Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes

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 (9-9-3) visit Carolina Hurricanes (8-11-3)

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Game Twenty-Two (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)

 

Hal Gill is back.

First Period

Plekanec wins the draw.  And the puck is out and lost to the third-jersey Hurricanes.  First home visit for Erik Cole following his trade from the Hurricanes.  Long shot eludes Emelin and Price at the post and it’s in.  Tlusty scores a freebie.  Long wrister.  Hit Price’s right pad went under and then fell into the net.

Carolina 1, Montreal 0

Price shakes his head but can’t erase.  Officials will check and make sure that it entered the net or some such.  It was in.

Off Emelin’s glove on the way and created a weird bounce. Then Diaz’ attempt to scoop it pushed it in ultimately.

That’s what I thought, says one fan, standing, nodding and clapping.  Fuck you, says another, also standing and clapping.  Both were bearded.  BC fan theorem?

One minute gone and the team swerves underneath and a launch pass is too long and caught by Carolina behind their net.  Their own puck goes long for icing.   Carolina head coach Paul Maurice is shown behind his bench chatting with an assistant.

Not sure I heard it right Paul Maurice was the youngest coach to reach a thousand games.  Happened on November 28th, 2010 against Washington Capitals.

Gomez under his end line.  Drops for Weber on the hash and they chase it down.  Long pass.  Two many lines.  Another whistle.

Gill’s on.  Movember handlebar.

Draw deep left for Carolina.  Won by Montreal, Darche chipped it away from the inner hashmark.

They struggle to connect and Palushaj retrieves and carries til he’s armed down by a Carolina forward.

And another failed exit attempt follows.

Pace is calculated and the teams search for rhythm and complete passes.

Ward long-spoons one at his end line.

Gill starts the team off.

Plekanec on the right side, offwing shot.  Ward’s mask falls off, they round the net and Plekanec is down on the ice, stick in the corner.  He’s up again.  Ran into the official.  Didn’t see him.

And Gionta took a stick to the face, as well.  He’s also alright.  Goal stick, accidental.

Ward readies himself with a flip of his glove in the air, clearing cotton.

Skinner’s pass is intercepted.  Pacioretty is stopped by a stick and the Hurricanes are out, long puck by Gleason.

Both teams can’t tame this puck.

Cole, backhand pass to the slot.  Minimangle in the corner follows.

Jokinen to the right from centre ice.  Turnover deep.

Eller on the right and his shot goes up and out of play.

Nokelainen wins the draw but Cole loses it at the hash.  Exit lob is intercepted.  Nokelainen bumps into the ref and the possession ends.

Skinner. Centre ice.  Backhand loft.  More turnovers and the Canadiens find themselves chasing.

Two under the end line against two.

Gorges is upended in a stick joust.

Pass to the slot.  Stewart.  Into the net.  The puck.

The blare horn.  And it’s two nothing.  Puck was on the net-top for a moment and the Habs couldn’t stop it once it was back on ice.  Cammalleri was out of position, freeing Stewart.

Stewart is intense and in business mode on the bench.

Martin says a few sentences but doesn’t make eye contact as he talks to shoulders and backs.

Gionta talks with some officials.  Cunneyworth talks with a fourth.

Martin is hands-on-hips flustered.

Carolina 2, Montreal 0

Desharnais wins the draw.  Pacioretty’s shot goes behind the net.  To the blue and a quick shot and tap but Ward covers it up.  Desharnais hears about it from the Carolina coverage after the whistle.

Pressure and risks?

Nobody likes to give up two-on-ones.

Cole leaves the ice.

Puck went out of play after brief waves.

Gionta tries a big hit and falls to ice missing the target at the home bench.

Thirteen left.

Gill is knocked down by Tootoo (Ed note: He meant Ruutu).

Gillis knocked down again.

Gionta helps move the puck out, regardless.

McBain and Kaberle share four passes under their blue.

Montreal entry from the neutral zone.

Kaberle ends his shift.  Ward holds on for the faceoff.

Maurice is chewing gum, arms folded and mulling hockey geometry.

Canadiens coverage improves.   Eller picks it up with help from an Emelin bump.  Long pass for Darche is turnover.

Cole.  Takes it over the blue.  Mets three black jerseys.  Habs reset.  Subban fires cross-corner and the board work doesn’t follow.

Another Canadiens reset.  Gorges pass is intercepted.

Pacioretty loses a puck battle on the right hash deep.

Larose.  Right side.  Some room.  Shot.  Price   with the right pad.  Gill tries as short pass for Pacioretty and another turnover.

Ragged hockey.

Ten minutes.

Gionta gets to a puck first and tries the slot pass.  No sticks reply.

Gomez finds it under the end line.  To the slot.  But it’s under Ward’s pads before anything good can happen.

The Hurricanes are much sharper than their Wednesday loss to Montreal 4-0.   Quicker to the pucks and more confidence, overall.

Staal loses a disc to Gomez.  And again when the puck appears in the same area.

Gomez simply turned his body to Staal and scooped it up.

Canadiens are also skating, working and searching but the passes are off the mark.  Receivers aren’t finding spaces and Hurricanes are entering laneways and generally playing a fencelike style.

Very clean game from both.

Ward hasn’t faced a tough shot yet says Houde.

Palushaj nearly takes the puck from Jokinen who doesn’t give up and takes it back under the Montreal end line.

Pacioretty with persistence in the slot.  Finds the handle and fires.  Into crease traffic.

If passing won’t work, Gionta goes with carrying.  One second, two and then he’s bumped and stripped of the puck.

Lines change and it gets trafficky at the Montreal bench area.  Gionta gets off the ice after helping stick a puck on its way.

Cane possession.  To the point.  Shot up and out by Allen.

The all-black uniforms evoke a Cooperall sense.

Price moves forward and plays a puck to the blue.

Canadiens can’t set up deep and the Canes are content to stop them on entry.  Five jerseys in the picture at most times, particularly in their own zone.  Much better performance for the home team.

Don’t fire Maurice.

Staal loses a draw to Gomez at Ward’s right.  Moen off the post from the slot.  Wrister.  Direct hit

Not one of those glancers off the outside of the net.

Puck is cleared.

Subban tries an entry.  Long circle and he retreats and backhands it down as he is met at the blue.

Long Carolina puck is called for icing.  Missed pass, really.

Gomez, Gionta and Moen are back together.

Nokelainen, Eller and Darche.

Gomez gets a lot of benefit of the doubt from the Canadiens coaching staff.  He’s worked hard.  And his passing is back on the mark, though.  He’s not here for goals.  He’s here for assists.  Plus the other centre duties (faceoffs, defence and smart end-to-end play).

Whistle. Cammalleri has his left glove off and is disputing a touched puck.  A whistle for a hand pass, I believe.

Centre ice faceoff.

Plekanec wins it and then uses his stick to push a man away.

Canadiens get way with a penalty.  Plekanec.  Houde says it was right at the limit.  Should have been called.

Stoppage.

Faceoff outside the Montreal blue.   Two minutes.

Subban a long pass and intercepted in Carolina ice.

Staal with an entry reception and he carries.   Bumped and jostled and he can’t make it happen.
Habs.  One pass to the point.  Across.  Shot down.  Behind the net.  They continue.  Ward with a save.  Carolina is standing around for the first time.  Montreal works hard to make them pay but a Gionta turnover ends the sequence.  Puck stays in.  More pressure.  Weber with a point shot. Gill at the left point again.  Gomez deep left.  Gill again.  Waits.  Is allowed to hold the puck.  Hesitates and fires it along the boards.  Delayed call as the puck leaves the zone.  Roughing.  Tootoo.

Four minute high stick.  Blood.  Gill goes to the trainers’ room with blood on his face.

Ruutu.

Not Tootoo.

Canes clear.

Five seconds. Pass is off a back.   Period ends.

Tuomo Ruutu is more polite than his brother Jarko.  Montreal led on shots 7-5.

First Intermission
Carolina 2, Montreal 0

Two fights in the Boston-Buffalo game.  First matchup after the Miller incident.  Three.  Chara got into it.  Brunet says we knew this would happen and these unnecessary fights could have been prevented by suspending Lucic.   He’s fine with a fight occurring as an ordinary outcome of a game.  Fights.  Nice league.

Some questions around the Islanders’ decision to start the very inexperienced Anders Nilsson against Crosby and the en-feu Penguins on Monday night.  Pens won 5-0 with Crosby notching four points (as we all know).

Sabres lead 2-0 against Bruins after one.

Blues lead the Pens 1-0 after one.  Back to normal for the Pens.

On that net-top play, Carbonneau reminds us that, in principle, the play should have been whistled.  It’s a ref’s decision and once the decision is made, anything that follows can’t be reversed on those grounds.

Second Period
Carolina 2, Montreal 0

Houde reads out the rule.  IF the puck is impossible to be played, play must be stopped.

Montreal man-advantage continues.

One clear.

Plekanec starts them out.

Gomez’ pass as he crosses the blue is intercepted.  Shoot-in.  Kept in.  Pacioretty behind the net.  Along the boards, to the blue.  Shot.  Blocked.

Ponikarovsky gets to the slot.  One man to his left, and Houde warns us that the Canes have scored short-handed five times this season.

Larose with a rush now. Diaz stops it without taking a penalty notes Houde.

Gionta.  Over the blue.  Fires.  Rating off the post.

Eighty seconds.

Subban with a shot from the left point.  Cane stick is broken.

Another entry turnover.

Subban from behind his net.  To Plekanec.  Brakes.  And they’re offside.

Gionta’s shot had beaten Ward from the column.  Top of the column.

Forty seconds.

Whistle.  Interference.  Pacioretty.   Pacioretty swears loudly, head to the floor.  Swears again.  And the next time we see him, he’s losing it, smashing his stick inside the box.  Stays intact.

Four on four.

Mild backhand and Price kneels to mop it up.

Canes are 6-1-1 after leading after one period.

Canes win it.  Left point.  Across.  Low shot, no traffic, and Price pads low to the stop it.  He taps his stick on the ice to encourage his boys.

Canes are on the power-play.

One turnover.  McBain retreats.  Right side.  One pass.  Shot in.

Around the boards. Montreal gets to it first.  Cleared.  Thirty seconds in the penalty.

One goal at a time.

Another clear.

Thirteen seconds.  One last entry.  Habs close to the moribund twinings of the home team.  Two on one. And the penalty ends.  Pacioretty is out and has it with about two seconds to shoot.  His offwing shot is handled by Ward.

Emelin, lines change and he dumps it in.

Cole behind the Cane end line doesn’t look and his backhanded pass is into Cane sticks.  Long puck.  Emelin touches it for the icing call.

Pacioretty released the shot too late.

Just no room.  Gill at the left point after the won faceoff.  Stewart has lost his stick.  Habs control.  It’s fee in the slot.   Stewart dives and swipes it with a glove.   It’s blocked.

Moure flouncing about.  And a stoppage.

The Canes are going to let this game slip away.  Too slow and too easy for too long means hockey doom.  Today’s NHL doesn’t lend well to snoozes.

Thirteen.

Cole and Allen bump and both fall behind the Cane net.

Oh, la, la.  Subban.  Tripping.   Tlusty.  Leave the ice without a word, one glove off and prying his stick blade.

Cane dancers are shown again.  They stand at key entryways and gyrate in black and red.  They’re women.   Why is it never men?  Why.  Why.

Panique.  Open net.  Price sliding back.  Habs survive.  Gorges saved them, says Houde.  Canes control.  Gil shoves Staal down easily and the puck is out.

Nokelainen harasses Skinner and gets similar results.

Two on one for Montreal.

Cammalleri keeps and shoots.  Ward can’t control it and it floops over the net.

More pressure.  Eller.  Forehand.  Then backhand.  Second shot is in.  Two backhands.  Blue line shot was off Ruutu and then a side deposit.

Carolina 2, Montreal 1

Go Habs Go chant begins in my head.

We’re back to fives.

Subban tries something fancy with a defender too close by.

Turnover.  Diaz falls trying to skate up the Montreal slot.  LaRose is there.  Diaz gets his stick on it.  Close.

Puck is out of play moments later.

Eller with the game face after the goal.  And a fist pumping motion.

Brandon is Brent’s son.  Brett is Daryl’s son.  Two Sutters on the Canes.   Brent is the Flame coach.  Daryl is the Flame GM.

Or am I behind on the news?  Houde said it anyway.

Nine forty-one.

Dwyer gets to the net from the corner.  Sweeping the puck like a spotlight in front of him.  Price carpets across.

Gionta with an entry.  Another good chance.

Habs begin to win more puck jousts.

But a long pass from Subban for Gomez is into traffic.  Gomez comes up with it.  Cross-ice pass.   Turnover after the reception.

Lines change.

Darche.  Nokelainen and Eller to the net.

Diaz shot is blocked.  Ponikarovsky’s shot is off a stick and out of play.
Ward was beaten on the screened shot by Gionta.

Denis is calm and concise.  Great work from the first-year colour man.

Subban.  Another riverboat entry.  Loses the puck but doesn’t give up position.  Now he’s working against Larose under his end line.  Protects and retains.  Puck comes back to him and he moves away from danger and moves it up.

Puck goes out of play.

Habs have their heads screwed on right.

Everyone has a reason and the equilibrium is a bromide slush across the Carolina rink.

Stoppage and another won faceoff.  Weber is compromises but Cammalleri skates past him and takes the man.  Very good work by our man from Richmond Hill.

Canes are losing composure.  Long passes and turnovers.  And the system isn’t working anymore.  X’s overpower O’s on the ice.  Finally they emerge.  Ruutu.  Keeps, dazzles and then is preceded by Skinner.

Tough game for Skinner so far.  Always dangerous.

Under six.

Gomez.  Pauses inside the Carolina blue.  Looks.

Canes are free.  Skinner.  Breakaway.   Whistled.  He was freed by a Ruutu trip.   Accidental.  They have to call that one.

Bad luck for the home team.

Montreal power-play.  Where’s Markov?

Cammalleri shoots.  Rebound.  White jerseys.  Ward low.  Glove and arm across.  Then the pads.  Feet facing the end boards, he has it under his calves.  Faceoff to his left.

Desharnais loses the draw.  Weber is chasing again.  Two on two.  Jokinen’s shot is off the mark.
Habs reset.  Houde says that the Canes are playing with a lot of confidence short-handed tonight.

Seventy seconds.

Weber loses the puck at the blue.  Hopper.  Tough game for Yannick, as well.

Gomez is dropped at hash.  Stick?

Canes are working well, either way.

Thirty.  Habs try the entry.  Gomez for Diaz.  He follows it past the hash. But Carolina is out and rushing.

Subban is whacking a man in the corner after a stoppage and delayed call against Montreal.  Pacioretty.  Hooking.  Subban needs to settle down.

Hooking stopped a scoring chance down the middle.

Pacioretty swears, more mildly this time, and lightly bangs his stick against the glass inside the penalty box.  Shakes his head.  Less angry this time.  Legit call.

Carolina power-play for the full two.

Stoppage.  Jokinen wins it.  To the blue.  Across.  Blocked by Gill.

Cleared.

Ninety seconds.  McBain carries and fires it in.  They set up.  Price makes his best save of the night. A seven on a deflected puck at his left post.  Pad low.

Kick out.

Cleared.

Canes are setting up more convincingly but Eller bumps his man off the puck and slings it down the ice.

Two and sevent3en and thirty six in the penalty.

Price with a side of the net save and the puck is cleared.

Canes with twenty.  Plekanec and Gorges with Moen and Gill.  The number one kill unit.  Turnover.  Gorges caused it.  Plekanec cleared.

Moen slows his man down under the Carolina end line. And the penalty is over.

Dwyer with room for a quick shot from the high slot.  Rice gloves it.

And to his right, the puck is dropped.   Ninety seconds in the period.

Brandon Sutter loses it to Desharnais.

Around the net.  At the hash.

Habs are closing it out with good coverage and it’s Emelin and Diaz doing the best work down low.

Long puck.   Lines change. Ruutu’s pass is intercepted by Cammalleri on entry. UP for Gionta.  Past the hash.  Across for Plekanec. Tic and Toe but Gleason stops the Toe.

With his skate.

Subban falls on the Montreal end line.  Plekanec to the cage.  Larose, turning can’t get enough of it to pass to the slot.

Period ends with the puck in the neutral zone and then sliding into Montreal ice along the boards.

Carolina led on shots 13-12.  Montreal leads 19-18, overall.

Second Intermission
Carolina 2, Montreal 1

Ce soir c’est comme un job.  Upside day.  Too tired to think.  Remember Rocket’s five-goal night?  After moving all day.  And wasn’t he sick, besides?

I’m no Rocket.  I’m your literary goon.

Third Period
Carolina 2, Montreal 1

Make those dancers stop.

Cole misses an open net.  Plekanec, too.

More pressure.  They score.

Clean ice.  Long shot.  Off the pads and in.  Cammalleri?

Montreal 2, Carolina 2

Houde says the puck was put into play prematurely.  Before Carolina was ready.  Pacioretty, crosses and wrists.  Stopped.  Rebound. He wrists another.   Didn’t get it all.

A second entry and a third Pacioretty shot. Gloved.

Pacioretty returns to the bench annoyed.

Fifth goal for Cammalleri this season.  Carbo said earlier that Cammalleri must score.  It’s what’s expected of him.

Canes try the snooze wake-up switch.

Eller behind the net. Takes it.  To the crease. .  Rebound.  Moen misses the open chance.

Weber retrieves.

Very long pass.  Turnover.

Cole and Cammalleri against two low.  To Gill at the point.  Boom, wide.  Back in. Cole.  Backhand to the crease.  Habs are outworking the Cane.

Finally Harrison has it and moves one way behind the net. Before exiting form the right.

Rush.  Cluster.   Goal.  Sutter.  Brandon Sutter.

A happy rink.  Young lady with red hair yells go Canes into the camera.  Fan joy.

Price was beaten moving left to right on his knees.  Couldn’t close the space says Denis, a former NHL goalie, himself.

They check for the official replay.  What for.   Hit a skate.  And through the legs.

Doesn’t look deliberate from the sky shot.

Ruling stands.

One more train horn.

Carolina 3, Montreal 2

Gomez line.  Gionta and Pacioretty. One, two, ping. Pacioretty off the post.  Third post.
More pressure. Desharnais looking and knocked off in the low slot.  Under sixteen.

Eller, Moen and Nokelainen.  The other threesome I mentioned was a mid-line change configuration.  The lines have stayed intact.

Eller. Keeping.  Leaves it after a round trip and Weber fires.  Wrister.  Corner of the net.  Off something?  Crossbar. Hit two things.

Montreal 3, Carolina 3

Rink stays mildly noisy.

Fifteen.

Cole with a light hit.  Cole takes the puck away in the slot and turns in the slot.  Backhand. Not a lot on it.

Gionta.  Shot.  Desharnais turns and shoots backhanded and off balance.

Cane response.  Price is low and left.

Ward loses one in his pads.

Gorges with appoint shot.  Post.  Out of play.   Fourth.

Crossbar.

Faceoff.  Fourth post.

Eller wins it.

Moen.  Eller with it at the boards.  Darche drops to a knee to keep it in the zone.  Great effort.

Puck goes out of play at the bench.

Eller, Darche   and Moen stay on.

Gorges and Subban low.  Thirteen and a half.

Eller follows a Moen bang-in.  Around the net.

Around the net.   The three support each other like brothers.

Plekanec line now.

Cammalleri and Cole with him.

Turnover on an outlet pass. Gill. Falls after a LaRose hit.

But it’s out.

Weber.  Retrieves.  Short pass for Desharnais.  Brendan Sutter relieves the centre of the puck at the blue.

Gionta. Short pass for Pacioretty.  Muzzle fire.  Emelin advances.  Good decision. And he’s back for the coverage.  But then he inexplicably slows.  Turnover saves him. Gionta and Pacioretty to the net.  Ward stops the shot.

Nokelainen.  Habs control.  Subban. To Gorges.

Lost on the deep boards.

Staal stickhandles, faced by Gorges.  Knocks him down and keep moving the net.  Lovely play by the captain.  No shot results.

Gorges was just standing and knocked over like a display human.

Ten and fifteen.

Habs have it again. No more turnovers.  The passes are crisp.  And the Canes are out of sorts. Cole.  Over the right side.  Brakes.  Canes collect themselves. Nice moves by Larose down the right, dekes Gionta, and is across the blue line.  Hectic.  Slot pass is intercepted.

End to end.

Long shot by Gionta to get the line change.  Ward’s save sends the puck back in the neutral zone.

Fresh legs but he puck is whistled

Calm is a decision.  Cole is shown.  ON the bench.  Denis says in response to a viewer question that there re a few ways that Cole can help his new team in games against his former.  Tendencies.  Stuff like that.

Habs lead on shots 30-22.

Good third.

Ruutu loses the puck on a right side entry.  More good passing.  Canes get back to cover.  Plekanec.  To Cole.  Shot.  Wide.

It’s out.

Subban lost his stick.  Houde says he got very lucky.  Could have been called.  Stoppage.
Skinner closed his arm on Subban’s stick.  Close.  They’ve been consistent, one might say.  Houde echoes this.

Not that he can usually hear me.

Faceoff to Price’s left.

Ponikarovsky with a shot from the low circle.  Stopped.  Mild.  Canes nearly cycle.  Montreal turnover sees a point shot.  Price stops action.  Slapshot with a screen.  Puck bounced up and price reached forward to snatch it on his knees

Under seven.

Another Cane pour-in.  Coverage.  Save.

Penalty.  Interference.  Moen stopped Staal from joining the rush.  Legit call. Moen pinned the captain against the boards on the Carolina exit.

Stoppage.  Habs win it.  Gorges takes it and calmly clears.

Another clear.

Canes stopped by Nokelainen at the blue.  Harrison drives it in.  Three Canes. Three Habs.  Around the net. To the point.  More good work from Gill.   Now Gorges blocks a pass from the end line.

Ruutu to Skinner.  A bit far.  They flounder.  It’s cleared.

Thirty

Five

Harrison.  Fires it down.  Eller takes a pass and clears. Perfect work so far.

Perimeter passing.   Diaz attacks.  Creates a Cane turnover.

Penalty ends.

Canadiens control.  Subban falls turning on the right point.

Coverage.

Price has to make a big save though they got back.  Fell backward.  Snow and white to eh net.  And it’s up and out.

Very bad fall by Subban.  Says Houde.

Faceoff to Ward’s right.  Just under four.

Canes win it.  Allen to Tlusty.  Direct interception.  Lasted in.  And it’s up and out.

Centre ice faceoff.  Won by Montreal.

Canes turnovers are a plague.

Deep left faceoff.  Canes win it.

Canes with their longest possession of the period.  Five on five.

Seven seconds.

Tight.  Long Montreal puck.  Icing.

Faceoff to Price’s left.

Canes win it.

One pass to Ponikarovsky from the boards.  Off glass.
Larose emerges.  Point blank.  Price gets the right pad across.  Great save.

Subban finds it behind his net.  They pass-pass and the puck goes out of play.

Both teams have worked very hard, overall.

One thirty-nine.

Eller loses the draw to Brandon Sutter outside the Cane blue.  Darche trundles across the blue.   Loses it.

One oh seven.  Harrison with a very long pass.   Swiped in on reception.  Gorges lose the puck on the exit attempt.

Trouble.  Gorges clears up and the Habs are out. Cole to the net.

Men fall.  The puck is in the net.  No call.  Waved off. Cole is annoyed and says something.

Cole fell and slid right into Ward.

Faceoff.  Ward’s left.

Canes have their men and the puck is out, regardless.  Cole tres to deliver a big hit but the man backs off.

Around the boards.

Icing.  Two seconds.

One shot is possible, says Houde.  Do they pull Price?   Probably not.  Not Martin.  Babcock, maybe.

Gionta at the dot.  Can’t win it.

Gionta considers responding to an after the whistle hit abut then leaves the scene.

Period ends.

Shots are tied 31-31 after a 13-112 Carolina third period advantage.

Overtime
Montreal 3, Carolina 3

Five minutes.  Four on four.

Gorges again?  Cole?  Eller?

Or Weber’s second.

Plekanec rush.  Right side.  Two Canes all over him.

Cammalleri and a pass.  Hits something.  Off Ward.  More pressure.  Cammalleri turning the open space.
Sutter.  Shot from the right.  Price is not feeling it tonight.

Stopped.

Kaberle.  Weaves in.  Drops for Staal.  Turnover.  Gionta turning and wheeling.  Lost under the end line.   Gionta’s slot pass is intercepted. He has it again.  Can’t find Cole.

Weber breaks up an entry smartly.

Gionta with another entry.  Cole.  Has to turn.  Subban.  Tripped. Shoots. Rebound.  Shot.  Wide.

Subban on the right point.  Cole on the boards.  Up.   Leaves it.  Gionta. Still on the ice.  Gorges advances to keep it in.  More Gorges.  Cammalleri joins in.  Knocks down a man.  Great work from the Canadiens.

Canes get out.  Swinger.  Post.  Ting.  Subban carries over the line. Turns.  Covered. Still has it.  Drops it.  Canes escape.

Ponkarvskly.  Drops for Staal.  One minute.  Taken away.  Too far.

Kaberle.  In front of Diaz.  Wide.

It’s all fumes now.  Twenty-seven.
Cole.  Down the left.  To Gionta.  Stopped.

Held.

Some stand and clap.   More beard.

Great save by Ward.

Twenty.

Gionta and Cole.   Gionta wins it.  Goes after it on the boards.  Wants it.  Hooks as the Canes exit.  Not called.  Harrison get it low circle.  Shoots.  Price has the angle.

Period ends.

Shootout
Carolina 3, Montreal 3

This one should end a tie.

Price looks calm again.  Squirts water into his mouth.  Mask back, he waits by the Montreal bench.  Denis says that the Canadiens worked on penalty shots this morning a bit.

Price scrapes the ice.  Cammalleri checks his torque.  Ward puts on his glove and blocker.  One last sip.

Cammalleri circles about.  Advances.  Nice moves.  Keeps for the short shot.  Fake shot and the deke.  Post?  And into the end boards, he falls.  No.

Larose.  Speed.  Waits.  Shoots.  Biscuit save.  Price leans against the crossbar.

Pacioretty.  What’s he got.  Five hole shot.  Closed.  Quick snap-wrist.

Skinner.  Nineteen.  Deke.  Beats Price.  Crossbar.

Gionta.  Advances.  Waits, waits, waits.  Right side. Deke and a goal.

Jokinen.  Last chance.  Slow.  Nice move.  Backhand high.  Save.

Montreal Canadiens.

Honourable mention: Carolina Hurricanes.  They’re back.

Final Score
Montreal Canadiens 4
Carolina Hurricanes 3 (SO)

HDS Stars: Josh Gorges, Lars Eller, Carey Price
RDS Stars: Brian Gionta, Lars Eller Brandon Sutter

Related posts:

1. Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
2. Guesswork (East Conference 11-12)
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. Carolina Hurricanes