Montreal Canadiens vs. Buffalo Sabres

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 (7-7-2) host Buffalo Sabres (10-6)

Monday, November 14, 2011

Game Seventeen (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)

The Lucic hit.  Lucic didn’t have much time to get out of the way but he probably could have done more.  He meant it.  Miller’s stick swing, vicious and evidence of his ill temper was more troublesome.  He didn’t connect.  But.

League disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan’s decision was acceptable.  Not a very black and white play.  Let’s see what happens through the season.  Sabres’ head coach Lindy Ruff, interviewed in English by Pierre Houde, expressed concern for what precedent this might set.  Will goalies be more vulnerable down the line?  Time and Shanahan will tell.

Ruff and Houde.  A pair of frank men.  And each has the other’s respect.  A pleasure.

Miller is out with a concussion and Jhonas Enroth starts for Buffalo.  Price is back in net for Montreal.

First Period

Tim Peel and Brian Pochmara are the refs.

Hal Gill and Mike Cammalleri are both out tonight, as well. Andreas Engqvist, the stolid youngster from Sweden, is back in the lineup.

Weber and Spacek underneath.  Cole, Pacioretty and Plekanec start.  Forty-five second shift.  No shots.

Not a lot of room given by either team.  Sabres seem a touch slow.  Canadiens are normal, shall we say.

Stoppage.

Martin, in dark blue, stands behind his bench and orders a line change.  Go!

Lars Eller with Gomez and Palushaj as his wingers.  I like it.  Let Gomez play his way back into game shape.  And earn his way back to number two centre.

Gomez sets up a blue line shot that hops Diaz’ stick but wobbles through the air to Spacek who golfs it.  Seen and gloved by Enroth.

Sabres come up with the draw.  Ellis behind the net.  Uses his size and turns his back to keep the puck for four seconds.  Has it again behind the net.

Pass to the right circle.  Shot.  And gloved by Price.

Faceoff to his right.

Engqvist, Darche and Eller leave the ice.

Derek Roy and Desharnais.  Desharnais is asked to leave the circle.  Cole readies.  Whistle again.  Houde says that the sticks needed to be on the ice.  Particularly Cole.

Roy and a Hab struggle at the muzzle.  Roy can’t get the blade on the rubber.  Suddenly Cole is away chasing a puck and beats to Sabres down the slot.  Stick is slashed.  Cole’s shot is sideswiped and wide.

Penalty is called.

Sabres clear to begin.  Weber mishandles and Gaustad nearly takes it from under the Montreal end line to Price’s left.

Into Sabre ice.  Three under the end line with two Sabres.  Cleared out.

Plekanec retrieves.  Sabres retreat in a square and allow Montreal in.

Shot in close.  Just wide.

Montreal controls.  Good puck movement.  Sabres defend and then they’re out.  Into Montreal ice.  And a penalty against Montreal.  Four on four.

Gionta and Gomez.

Misfire on exiting.  Diaz and Spacek wheeling and turning manage the exit.

Dump-in for a line change.

Sekera’s gray under-padding (or long-shirt) is showing outside his sleeve lengths.  (Ed note: What’s a long-shirt?) He carries.  And another stoppage.

Buffalo man-advantage.

For about one minute.

One Hab clearance.

Along the boards.  Vanek at the blue.  Advances and Sekera passes cross-ice.  Bouncing.  Sabres struggle to control.  Finally a shot.  Price just got a bit of it.

Out and then in.

Leopold; quarterback.

Canadiens chase and push and the penalty ends with no real danger.

Fives.

Ehrhoff behind his net.

Long pass down the middle.  Kaleta bumps and shoulders but can’t come up with it.

On the other end, Cole is making waves, his big fin chopping cold Buffalo water.

It’s a matter of time before he goes on a scoring streak.  Does he play like this all season?  We can ask Paul Maurice on Wednesday.

Faceoff to Price’s left.

At the hash.  Desharnais digging.  Pacioretty helps out.  Emelin, in for Gill, observes from a few feet away.

Now Gorges and Diaz take the ice.

Gomez down the right.  Three on two, shot from a poor angle and a stoppage.

Twelve.

Gomez and Eller on the same line, brief as it will be, is intriguing. Both are aware players and Eller may pick up of a few tricks from the crafty, assist-making style of the older centre.  Yeah, yeah, passive sentences.  So what.

Gomez is one of the best play-makers of the last decade.  He’s slowed down in recent months but may just be in a slump of sorts.

Stoppage.

Plekanec is shown going to the trainer’s room.  Houde says he was shaken up on the play.

Desharnais, Moen and Pacioretty.

Sekera.  Down the middle.  Right wing pass to Stafford.  Shot. Stopped. Around the net.  One more thrust.  Into the slats.

Lines change.  Sekera behind his net.

Long pass is turned over on the Buffalo blue.  Ruff’s face appears in my mind.  Popovich of the NHL.

No quality chance can be arranged.

Not counting Saturday’s loss to Boston, Buffalo is ranked last in the NHL for shots blocked.  It’s out of character for them.  And though the stat is suspect (influenced as it is by each counter’s perception) dead last for a team that gives up thirty-one shots a game is an indicator.

Replay on the Plekanec injury.  Accidental contact with the linesman on an offwing entry, right side.  He comes back to the bench area, still grimacing but a bit less pain on his face.  Novocain?

Nine and thirty.

Subban.  Gorges.  Pass to the middle of the ice, and Houde chuckles calling it a bit of a suicide pass.

Kaleta and two others cruise in.  One pass. And a turnover.  Canadiens respond with a smart but well-defenced rush of their own (it’s a sports term; like signage was a government term … and then they enter the dictionary <insert pitchfork>)

Both teams honour their systems and seek coverage.  The respect each has for the other hasn’t changed.  They’re similar; defensive-minded teams that rely on positioning to generate chances, turnovers.  And both have great goaltenders that can bail them out when necessary.

Enroth, a Stockholm native, has been playing well this season and could be considered the team’s goalie of the future.  But Miller is just 31 so maybe Enroth is somebody else’s goalie of the future.

Seven and seventeen.

Subban turns under his end boards and ushers a puck along.  It allows the teams to ice new legs and then a stoppage completes the adjustments.

Plekanec, Gionta and Moen.

Gorges and Subban underneath.

Gorges tries a light pass that hits a stick and goes to Buffalo.

One pass and chance across the high slot.  Can’t be had.

Only one shot by Buffalo Houde informs us.  Six by Montreal.

Sabres are struggling to control the puck deep and seem sluggish.

Stafford.  Left side.  Cruising.  Drops it for Roy.  And a good shot.  Kick-pad save.  Houde murmurs in admiration.

Desharnais Chasing Leopold under the end line and too late.

Bigger spaces for a moment but Buffalo wastes the chance with a long puck down the boards.

A shot results.  Price stops it.  Four Habs surge.  But the fence is across and Buffalo is back in.

Pace goes to its highest level of the period.  About a seven.

Eller jets and curls and Gionta reaching with his stick, misses and nearly takes a penalty for it.

Entry.  Shot.  Price stops it.  Holds it for the draw.

Marc Denis interviews Randy Ladouceur down at ice level.   The assistant uses it as a mild performance opportunity.  “I’m giving you good information here and I’m very accommodating” (is the subtext). I still don’t think the intrusiveness during a game is necessary.

Three minutes.

Brief Carey, Carey, Carey chant.

Habs entry.  Gomez and Eller.

Darche blots a Sabre.

Both teams are sticks crossed and shoulder against shoulder.  No calls.

Desharnais.  One man chasing, one man in front.  Looks right.  Has Cole.  One-timer.  Enroth has it.  Faceoff.  Habs win it and continue.  Desharnais to Cole and the muzzle shot is stopped.

Marc Denis describes the play saying that Desharnais peripheral vision is without equal.  I wonder how he knows that.

Another won draw.  Shot.  Rebound.  Enroth smothers it.

Should have had the initial shot by Spacek.  Off his glove, seen all the way.

In a game as tight as this one, faceoffs become more important than usual.

Plekanec loses one now and the Sabres are into Montreal ice, two against two under the home team’s end line.  Weak effort results in a Montreal exit and then a long puck called for icing.

Pominville and Plekanec to Price’s left.

Plekanec is chased from the circle.

Won by Gionta.  To the hash.  Subban and Vanek

Gionta comes in.

Moen down the left.  Loft lob.  Just a bit ahead for Gionta, covered but with a stick free down the slot.

I hate this keyboard.

Fifty seconds.

Darche.  Turning and digpassing on the right hash.  Backhanded.  Around.  Shot from the dot.  Into Darche.

Weber and McCormick collide, Weber’s leg out.  A bit chippy and the Sabres notice and get tough.  Mild.

Period ends with Montreal ahead on shots 10-6

First Intermission
Montreal 0, Buffalo 0

More Miller and Lucic talk.  Lucic said in a meeting with Shanahan that he did try to avoid hitting Miller.  Teleconference interview.  Crete expresses incredulity at Shanahan for believing Lucic.

Brunet says that the decision is disappointing and that there should have been a suspension.  Miller suffered a concussion eight months ago, as well.

Intent is one thing.  Fair enough.  But the league should penalize the outcomes in cases like these.  Protect the stars, they say in the NFL.  The quarterbacks are first on that list.  In hockey, the goalies are arguably the most important players for their respective teams, if not the biggest stars.

Lucic, also a so-called star, gets preferential treatment, one could argue, because he, too, puts butts in the seats.  Again, it was close.  And two stars were involved.

What works best is to enforce the rule-book regardless of circumstance.  In the long run, it’s more efficient, less painful and better for several reasons.

Damphousse voices a criticism of Engqvist.  Says that the young Swede is a defensive player, not very creative offensively and thus should be much better in his area of strength.  Some video backs up the notion.

Second Period
Buffalo 0, Montreal 0

Emelin had four checks.  So did Mike Weber.  Spacek with over eight minutes of play.  Some RDS numbers from the first.

Direct turnover.  Pass.  Shot.  Cole is thwarted by Enroth again.

Not everyone is back in their seats.  But a good rise in crowd sound nonetheless.

Habs control.

First minute sees Habs keep it in but no tough shots.  Stoppage.
Buffalo exit.  Price has to get low.  NO problem.

Plekanec, Gionta and Moen.

Moen to the net.  Two under the end line.  It’s away and Plekanec is tugging his stick away from a Buffalo defender.  Yank, yank, yank.  Not the first time someone’s grabbed Tomas’ stick.

Kaleta with a long shot.  Price was beaten but the shot was wide.

Gerbe and Kaleta put pressure on the Canadiens.  Kaleta whams Spacek.

Puck is out, Canadien rush.  Whistle.  Elbowed Palushaj.  Legit call.

Ruff is disappointed.  Montreal power.  Buffalo is in the top three in this hard work stat.  A team that specializes in hard work.  Which is why the shots-blocked number is untoward.

Habs set up.  Took thirty seconds to get organize.  One cross=slot pass.  Stays in action.  Plekanec on the right point.

Desharnais tries a point pass to Weber on the other side.

Blast.  More pressure.

Cole one-times it from Subban.

Spacek has left for the dressing room, Houde adds.

Montreal 1, Buffalo 0

Habs have legs.  Gomez, Gionta and Moen.  Two passes.  And the third is a giveaway in the middle and Buffalo is out down the middle.  The worst way to turn it over.

Habs cover it up.  Whistle.  Offside, I think.

Gragnani on the left underneath.  His pass to the blue. Is into traffic and the Canadiens are back in for another visit. Enroth gets low and stops it.

Out and then in.  Darche.  Alone.  From the hash, closing, backhand to forehand.  Enroth has all of it.  The angle, the low and the high.

Darche shakes his head after the play.  His hands aren’t quick enough.  But he makes up for it with the best work ethic on the team.

Shot it right into Enroth.

Spacek’s injury resulted from the Kaleta hit.

Kaleta is again on the ice and booming.  Thins Subban on the back boards. Subban takes it out on another forward in the crease.

Nokelainen with a chance.  In offside.  Nokelainen doesn’t like something, shoves a man.

Gaustad is in a mood.  Kaleta, too.  Gerbe tangles with Desharnais.  Pacioretty may have caused something.  He has a guilty expression.  Says what?  Gaustad says something about a mouth.

I’ll trust Gaustad on this one.  After all, Pacioretty is a bit of a rink rat.  And not in the piles of pucks way.

Desharnais is in the box.

Four on four.

Buffalo entry.  Interference.  Sekera was into the end boards.

Martin shakes his head and looks skyward with a quick shrug.

Stafford entry on the left was accompanied by a Gorges trip.

Four on three.

Weber, Subban and Plekanec.

Pominville, Vanek, Ehrhoff and Gragnani for Buffalo.

Price makes a good save on a deflection by Vanek in the crease. Right to left, glove up and pads flush with the ice, stick at the five hole.

Faceoff to his right.

Another good save by Price.  Snake pad.  And cleared.  Crowd applauds.  Carey, Carey chant.  And another pad save.  This one from the blue.

Buffalo is at five on four for twenty seconds.  Price finds this one and fires it long.  Houde bullets the words.

Ten and a half as the penalty expires.

Gorges carries it out backhanded.  Through the neutral zone it goes and then out.

Outstanding save by Price on the last sequence.  Replay shows a toe save falling backwards and then the sprawl for another shot which never came.

Gomez, Eller and Palushaj.

Subban advances past the hash, passes and then cuts across to the net, nothing coming and he retreats.  We love it.

They control deep.  Subban advances again as the puck is lost under the hash.  He waves it dry but it gets out.

Palushaj did something to Leino.  Enroth leaves for the sixth attacker.  Buffalo controls.  One shot.  Retained.  Finally the Sabres are forced out and the puck is touched by a Hab in the neutral zone.  Spacek is back, by the way.

Hands in our pockets.  If it isn’t an insurance company, it’s a bad beer outfit.  Cheating us at every occasion.

How did deductibles come about, for example?  What a joke.

Deduct this, rodents.

Buffalo power.

Zero of two tonight.  Four shots total.

Gorges Subban, Plekanec and Moen.

Stuffed at the hash.  Then stuffed at the column.

Plekanec and Moen over in two on two.  Plekanec hangs on to this one.  Tries a fancy shot and is tied up.  Leaves the nice moments later

Muzzle appearance by Leopold.  Price has this.  And la langage corporel is majestic.

Nice job, Carey Price.

Nokelainen wins the draw.  Gionta pushes up with it.  Ensures its exit.  Follows up.  Leaves the ice.  And here’s Darche.  Perfect penalty-killing.  Now Buffalo is in offside.

Controlling the game, controlling the game.  Slowly.  Wills and pride.  The captain has his mouthguard in his mouth, twisting it even as he twists the tape around his stick. The captain on his bench.

Penalty ends with more Montreal mesmer.

It’s over.

Six and thirty.

Sabres launch.  Weber.  Long.  Off Gerbe’s stick.  He chases it.  Has it a moment later.  And Subban erases that.  Gerbe is butt on ice and the puck is in Sabre ice again.

No control to be had.

Innocent Montreal entry.  Less innocent.  Desharnais.  A pass.  Bounces through sticks.  Shot by Pacioretty. It’s in.  Cole at the door waiting.  Just got in through the pads.

Montreal 2, Buffalo 0

Such a game of inches.

Enroth should have had it.  Swiped at it low.  Denis says that Enroth is a smaller goalie and that he can’t get as much pad across.  He’s being generous and Ruff’s timeout reminds me that Miller is not on the ice.

Miller, at times the best goalie in the world.  And, also at times, the angriest.

Montreal wave.  Cole.  Nokelainen and Gomez.

Darche joins as Cole leaves. Another shot.

Diaz advances.  Gets back to prevent the resulting turnover from resulting in a rush.

Darche makes us pulse.  But the pass is off the mark and the rush fades.  Faceoff moments later.

Cole can beat men one on one.  Replay shows him down the right and around his coverage with one good move.  He’s no Kovalev but he’s very effective.

Offwing shot from breathing range.  Enroth had that one.

Three.

Regehr.  Behind his net.  Fork the Flames.

Exit.  Long.  No.

Two and a half.

Look, I tried.  The Flames have some cool guys on the roster but I just can’t get over any of it. The eighties. The nineties.  The nerve and the noise.  Shut er down, saloon-boys.

Gaustad is called.

Disappointed in himself he whumps his stick once on the box floor.

Regehr used to play for the Flames.

Sabres skull the first two segments.

One and five in both.   About a second off.

Cole.  Desharnais.  Drops for Subban on walk-by.  Boom.  No.

One more entry.  Desharnais.  Loses it on entry.  Diaz saves it.  A shot.  Then Subban.  Back to Diaz.

Pacioretty with lofting short puck.  Gloved by Enroth.  Eyes big, he has it under control and gives it to an official.

This flipping keyboards.  Sticks.

I can play to rule.

Faceoff to Enroth’s left.

Elapses with not much more.

Sabres led on shots 19.  Shots are tied at 19

Second Intermission
Montreal 2, Buffalo 0

Crete enjoys Damphousses’s thoughtfulness.  So do I.  Damphousse says that the goalie is often the best player on a team’s PK.  Often.  That restraint is characteristic of the former captain’s thinking process.

Brunet?  Nobody can take him seriously. Though they try.  They try.

The HHOF inductions.  Another celebration of Anglophone prowess and in praise of the dominant ideology.  Ignore it (and them).

I tried.  I tried not to say anything.

But they keep on showing the faces.  All I can think is Liquor Bottle.

Guess.

Since I’m feeling so apologetic this season, I may as well as add; Sidney Crosby say what I might about him and his ongoing anointing, is a loveable fella.  Really.

I like that he tries to speak French.  I, too, am a sucker for good PR.  Is it genuine in this case?  Ask Crob.

<Arrest Harper>

Third Period
Montreal 2, Buffalo 0

Subban low.  Eller with him.  It’s out.

That’s how hockey is played.  But something is wrong with Buffalo tonight.

They work it deep.  A pass. Another.  A sudden red light.

Pominville.

From Roy.  One-timer with Vanek crossing the crease.  I really love the Sabre top six.  And their third and fourth lines are dang cool, too.

I’d like to take this opportunity to inform everyone that pine nuts and lemon juice are a welcome addition to any salad.

Montreal 2, Buffalo 1

Strand’s dictum results in two good Buffalo segments.  Subban shoves Leino after the whistle.  It’s a finishing shove on a play that was interrupted by a whistle.  Leino gets up with no rancour.  He’s smart.  He’ll get a chance later.

Remember when Largent waited half a season to get that guy?  What a hit.

I love(d) football.

Price, low, splayed and maybe too cold for comfort.  Hot save, boy.

Can’t we say boy again?  I’m taking it back.

Boy.  Boy oh boy.

Boy, I love hot dogs.

Chicken wieners, turkey wieners, light beer.  For funk’s sake.  Can’t I have a cup of chocolate syrup anymore?

Vanek.  Glove high Price.  Sabres are a business.  The business is hockey.

Montreal?  Lotta youngsters.

Cole again.  Legs wide, arms wider, he stickhandles and dares anyone to bum him.  Like a pickup truck his entry.

And always down the middle.  If he can spare the time.

You wanted a power forward?  You got him.  With all due respect to men and non-men; Erik Cole plays like a man.

Man; responsible, tough, knowledgeable, direct, honest, good.

Man is a good word if you want it to be.  Boy.

<insert pleased baritone chuckle>

Five gone.

Price is winged low.  Left lean.  Right.  Vanek around.  Price is cheating but it works.  And he has it to close the sequence.  Vanek is shown.  Half blinks an eye and makes a comment to teammate.  “Coulda had it. Dems potatoes, brother.  “

Wearing the A for alternate.

With a few exceptions, I’d take most of Buffalo’s players.

Pacioretty, you can have him.  I’ll take Vanek.

Cole.  Again, alone, three across.  And Cole gets through.  Puck won’t follow.

Darche is cross-checked into the side-boards.

Puck is out of play.

Darche seems unaffected.  Says something to Gomez.

Eller.  Gomez.  Emelin underneath.  Swifts around his net.  Not looking and his rudely shouldered to the ice.  Puck is way before the hit.

Head low.

Where has Engqvist been?

Twelve.

Gorges.  Misses it around his net.  Supported.  And cleared.  Sekera long for Vanek.  Hacked away.

One pass and a second. And Moen, sudden snake, sends it to Gionta.  And how did that not go in.  Crease jam.

Missed the puck.

Fanned.  What a setup.  Moen has great instincts.  Knows when to make it sting.  And when to work it down.  Boots, denim and one electric jolt or two.

It’s all waiting in his garage.

Cole line.

Cole takes the puck from Leopold.

Leino is on the ice.  Gorges and Desharnais are all over the puck.

And Cole draws a penalty.  Cole is becoming one of the best players on the ice on a nightly basis.

Slashed down and hard.  Stick busted. On his stomach.  And Luke Adam can only shake his head and ponder his fate in the box.

Montreal power.  Up against the number three PK in the NHL.

Gionta.  To Weber, off his skates and shooting anyway.  That won’t put the needle on the vinyl.

And it’s out.

Plekanec.  Carrying.  Good coordination on the entry. Gomez deep right. Plekanec on the blue.  Shot.  Just about deflected in.  And cleared.  One minute.

Subban.  Down the middle.  Keeps.  Still has it.  Pushes a stick away with is own and then slips a puck to the corner.  Nicely done.

He’s learning fast.

Subban on an exit again.  Nearly to mid-ice and then a little go-ahead pass.

Neutralized on entry.  And the Habs have to reset.

Good hockey from both.

Sabres close out the penalty with the upper hand.

Moen deep right.

Gionta follows the puck around the boards but it’s too far.

Regehr carries.  Waits.  Right side pass.  But Price comes out of his net on the other end and janitors it up.

Sabres also counter.

Only the perimeter is available and the players meet one another in a hallway jostle for pucks.

Emelin bends forward like Sergei to take a man out and earns a laugh from Houde.

And then a delayed call.  And it’s against Montreal.

Forget it, it’s a goal.  Vanek passed on a turnaround through slot traffic, found Roy.  Dipsy. And shot.  No doodle.

Buffalo 2, Montreal 2

Seven and twenty.  The goal wipes out the delayed call.

Pacioretty skates down the left.  Covered.

Gionta follows but he has a bit more space.  Two and two.  Gionta cuts to the slot with the puck but finally loses the disc.

There will be no second 48-ugoal season.  Yes, I am naive.
Gerbe with his usual dangerous work.

Gaustad cross-checked Emelin.  He’s on the rink floor.  Bleeding?  Gaustad shakes his head with an ironic smile.  Now hat happened there?

I wonder.

These things are rarely unprovoked.  But then, someone has to start things. Gaustad is robust but generally well-behaved.

More Shanahan talk.  Viewer question.  Denis says that after starting as lion has backed off somewhat.

Emelin is not bleeding.

Stick to the face once Gaustad saw who had poked a stick at him.  So much depends on who is doing the hurting.

Again, the example of the car horns and the little immigrant behind the wheel.  Lots of big tough truck drivers out there.  But nobody wants to go up against Hal Gill.

Montreal power.

One high and glass shaking blast from Plekanec.   Ok, glass tinging.

Tinking?

Sabres are sticks and skates, pokes and clears.

Stafford with some nice work up top.

Now Roy takes the ice as Mike Weber clears.

Four seconds in the penalty.  Pacioretty chases it in.  Loses his stick.  Picks it up in front of Regehr.

And it’s out and so is Gaustad.

Puck goes up and out of play.

What I’m doing is what I want to be doing.  It’s fun.  But it’s weird.

I can’t think of any other programming I could do this with.  Imagine watching a movie and musing it?  Hm.

Viard.

Ruff looks on.  Nokelainen loses the puck.

Houde brings up the NFL.  Emperor’s New Clothes.

It’s too bad.  Really.  Football, at its core, is a cool game.  Too bad it got so popular.

Luckily chess has not.

Can you imagine preening, chest smashing and spitting at chess matches?  If it were popular, that’s what we’d see.

Popularity ruins most things.

I guess that’s obvious.  Or maybe it isn’t’.

Obscure interests.  That’s the way to go.  And used jackets.

Two and a half.

It’s about right.  Tow tams of the same stock.  But I’d bet on Buffalo more than I would Montreal.

Gaustad’s 58.3 rate on faceoffs is fourth in the NHL.

Gomez wins this one, though.

Around the boards it goes.  Weber breaks up a rush with his stick. A man falls over Subban’s stick.

Another Canadien reset.

Diaz’ long shot is gloved.

Denis says that Diaz makes good decisions with the puck.

Faceoff to Enroth’s left.

Ninety seconds.

Sabres win it.  Golfed.  Blocked.  Cole is there.  And another stoppage.

Markov is back practicing with the team, by the way.  Denis informs us that he’s wearing the “don’t touch me” jersey.  Adds that Markov seems happy but is at times out of position with the pace of practice.  Fair enough.

Deep left.  Three Sabres.  Ehrhoff comes out with it.

And it’s snarled inside the Montreal blue.
Stafford looks up wondering.

Gomez spits on the ice from the bench.

Gionta is on the ice with Plekanec.

Won by Plekanec.  To the blue.

Shot.  Around.  Lob-lot. Subban is first.  Subban exaggerates a hit against the glass. Gerbe was there.  Houde chuckles but I’m not sure about what.

Nineteen seconds.  Faceoff deep left.  Three Sabres bunched in the slot.  Sabres are out.

Neutral zone.  Sent in.  Sabres have it, two alone under the blue.  And passed to the middle.  Shot back in.  Siren.

Overtime
Montreal 2, Buffalo 2

Sabres led on shots 10-5 for a total of 29-24

Five minutes of four on four.

Price says something to himself.  Wrinkles his face no.  It’s a response.
Cole and Plekanec are first.  Roy and Vanek.

Enroth is knocked over.

Delayed call.  Sabres are still thinking of Miller.

Enroth exaggerated.  But there was a bump.  Cole crossed the crease.

The NHL, making up for their lack of spheres.

Or whatever.  Bush league.  That saying has more resonance these days.  Have you noticed?

Buffalo power.

Price is frozen, glove in the air.  And the puck sails past …… and continues to the board.

Post.   Actually.

Now Price has the pad low and makes an impressive stop the buses save.  Whap, whap and the pad don’t move you.

Cleared.

Four on three continues.

Vanek.  Down the middle but wide.

Gragnani is on this power-play, too.  He’s only 24.  He’s got the coach’s confidence, clearly.

Price clears.  Puck is hit high. And that means a faceoff in Buffalo ice.

Vanek with the high stick.  Thirty-two seconds.

Won by Buffalo.  Stafford.

Ehrhoff and Stafford

Price makes a save on a point-blank shot.

Plekanec chunnels down.

And than back the other way.

Pacioretty is interfered with.  Several hundred folks stand.  It’s called.

Houde says that ere was hesitation before the whistle.

Does the crowd influence officials?  You betcha.  Todd Hansen voice.

Two and eleven.  Montreal power.

Weber on the diamond point.   Gaston says that Weber has the shot but he’s got to be less shy and not be afraid of hurting his own teammates.   Or anything else.

One shot.  Into legs.  Weber.

Worked around.  Turnover.  Cleared.
Gomez down the right.  Streaks and then brakes and turns. Gomez passes back.  Has it again. And then a one-timer.

Outside of the net.

Just over one.

Subban.  To Gomez.  Back to Subban.  To Diaz. Back to Subban.  And the one-timer. Blocked.

Cleared.

Subban again.  Carrie.  To the hash and then lets it slide down.  Diaz is deep on the left side to keep it going. Desharnais. To Subban.  Blast and the stick is broken.  Stickless he returns to the zone and dives forward, gloving it ahead.  And then he returns.  Go away with it.

Great shift from Subban.

With wisdom, he’ll be an all-start.

Long Sabre puck.  Icing.

Five point two.

Plekanec.  Gaustad.  Gaustad falls backward, on his seat, plays it with hands close on the stick and backhanded.

And it’s out.

Plekanec and Gaustad are jawing.  Gaustad still in a foul mood.

He’s from Fargo.  Yeah, that Fargo.

Shootout

Can’t say I’m happy about it.  But I’m curious.

Montreal chooses to shoot first.

Plekanec.

Waiting by the bench.  Pacioretty and Gionta are the next two.

Why Gionta?

Gad.

Number fourteen.  Kladno.

Wearing the A.

Goatee.

Plans it.

Approaches.  Across.

Lose control as he closes.  No.  It was a fake.  Tried to finish on Enroth’s right.  Pad across and flush.  Low.

Price is beaten by Vanek over the right shoulder.

Houde says that Vanek’s acceleration was very swift.

Pacioretty.

Five hole.  Score.

Still proving his point.  Keep proving it.  Great shot.

Boyce.  Price baffled and beaten.  Too far right.

Big, wide net.

Gionta.

Must score.

Stopped.

It’s not nice, but I’m thinking of Saku.

Price smashes his stick on the boards at his bench.  Loud empty sound.

Enroth gets the win.

Final Score
Buffalo 3
Montreal 2 (SO)

Tonight would have been a good night to have Jacques’ point of view. Jacques Demers.

HDS Stars: Raphael Diaz, Erik Cole, Thomas Vanek
RDS Stars: Brad Boyes, Max Pacioretty, Erik Cole

Lots of guys could have gotten stars tonight.  Pominville, Kaleta, Desharnais, Pacioretty, Gorges, Subban and Darche.

Miller also could have gotten out of the way.  He challenged Lucic, dared Lucic to hit him.  Watch the replay.  It ends up being a pissing contest.

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