watching and instructing.

Habs win the faceoff.  On the boards.  Three and three.

Moore gets a pass. Taps it out.

Pens resume control in the neutral one.  They enter.

Malkin tries a doorstep turner.  Stopped.

Lapierre has it one-on-two and slowing.  Dumps it in to end his shift.

Darche is on the ice after quite some time.

Stoppage in the neutral zone.

Faceoff is to Halak’s left.

Houde says a few positive things about the timing of Halak’s best saves.

Orpik sends an errant puck.  Penguins aren’t pianowire anymore.  Crosby still is.  Enters on the right.  Has the puck taken from him.

Gorges sacrifices his torso for a kept possession and exit.  Kunitz hit him as he released the pass.

My respect for Kunitz has climbed throughout this series.

Subban no-look leaver behind the end line is nearly intercepted.

Two-on-one.  Plekanec.  To Andrei K.  Puck slips under his stick.  Defensive play was also made.  Houde says it was a good defensive play by Goligoski.

Malkin enters on the left.  Shot.  Halak crumples partially and holds it.

Some replays are shown.  Halak’s saves.

Another lost faceoff.  To the blue.  Penguins dump it to the corner.  Montreal exits.

But Staal has it now.  Over the blue.  Move and a shot.  Left to right.  Stopped.  Huge rebound.  Another shot.  I am resigned.  Halak gets over.  And a stoppage after some defensive support from Montreal.

Crosby is stopped point blank.  Again.  Then Crosby trips a Montreal defender and it goes uncalled.

Four and a half minutes.

Montreal hangs on.

Shot.  Another.  Penalty.  Gill.  Holding.  Gill smiles.  Frustrated grimace.

He goes to the box without argument.

Penguin power-play.

Crosby wins the faceoff.

Blue line.

Under.

Shot.

No.

Now a high circle turn and wide lance.  Stoppage.

Faceoff is to Halak’s right.

Johnson is close to the blue line says Houde.  He leaves the ice.

Pens wait.

Set it up.  It’s six on four.

Seventy seconds as the Pens retrieve.

Hamrlik picks it up on the side boards.  Tries to lob it to the net.  A Penguin is in place.

False champs enter.  But another stoppage occurs.

Faceoff is to Halak’s left.

But a timeout is called by Pittsburgh.  Houde says that, I dunno.  I lose track again.  The ice is white as a storm.

How can Pierre stay so calm.

Banner shots.

Three of them.

Plekanec.

To the boards it goes for a scrum.

Pens come up with it.

Long shot goes out of play.

Béliveau scored the winner in that October 11 game, Pierre finds time and inclination to share.

Stick is broken.  Puck is underneath.

Penguin stick.  Crosby has it on the hash.

He waits for a returning player. Cross-ice.

Now seventeen saves in a row.  All great.

Numbers are also lost in the storm.  Halak is a Nordic.  Spots on axe.  Paint on pads.

Faceoff outside the Montreal zone.

Penalty ends

Johnson remains on the Pittsburgh bench.

Two minutes.  Penguins have trouble setting up.

Moen is on the bench.

Hamrlik and Spacek on defence.  Lapierre gets on the ice.

Long shot misses the empty net.  Subban.  Icing?  Whistle.

Martin looks like how I feel.

Faceoff is won but the puck is lost.  Halak’s right.  Now Moore comes up with it and ices it.

Now we’re talking about another game.

Just wait.

Malkin.  On the blue.  Turning. Creating.  Covered.  Muzzled.

Subban works well underneath

My spelling is bad.  You won’t see it.

Forty.

Crosby.  Across

Shot.  High glove.

Metropolit is smiling on the bench.  Gionta looks about as intent as Depp.  Moore takes some orange juice and smiles to himself.

Faceoff to Halak’s left.

Houde gives credit to Gainey.

Ref has to discuss something with Bylsma.  What.  Just what.  Martin’s arms are crossed.

Penguins are called. Tyler Kennedy.  Champion’s poise?

Finally the faceoff.

Gill is on.  

Canadiens come up with it.  Andrei K.  To the point.  Down the boards.

Plekanec has it in the corner.

They move the puck around.  Now a pass forces Gorges back.  Puck is moved.  Game ends.  Organ music.

Houde says “Bravo, Montreal”.  Brunet says it’s not believable.

Moore celebrates.  They mob Halak.

Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma shakes Montreal head coach Jacques Martin’s hand.

Brunet says it’s magic.  Houde says it’s a good choice of words.  Brunet says it again.

Replay of the Montreal bench at the siren.  Subban hugs someone a la Magic.  Both arms around the crest.

The teams shake hands.

Crob ain’t the best.

Guerin says something genuine and warm to Halak.  Bill Guerin.  Yeah, I like him.  And I feared him more than any player but Gonchar throughout this series.

Luc interviews Jaroslav.  Halak.

Halak is red-faced.  He is modest.  But it isn’t feigned.  Our kind of guy.

Jacques finally smiles.  He looks so relieved.  Once he starts talking he resumes his precise even dialogue.  What is the secret, Maxim?

Montreal 5
Pittsburgh 2

Canadiens win series 4-3 and advance to Eastern Conference Finals

HDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Mike Cammalleri, Travis Moen
RDS Stars: Jaroslav Halak, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri

Brunet reminds viewers that the team did this without top Montreal player, defenderAndrei Markov and with Gill missing for game six.  Fair enough.  Gionta is interviewed.  He wears an “A” as well.  Gionta smiles the most full and genuine smile I’ve ever seen from him when he sees Gill skate over beside him.  Gill is interviewed.  He says “winning’s fun” and something about him reminds me of Larry Robinson for a moment.

Expressly Canadian

Thoughts while watching the game again in compacted format
Montreal v Pittsburgh, Game Five

First two periods in full.  Did not use Canadiens Express (compacted version).

Crob had 12 shots in six games coming into this seventh game.  I ask you, are these champion’s numbers?   And I ask again.  Don’t bother.

Crosby’s initial penalty.  Champion’s play?  Don’t bother.  He incurred it within the first thirty seconds and it was a legit call.  Cross-checked Gorges.  Isn’t cross-checking our Disney’s favourite tactic?

Fleury should have had that first goal.  Stopped it, I mean.  Subban has physicality to his movement that is different from any player that I can recall on the blue line.  More as I observe.

Rule suggestion:  If a player makes a second attempt to rough up a goalie; ten minute misconduct.  Third attempt is a game misconduct.  First attempt would be whatever is in place currently or refs’ discretion.  Ref’s discretion?

On Moore’s goal, Orpik had Lapierre behind the net and was shoving him up against the netting and holding him there for more than three seconds after the puck left Lapierre’s stick.  Just shoving him.  That’s an interference call.  But Benoit Brunet says he’s ok with that kind of play.   Benoit is getting a bit more lenient with the thuggishness as the playoffs go on and I wonder if he is being influenced by the dominant ideology; are people saying things to cow the younger colour man?  And Orpik is the Glenn Kulka of the NHL.

And his nonsense cost his team a goal.  So the math works out.

Plekanec’ shadowing of Crosby was thorough; Plekanec’ quickness allowed him to foil Crosby’s entry on a shift and then a whack of a stick on the same shift (in the slot) resulted in taking away a scoring shot.

I’m reminded of some of the fine work that Carbonneau supplied against Gretzky in the Finals in 1993.  Speed versus speed.  Martin and Muller are working well together.  And Pearn, I imagine.  Muller was, of course,  a key component of that 1993 Stanley Cup run and would have seen Carbonneau’s work up close.

Gretzky was shut down en route to a four games to one series win for Montreal.

Brunet’s explanation of the Montreal forecheck in the first period sinks in for me on the second viewing.  On a late-period Penguin possession, with about 1:20 left in the period, we can see Andrei Kostitsyn as a lone deep forechecker with Plekanec and Cammalleri hanging much further back just above the Montreal blue line.  Both players block passing lanes and force defenceman Mark Eaton to pass into coverage which results in a long puck retrieved by Montreal; loss of possession.  Brunet elaborates saying that Pittsburgh’s forwards aren’t helping their passers (the defencemen) by curling back to the puck.  He stresses the open space between the Penguin circles up to the red centre line.

Brunet’s post-period comment that the first ten minutes tempest expected from Pittsburgh was negated by the two early penalties is a key.

What kind of man lets others dictate his sense of right and wrong?  Watch the second period and you’ll see.   Crosby slides into Halak and then claims it was Gill’s fault.   Crosby’s expression on rising and at the bench tells it all.  The dollar bill fades a little.

Cammalleri’s second period goal is directly a result of Andrei Kostitsyn’s forecheck which unexpectedly but through hard work, produces a turnover, a point pass to Spacek and a one-timer for Cammalleri.

Brutal lack of effort on Moen’s goal from Gonchar.  Just watched Moen walk around him for a free shot.  Mystifying.  Unimpressive.

It was 4-0 at that point with about five minutes elapsed in the second period.

Pittsburgh was fortunate not to drop to 5-0 within a minute of that goal.  Three point-blank chances were mishandled by the Canadiens.

Brunet exults late in the second with the score 4-1 in favour of Montreal that this is the best game Montreal has played in the series. He then adds for emphasis; in all aspects of the game.  This kind of comment from a colour man just isn’t precise enough for me.  For example, Montreal is certainly not doing their series’ best on faceoffs.  Is Brunet overwhelmed by the scoreboard?  To me, the colour man is there to provide depth and detail.  Exuberance is for the play-by-play fellow.

You know, I wouldn’t want to be stuck in a well with Jordan Staal looking down at me.

More and more, Andrei Kostitsyn reminds me of Ace Frehley.  He is absent-minded.  Went on the ice for a short-handed situation and had to be called back to the bench area.  Absent-minded.  Shy.  And the ability of a berserker.  I hope Montreal finds a way to reach these two.

Montreal Canadiens vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (GM 7), 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

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