Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers

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 (1-5-2) host Philadelphia Flyers (5-2-1)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Game Nine (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.

click here to expand post (it looks prettier)

 

Jaromir Jagr, the former Penguin, former league MVP, former Mario Lemieux linemate, former accused coach-killer, former Ranger, former hero, former villain, former best player in the world … has seven points in his first eight games with his new team the Philadelphia Flyers, good for second behind right winger Claude Giroux.  Jagr was named Czechoslovakia’s hockey player of the year for 2010.  Ahead of Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec.

The stubbly 39 year-old has been absent from the NHL for three seasons.  He starred for the Czech nationals and with the marvelously named Avangard Omsk of the KHL.  He still reminds me of Eddie.

The Flyers are 0.688 and one of the league’s top five teams.  Since the lockout, Montreal has outskated the Flyers but struggled in scoring against them.  Flyers are a different team after trading Mike Richards and Jeff Hartnell, though.  The culture is changing and they have one of the smartest head coaches in the NHL in Peter Laviolette.  The old formulas may not work.

Canadiens have scored the first goal in their past four home games, all losses.  The power-play is ranked second-last at 9.4 percent and they’ve been operating with one experienced defenceman.  The return of Jaroslav Spacek on Monday is not enough.

The big desk.  Alain says that the biggest change, despite the trades, is in net with the addition of a genuine number one goalie in Ilya Bryzgalov.  The Togliatti, Russia native has been very good.  I prefer their backup, Sergei Bobrovsky (Novokuznetsk, RUS).

Newly named captain Chris Pronger is out of the lineup with an eye injury sustained earlier this week.

Let’s see if I like this version of the Halloween orange and black.

Ilya Bryzgalov and Carey Price are the goalies.

Price is at 0.878.  Stay still a moment.

Ghislain Hebert and Chris Lee are the refs.

First Period

Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell and Eddie Van Jagr are against centre Tomas Plekanec, captain Brian Gionta and the westerly Travis Moen.

Early deflection by Flyer defender Braydon Coburn stops a slot pass.

Newcomer and burly Erik Cole is on.  Left side.  Bats it behind the net.  Whistle.  Flyers’ Andrej Meszaros disagrees with the interference call.  Rather tight.  But if they’re consistent, then fine.

Montreal power.

Youngling Raphael Diaz.  From the draw.  Across.  PK Subban.  Pause.  Slapshot.  Smothered.

Faceoff.  Right side.

One shot from the high circle.  Wrister, Diaz.

Stopped.  Exited.

Perimeter work.  And another reset follows.

Sixty seconds.  Fenced at the blue line.

Shot in.

Dogged Mathieu Darche.  Digs.  Around.  Plekanec at the point.

To Gionta at the hash.  Turnover.  Cleared.

Plekanec carries from behind this net.

Darche at the high hash.  To Plekanec at the diamond top.  Pass to the left and a shot.

No.

Candies reset.  Almost 31.  And not Reggie.  And not Carey.

Three elapsed.  Penalty is over.  Hooking call.  Oft-maligned referee Chris Lee keeps his face neutral.

Mild, short-lived booing.  Legit call.  Lars Eller in his own zone.

Gill and maturing Josh Gorges low.  One long shot.  Moen and Plekanec high.

Shot and cleared.

Flyers ring around the rose.

Flyers.  Shot.  Daniel Briere.  Post.  Price was down.  Puck stayed out.
Ilderton native Matt Read advances.  Another post.  Houde says Price was surprised.

I shouldn’t be thinking of tomorrow night’s game against Boston.

One minute.  Lines change.

Sticks cross.  Nokelainen.  Jagr.  The Finn.  The Czech.

Jagr down the middle.  He looks the same.  Houde adds that Jagr hasn’t changed his style of skating.

Penalty elapses after the failed snake-stream incursion.

Kostitsyn.  Winger Michael Cammalleri. Eller.

Eller from his slot.  Up for Kostitsyn.  To the Flyer end boards.  Cammalleri’s support isn’t enough against two Flyers.

Flyers are able to set up.  Coburn.  Allowed to move across the blue, looking, looking.

Pass into traffic.  Shoved out.  Kostitsyn sends it long for a line change.

Price holds the door on his left.  Price needs to make a gift tonight.

Carle leaves one in the corner right and deep.

Gill and Diaz.  Diaz floats a long one.  Only Flyers.

They are stopped in mid-ice.

Moen tries a slot pass for Gionta.

Subban on the ice.  No unsavoury Mike Richards to harangue the young pivot.  Spin move.  Shovel pass backhand.  Receiver has open ice down the right.  Shot.  And up.  And out of play.

Jagr, at six three, two hundred and forty pounds is the largest Flyer.  Gill is a bit bigger on the home side.

Reid’s post was a goal missed.  Briere’s post was from nearly ninety degrees.  But Reid had beaten Price who couldn’t see the puck.  Slot shot.

Desharnais, Pacioretty and Cole.

Cole turnover.

Booing on a missed interference call.  Or so the crowd perceived.

Houde chuckles.

Stoppage.

Assistant coach Randy Ladouceur is behind the bench tonight for Montreal.  He will manage the defensive team’s time on ice.

Immediately, something about his demeanour appeals.

Eleven left.  Former King winger Wayne Simmonds.  Deep right.  Loses it against two Canadiens on the hash.  Puck is sent long.  Lines change.  Cole is back.

Nokelainen is with him.  Darche.

Entry. Nokelainen.  Pass attempt.  Off a leg.  And puts his team offside.

Briere is wearing a gaudy A for alternate.  Large font.

Gorges and Subban.  One shovel fails.  Across for PK.  Pass goes long for Plekanec.

Diaz retrieves.  Gill across and under the end-line.

Moen can’t keep the puck on the high hash on his right side.

Jagr from the point.  Shot is blocked.

Stays in.  Jagr to the net.  Found.  In.  Price almost across.  One-timer and a perfect pass from the left wing.  Cross-ice pass found Jagr on his offwing and five feet from Price’s left post.  That post is cold and lonely.

Flyers 1, Canadiens 0

Martin writes a few things on his piece of paper.  Puts it away.  Knee straightens.

Right side entry.  Backhand shot.  Up and out of play off Price’s arm.

Bald and goateed, Jeff Reese talks with a box mate, pen in his right hand.  He’s smiling and relaxed.  The former NHL goalie is the Flyer goaltenders coach.

David Desharnais line.  Mister Moxie.

Faceoff to Price’s left.

Desharnais and Kimmo Timonen bump on the boards.  Puck goes around the horseshoe.

Crowd is mild; we can hear the slash of the skates against artificial ice and the click and wick of ninety dollar sticks.  Or more.

Seven and a half left.

Recently returned Montreal defenceman Jaroslav Spacek.  Dangerous pass to Eller in the high slot.  Eller racquets the puck and keeps it away from two Flyer sticks.  Exit play can’t develop from this.  Flyers push and prod.  Finally, they run out of steam and time and leave for another line.

Jakub Voracek keeps it going on the deep boards behind Price.  Timonen is well past the hash.  Handles it briefly.

Flyers control as if it’s a power-play.  Canadiens are behind the play.  And they hook to make up for it.  It’s called.

Flyers power-play.  Twenty-seven point five percent.

The other assistant, Randy Cunneyworth is interviewed.  Nothing compelling.

Gill hooked Voracek on his left hash.  Voracek and the puck both got by.  Called.

Flyer power.

Immediate clear.

Plekanec and Moen.  Gorges and Subban.

Voracek.  Briere.  Timonen.

Five passes.

And a certain goal.

Voracek from Briere on the doorstep.  Bungled.  And Price was across, too.

Nokelainen.  Weber low.  Cleared.

Carle.  Small pass to Jagr at mid-ice.  They’re next to one another.  Jagr glides.  Carries. Over.  Left for Simmonds.  Carle on the left point.  Pass and shot.  Price the save.

Fifteen.  Still in Montreal ice.

Giroux keeps it in on the hash.

Simmonds has it at Price’s right.  Stays out.

Jagr sends a pass across the low slot as the penalty ends.  Jagr still has it, back to the play.

Montreal can’t take the puck.

Jagr in the slot.  Waits.  Taps the stick.  Gets it and shoots.  Stopped.

Finally it’s out.

Eller line.  Flyer entry offside.  Cammalleri and Kostitsyn with him.

Denis says that chemistry between Jagr and Hartnell has balanced early.

Flyers are closing to each pass point.  Hartnell’s presence causes a Gill turnover low.  No shot results.

Long puck.  Interference.  Cole was stopped by Andreas Lilja at the blue.

Montreal power.

Desharnais.

Wins the draw.  To the point for another young defender, Yannick Weber.

No.  And Montreal must reset.

Bryzgalov has to get low on a give and go between Desharnais and Cole.  Under the pads in his crease.  The puck is frozen.

Ninety seconds in the penalty.  About fifty in the period.

Three Habs and two Flyers under the end line.  Montreal puck on the point.

Shot.

Reset.

More.  Pacioretty’s shot.  They work the rebound.  Around.  Blazt.  (Ok, it’s blast but some typos are worthy)  Weber.

Blasts it in with three seconds left in the period.

Through legs and sticks.  Bryzgalov didn’t see this one.  Martin looks relieved.  But it’s mild.  Long, long way to go.

Flyers led on shots 7-5.

Flyers outclassed Montreal in this period.  To use some Fischlerian language.  He was the author of the first several hockey books I read.

Bobby Orr and the Big, Bad Bruins.  Strange But True Hockey Stories.  Hockey Stars of 1972.

My hockey belief systems were thus founded.

First Intermission
Montreal 1, Philadelphia 1

Perry Pearn was fired?  What?  That’s why Ladouceur was behind the bench workin’ D.  Gauthier’s decision, Alain tells us.  What.  The team was informed about an hour before the game.  Pearn was the defensive guru.  And the team was lucky to have him, in my view.

Carbo says that Pearn was a bit of the Mr. Video Guy of the team.  Après combien de years?  Are you still calling him Perry Pearns.  It’s Pearn, Benoit.  Pearn.

Pronger’s injury is shown.  Accidental stick.  Grabovski follow-through.  Pronger bellowing in pain.  Alain asks if the visor shouldn’t be mandatory.  Carbonneau says it should stay a personal decision.  Alain disagrees.  Brunet says that if you enforce it, the problem’s gone within six, seven years.

Benoit and I agree.  He cites safety.  Safety first.  Isn’t that a Suncor motto?

I ought to know.

Losses and losses.  But it doesn’t bother me.  If the team was playing morbid hockey, yes.  But they’re not.  Some areas to improve.  Sure.  But it’s not as bad as some other bad patches we’ve seen.

Process.  More important than outcome.  Give them a B- on process so far this season.

They’re also playing without several million dollars worth.  Markov (5.75M).  Campoli (1.75M).  Cammalleri (6M) for a bit there.  Gomez (7.5M).  And Cole (6M) is starting slowly.  Replacements have been of the 1M and less variety.  Cap is up around 69M this season.  Or so.

Carbo says the team started nervously but became more determined after the Flyers scored.  Brunet says that puck protection makes the difference.

Crete adds that the power-play worked better.  The late goal.

Second Period
Philadelphia 1, Montreal 1

Early control, Montreal.

One long shot by Gill.

Nerves are completely gone.

Flyers were a different team in the first period.  Jagr’s addition is very interesting and possibly more meaningful than I’ve considered.  He’s still great and that has an effect on teammates.

Stoppage.  Someone’s lip and mouth are being wiped of blood.  On the bench.  Hab.

Slow but menacing three on one develops.  Cole. Crowd sees all the space before I do.  To Cammalleri.  Shoots.  And the big rebound at the right is missed completely.  Cole.

Flyers are in disarray briefly but the Canadiens bend the crossword.  Flyers have almost nothing.  Bad passes, not looking.  And poor defensive cohesion. Spaces and lanes crumple.   Montreal can’t make it work.

Canadiens begin to pressure and control.  Pacioretty with an all-tape shot.  Hits the back boards.  Cole with an entry on the right, his offwing, shift and accelerate, shot.  Stopped.

Laviolette calls the timeout.  Seems very good timing to me. Martin, hands on hips, has little to say.  Looks over at the Flyer bench.  Down at his players.

Marc Denis says on cherche les leaders sur les Canadiens.

Straw bonfire giveaway.  Eller.  Right at the stoop.  Crackle and a rusted laugh.  Just wide.  Bryzgalov is spared.  And the bay moon still has to set.

Eller leaves the ice.

Timeout didn’t do much for Flyers except scare them.

Now they control.

Jagr.  Thirty-nine.  Still a great.  Never underestimate an old champion.

Stoppage on a six-second Flyer possession.  Faceoff to Price’s left.

Desharnais.  Bump and shoulder.  Stick and puck.  Subban scoops it and swoops away behind his net.  All but the mad cackle.

Quickly.  Cammalleri on the right side entry.  Brakes.  Shot to the net.  Covered.  Cole was close by.

Stoppage.

Cole leaves the ice.

Nokelainen.  Asked to leave the circle.  Blunden.  Loses the draw.  He wears number forty-five and he’s been tepid in his time here.  Second game after the Engqvist demotion.

Darche.  Subban on the right point.  Shot.  Houde compliments Blunden’s work in the crease.

Booing.  Martin shakes his head.  Nokelainen is told what’s what by Chris Lee.  Houde remembers Lee’s struggles and this one might be similar.  Booing lasts a bit longer than normal.

Gorges interfered.  No question on this one.

Nokelainen took a stick to the mouth on the same sequence and he had to leave for the trainer’s room.  And that one was uncalled.  Fuzzle-frickle.

Jagr still has it.  Sets up from the corner.  Finds a man on the opposite hash.  What a pass. Another pass and a post.

Puck is cleared.  I try and remember what Jagr was like with the Rangers.  Bored comes to mind.  And minus a player that could play at his level.

Flyers bend the horseshoe.  Canadiens are diamonds and nails.  The crowd swoons.  And now a two-on-one.  Cammalleri waiting, waiting, waiting and the puck hops over the wrong stick and into bad space.  Deep corner.  Cammalleri doesn’t chase it.  Opts for the pairing change.  Good.

Ten and a half.  Penalty ends with one more Montreal rush.  Keeping it safe.

Simmonds should have scored on the Jagr play.  Had the net and hit the post behind Price’s right pad.  Simmonds was right in the crease lip.

To the net.  Le crowd, le crowd and a shot.  Falling.  Hooked.  A body doesn’t connect.  Kostitsyn does.  It’s behind the raggedy-orange goalie.  Legs spread, there’s nothing he could have done.

Juge video.

Off his skate?  Oh, oh.

Chris Lee’s small number twenty-eight goes well with those goofy headphones.  They’re like large, cheap foam erasers.  Round and charcoal.

Goal stands.

Kostitsyn’s third.  His expression betrays nothing.  Say nothing.  Feel something.  He’s got his game face on.

Montreal 2, Philadelphia 1

This game doesn’t need a supporting cast, a row of villains, threaded and hostile storylines.  It just needs goals.  Red ones.  White ones.  Blue ones.  Sparkle and shout, les anciens!

Montreal pressure.  And Jagr takes down a threatening Hab.  And this one was missed.

Long Flyer puck.

Eight.

Jagr to Giroux.  The maw.  And a Montreal leg.  Itchy work and witchy love.  It stays out.

And on the other end.

Subban lofts one.  Off a chest.  Plack to Pacioretty on the low circle.  Boing off the back mesh.  Just in.  And a shooter shoots.

Montreal 3, Philadelphia 1

First two-goal lead since the Winnipeg game says Houde.  That one ended 5-1 for Les Boys.

Cole on the right wing, it skitters to him, bounce and the shot.  Wide.  Around the net.  More swirl and cold confetti but the puck stays out.  Flyers have no timeouts left.

Just what Ma Bell gives them.  And yet another deathwagon pill is pulled across the screen.  Nobody will blame me at the gates.

Replay of a Price save on Giroux.  Robbery.   Timing.  Art.

In this New Forum art gallery.

Six minutes.

Weber bumps his man.  Subban and Voracek, now.  The puck feels wanted.

Five and a half.

Price low and hugging then up and relaxed as it leaves again.

Three in.  Third man with the open net and how did that stay out?

Five.

Long puck.  Icing.

Eller poofs air out, leaning over like a thin Sundin.

Wins the draw.  Subban.  Left for Gill.  His pass right on the stick of Briere.  Absolute last player.  Geez.  Briere, turning, through the low slot, fires.  Traffic.

Carle holds a stick.  More booing.  Worse reffing this season. In a season of well-called games.

Weber over the blue.  Shoots.  Just stopped low.  And hooking. A call against Flyers.  And some punching after the whistle.  Coburn.  Plekanec.  Guess who was punching whom?

It stops quickly.  You wanna a five on three?  Do ya?  Do ya?
It’s one car commercial in every break.  Without fail.  Are they losing or something?

Trek.

Andrej Meszaros.  Hooked Pacioretty on the Montreal exit.

Montreal power.

Plekanec on the blue.  Pacioretty.  Low hash.  Laser slot pass.  Desharnais can’t convert.

Now Cole nearly converts on the next entry.

Three in the period.

Just over a minute in the penalty as the team enters on a blast-in and follow.

Cammalleri.  Gionta.  Plekanec still on the point.  Subban on the left side.

Where’s Kovalev?

Who can run this power-play?

It jerks and starts and, despite failed Flyer coverage, yields the wrong harvest.

One more try.

Desharnais’ pass is into a leg.  Too many passes into sticks, off knees.

It ends.

On the other end.  Price ends the crowding.  But they bump and bang after the whistle.  Talbot is in there.  The former Penguin.  He’s still Francophone, though.

Flyers win the draw.  Ninety seconds in the period.

Briere. Behind the net.  To number ten.  Who?  Not listed.

Shot.  No.

And now Andrei is called.  Elbow.

Kostitsyn is mumbling to himself.  He’s a bit more, ah, intense tonight.  Firm.  More robotic, more liquid in his lunch.  An electric drink of some kind.

Flyers power.

Giroux.  On the left point.  Waits.  Waits.  Dribbling.  Advances.

Fires.  Goes wide.

One more segment.  Plekanec is down.  Stick to the face.  Gets up.  Plays the puck, bleeding.  Accidental. No call.

Hartnell.  Being his usual ingrate self.  Go back to Saskatchewan.  Mocking the Plekanec injury.  Gill should just drop-sack him.  Onions and mangos.

Shots were even 11-11. Eighteen, sixteen overall for Flyers.

Second Intermission
Montreal 3, Philadelphia 1

Alain says we’ve seen more energy.  Carbo analyses the highlights and adds that the Flyers were frustrated, corrects himself and says they are frustrated.  Benoit nods.

Price’s save on Giroux preceded Pacioretty’s goal.

Jammed skate to the post on a liquid lance right leg thrust.

Well, you describe it then.

Alain says that it seems to be coming together for Erik Cole.

He’s shown screening and this is the guy we’ve seen In Carolina, adds Brunet.

Carbo says that he could easily have had one or two goals tonight and last game, as well.

More emotion from Montreal in the second period, suggests Alain.  Carbo nods.  Adds that the team was opportunistic.  He was a master.

Brunet should just nod and smile.  Maybe get us cappuccino.

Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo has been pulled five times in his past thirty games, including last spring’s failed playoff run; one of the most easily blame-worthy losses for a goalie in finals history.  A majority of fans polled say that Schneider should be the starting goalie, says Alain.  Luongo is having his struggles.  Don’t be choque.  Accent aigue.

Carbo gives him some slack.  Brunet says that he saw the game yesterday and that two of the three goals were not his fault.  Brunet goes back to the when the goalie wins, too much credit, when he loses, too much blame position.  Sure.  But not in Lalongo’s case.  Too bad.  It’s not hate.  It’s goalie evaluation.  Some are better than others.  Schneider happens to be better than Luongo.

Third Period
Montreal 3, Philadelphia 1

We’d better get Antechambre tonight.  Fork baseball.

Nobody likes baseball.  Figure it out.

Four on four for forty seconds.  Plekanec and Cammalleri.

Van Riemsdyk is in alone.  All alone.  Oh no.  And he waits til the low slot to shoot.  Price turns it away.

One minute power-play.

Diaz brakes behind his net.

They set up.  Cole behind the end line. Cole on the hash.

I’ve never missed Kovalev so much as in this moment.

Pacioretty misses the open net. Cole point blank.  Stopped.  Where is it.  NO whistle.  Cole jamming.  More work.  Bryzgalov compromised. Defencemen whisking and missing.  Sticks curve in anger

The team needs someone that can dominate the power-play.  Control it.  Meld and mold fear, shape and starch space, find and finish.

Markov will make a difference.  Desharnais has some potential.  Koivu was also a grand ice controller.

So is Jagr.

Penalty ends with not much else.

Faceoff to the goalies right.  Gorges.  High shot.  High glove misses.  One man. One shot.  Stopped.  Second man.  Shot.  Scores.  Pacioretty.

Yeah, I know.

Montreal 4, Philadelphia 1

Plekanec, Pacioretty and Gionta.

Plekanec with verve and work.  Mid-ice and the puck is his.  Quick pass.  He’s in.  And to the net.  Shot.  Stoppage with Gionta floating in late.

Flyers mosey down.

Canadiens are pitter-patter, hustle.  Flyers are sluggish.

Laviolette chews his gum.  Pops it.

Bryzgalov’s sloppy high puck handling was a cause.  But there were two Habs and no Flyers in the crease.  Unusual for this matchup.

Blunden behind the Flyer net.  Flyers are out with a two-on-two, Spacek in chase mode.  Funnels to the left deep.

Canadiens are out quickly.

Subban and Gorges together low.  Dangerous give to Gorges across the crease.  Cole is in on the right.  Reaches to create his shot.  Has it.

Stopped.  Crowd waiting to splurge emotion on the new addition’s first goal.

Gill whooms a man into the boards.  Holds him there.

Shot in.  Gionta and Timonen collide.  Gionta nearly loses his stick; it’s held.  Makes the play with a skate.  Muzzle shot.  Kicked out.  Net traffic.  But nothing further.

It’s taken so long for this season to start.  Maybe the last two preseason games should be devoted to set lines.

I wouldn’t know.

Depends on the system.  On the number of players that need evaluation.  On the players’ established chemistry.

And so on.

Thirteen twenty-two.

Houde says Cole was truly a leader tonight.

Moen with an open shooting lane at the circle.  Stopped.

Sometimes it’s enough to show confidence, says Denis.  Price montage.  Good saves, adds Denis, noting the importance of the Van Riemsdyk save (or is it van Riemsdyk?  Flyer site lists the “van” uncapitalized).

And I’m starting to wiggle into this season, myself.  The old feelings, some of the old capsules and veins surge and light up.  Bot love gangle.

Eleven and five.

Sent dep.

Gionta intercepts.  Pacioretty beside him in the column.  Pass is blocked.

Reid on the right side in response.  His shot goes off his coverage.  Show him the crest.  And he does.

Ten and fifteen.  Late Flyer change and they hang low till it’s done.  Darche intercepts.  Behind the net it goes.

Flyers exit.

Gorges bumps a man hard.  Another Flyer bumped behind the net.

Long shot.  Meszaros with another.  Long.  Price is in place.

Nine and a half.

Cammalleri and Kostitsyn.  Two on one.  Kostitsyn is mindful and grim enough to pause and send it back.  Off the stick and nearly a Cammalleri shot.

Cracklevoice truck commercials aren’t going to convince me.  You?  Oh, the grit I show when I drive a large vehicle.

Ok, ok.

Eight and a half.

Mild Montreal entry.  One shot.  Rebound is cleared.

Eight.

Now some rough stuff.   Plekanec is down on the ice.

Giroux hit Plekanec at the bench area.  Punched him.  And a second guy joined in with a punch.

Giroux is an ugly man and a nasty player.  Made worse by his team’s culture.  Houde and Denis forgive him.  I don’t.  He’s frustrated we’re told.  Oh.  I didn’t see Plekanec engaging in such behaviour over the past eight games.  I’m sure he’s also frustrated.

Sports reveals character as much as it develops it.  Claude Giroux’ estimation of himself is out of proportion.  The Big French hero back in his home province.  Get lost.

Letang is another.

Denis touches on the need for a leader on Montreal.  There are and he knows it but he’s talking about someone stepping up and pulling the team through this tough period.  He notes that he’s not aware of what’s being said, what’s going on behind closed doors and notes that Gorges seemed to be burgeoning in the first period.

Six and twenty.

Four on four comes to an end.   Plekanec was also called.  For what.  Missed it.

For the first time, I can check where a win puts the team.  Conference standings.  The Winnipeg win was too early for a conference check.  This win is one small block, true.  But it’s been a long Lego carpet and the knees get burned.

Jagr carries deep right. Around.  Lost at the blue.

Eller line.

Cole gives up huge pace to Briere.

But he has a bead on it going the other way.  Chases to catch up.  Does.  Coverage.

Works.  They try and get the puck back to him.  Keeps working.  He can’t be knocked down. His arms and hands are slow but he’s difficult to dislodge.  And now Cammalleri scores from the end line.

Cole receives plaudits.  Desharnais, too.

Montreal 5, Philadelphia 1

More pressure.  Fourth line.  To the net.  One falls.  Puck squibs out to the corner.

Flyers.  One mild entry.  Simmonds.  Right side.  Shot.  Price low.

He’s insistent in front of the net, says Denis of Cole.  And I start to see how his game will shape this team.  And how his teammates will work with him.  Leclair comes to mind somewhat.  Esposito.  Kerr.  Net work.  His size and toughness help a smaller, slicker player like Desharnais.  Or Cammalleri.

This is going to work out, lynch-forkers.

Two and ten.

Again it feels like Saturday night.  I like that kind of pattern.

Kostitsyn across the blue, left.  Brakes.  Shot.  Stopped.

Simmonds.  Angered.  Idiotic.  Not his usual.  Scoreboard, buddy.  Sat down Joe.  Moen laughs in a form of amused derision.  Nods as he leaves the ice, shares a chuckle with the training staff.

No fight.  Just Flyer oafishness.  I wonder what Laviolette thinks.  And is Simmonds trying to become a Flyer?  Or what.  Go home. You fit better when you work along the ice.  As you did in LA.

Flyer penalty.

Riemsdyk.  Van Riemsdyk.  Hooking.

Plekanec, Pacioretty and Gionta.  Diaz and Subban on the blue.  Diaz knows what he’s doing on the blue.  Lot of upside and we may see several new things from him as a power-play quarterback.

Flyers clear.

Crowd’s cheering increases.  The first home win.  Counting preseason.

Price gets his 100th win.  Took a long time.

Siren.  Train horn.  Held down for a while.

They congratulate their goalie.

Final Score
Montreal Canadiens 5
Philadelphia Flyers 1

HDS Stars: Max Pacioretty, Carey Price, Andrei Kostitsyn
RDS Stars:  Max Pacioretty, Carey Price, Erik Cole

It’s Price’s 100th win.  Seventh time lucky he says to Marc Denis at ice level, seats empty and a look of calm about him.  And subdued relief.   And certainty.  I hope we can move forward from here, he says.

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