Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

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 (15-18-7) host Tampa Bay Lightning (17-19-3)

Saturday, January 7th, 2011

Game Forty-One (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 23 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)

 

There will be lots of Eller talk.  Fair enough.  But there are many other players.  He did score four goals in his last game.  Great assists from burgeoning Andrei Kostitsyn and sometimes rugged Travis Moen along the way.  The Belarusian winger is at his best with Eller, a Dane.

Montreal captain Brian Gionta returns tonight from injury and will be on a line with winger Michael Cammalleri and centre Tomas Plekanec.  Reseau des Sports (RDS) analyst Mario Tremblay likes it.  But why not wait til he regains his form?  I’m sure Gionta himself can answer that question tonight.

Defensive centre Petteri Nokelainen and Swiss defenceman (at times winger) Yannick Weber are scratched tonight.  Interesting.  And I recall an article suggesting that newly installed (“interim”) Montreal head coach Cunneyworth would go with seven defencemen and double-shift power-forward Erik Cole.  I wonder if that means three lines.  I never was enamoured with math.

It means three full lines plus two forwards.  So the double-shifting part makes sense.  But who’s the fourth centre?

Maybe they’ll double-shift a centre instead.  Or more than one centre.  Interesting.  Good way of solving some chemistry issues.  Desharnais can help each of Michael Cammalleri, Cole and Max Pacioretty, all wingers who blossom with number fifty-one.

Somehow PA announcer Andre Lacroix manages to shout Cammalleri’s name calmly.

Not the huge crowd reaction I expected from Gionta’s name being announced.

Newcomer Alexei Emelin gets a bigger cheer.  The robust defenceman was hit by a puck in the face in practice yesterday mornign and was questionable for tonight.  Cunneyworth said he took it in the fleshier part of his face.

Incumbent anthem-singer Charles Prevost-Linton is back.  Good, good.  More order can’t hurt.

Two anthems, though.  What a joke.

And a Lightning assistant’s smirk could be seen as underscoring my point.  I wonder what he’s on about?

Steve Stamkos, the greatest player in the world, is back on track and on pace for 56 or more goals.  He has 28 in 39 games.

Shot of Erik Cole under the mostly red lighting here at the Bell Centre.  Cole, the greatest player in the world, looks a bit devilish tonight.  Must be the red hue.

And now a shot of Lars Eller, the greatest player in the world.  He’s at the end of the line.  Nobody has scored four goals in an NHL game in years.

Vladislav Tretiak is here.  To drop the puck.  Montreal still holds his rights.  He’s in town for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of some hockey series.  You know which one.

The former greatest player in the world waves and acknowledges the warm applause.

This photo of former Team Canada hero and Montreal Canadien Yvan Cournoyer is rather comical.  Up on the scoreboard.  And now he’s on the ice.  Smiling.  Good mood.  Red tie.

He was once the greatest player in the world.

How long is this going to take?

Yvan was team captain for most of the seventies.  Followed Jean Beliveau.  Preceded Serge Savard.

Now, Paul Henderson steps to the ice surface.  The big goal man.  He scored three game-winners in Canada’s final three games.  Should he be in the Hockey Hall of Fame?  He’s certainly famous enough.

They have criteria.

Puck is dropped.  Tampa captain Vincent Lecavalier (the greatest player in the world) and Gionta shake hands with all at the lip of the blue carpet.  The astronauts clap.  And Cournoyer shares a glove tap with Peter Budaj.  Cournoyer is not wearing a goalie glove.

Ok, ok.

Mathieu Garon and Carey Price.  Garon had a chance at being great but never panned out.  Not sure why.  He’s a marvelous athlete.

Brian Pochmara and Mike Leggo are the refs.  And two other guys besides.

You try typing this fast.

First Period

Faceoff needs a redo.  Plekanec loses it.

Pavel Kubina’s long leftward pass crosses most of the surface and is turned over at centre ice.  Incomplete.  Tampa turnover.

Emelin is wearing a face-cage.  The puck to the face yesterday.  They show us footage.  There was blood on the ice.

A Hab flails heavily into the end boards on the retrieval.  Josh Gorges?  Couldn’t tell.

Eller.  To Moen.  Dumped in.  Eller is to it.

On his stomach he hooks the stick and nearly passes it to eh blue.

Eller keeps.

He’s moving with verve and confidence.

He’ll have to keep his head up.  Someone is going to go after him.  To teach him a hockey lesson.  I know that’s not very nice to do.  But someone is planning it.

Tampa forward Ryan Malone maybe.  But probably not.  It won’t happen tonight.  Not against Tampa, a clean X and O outfit.

Two gone.

Minutes.

Montreal dump-in.  Pace is slow to mild.

It’s Tampa Bay left winger Pierre-Cedric Labrie’s first game.  Native of Baie Comeau (tres pret de Sept-Iles).  His first NHL game.  And possibly his last.

He’s been with the Lightning for a week.

Many players only get up to the bigs for one or two games.  Of that group, the opportunity is often a result of openings in the roster due to injury.

Cole with a shot.

Just wide.

Tampa responds.

Slow possession.  In the corner.  To the crease.  And somehow the red light is lit.

Moore.  Passed to the crease from the corner.  Lecavalier deflected it in.

Tampa Bay 1, Montreal 0

Houde makes me sigh with the numbers related to Montreal’s home record and first goals given up.

Kostitsyn.  Wheel and swerve.  Forward to backward but the puck is lost on his retreat at the right hash.

Lightning three on two.

Price stabs the right pad at St. Louis’ stick at the crease lip and the puck stays out.  Houde tosses a bouquet.

Faceoff to Price’s right.

Quick whistle.

Cammalleri up against number 44 Nate Thompson on the left.  Not a lot of room.  Two forwards snake down with Cammalleri.  Puck wobbles to the net with little force.

Lines change and the Canadiens reset.

Emelin is waiting in the right circle and Desharnais drops the puck to the very advanced defenceman.  Shot.  Off a skate.

And moments later play is halted.

Canadiens pressure. Plekanec for Cammalleri.  Stick is tied up.

Canadiens are much less vulnerable than two weeks ago.  The body language is much better.  Straighter backs.  Even Desharnais looks tall.

Price pads down and the puck is blocked.  Kaberle sent it to Steve Downie in the left circle.

Ugly.

Eller leads a rush.  Over the blue.  Across for Kostitsyn.  Broken up.

Hulking Montreal defenceman Hal Gill retrieves.

Short pass to Plekanec at the centre ice line.

Dana Tyrell is eliminated by Gill on entry.

Garon gets low to stop a Pacioretty shot.  And the rebound isn’t forthcoming.

Subban turns it over.  Gorges saves the Steve Downie incursion.  Gets back to prevent a pass from the left column.

Eight and a half.

Gorges caught up and with Downie paused in cruise, looking for a slot receiver, knocked the puck off his blade.

Turnover.  Directly on Cammalleri’s stick.  Cammalleri dipsy-doodles right through two defenders and nearly has a backhand opportunity but the puck skeets off the blade.

Cammalleri was calm in his movements and the deliberation suggests a confident player.  Another star winking awake over this fading hockey nightmare.

Five minutes.

Gorges takes a pass from Price, is hit by one man, retains, a second man, keeps and sends it along. His recent long-term contract has settled the young defenceman.  He’s still a candidate for captain down the road.

One, two, three and the puck hits the post.  Behind the net to the low slot.  The play featured Kostitsyn and Eller.  Moen, too.

Crowd is enervated.

Long Lightning puck is called.

Puck hit Moen’s skate and went off the post.  He extended the boot and couldn’t finish by sticking it in.

Eller led the rush on the left and then flipped a pass up for Kostitsyn who passed to the crease.

Another winger might have.  The (at times) rugged Travis Moen is a help to his linemates, though.

Montreal defenceman Tomas Kaberle is advanced.  Plekanec.  The puck.  Lightning are out of sorts.  And Dana Tyrell is called.

Cammalleri’s scoring chance was snuffed by the infraction.

Faceoff deep right.

Plekanec wins it.

To the blue.  To Kaberle on the left.  Back to Subban.

A slapshot form the right.  Off opponents.  And out.

Habs fail to set up.

Price leaves a puck behind his net for Kaberle.  Habs set up.

Another blocked shot and one minute left in the penalty and period.  Habs must reset.

Period ends with little else.

First Intermission
Tampa Bay 1, Montreal 0

Le café froid.

Second Period
Tampa Bay 1, Montreal 0

Play is whistled, puck goes in, and one trainhorn goes.  Plekanec accidentally scooped a blade into Tom Pyatt’s face and the Canadiens must kill a penalty.  Desharnais is on and the first draw is whistled dead.

Desharnais wins the draw and Gill shovels a puck long backhanded.

Tough Tampa winger Martin St. Louis, face cage in place, has to circle back around his net.

Failed entry.

Eller across.  Steers left.  Keeps.  Shoots.  Lancer shot.  Stopped.  No rebound.

Eller is playing with great offensive confidence.

Shocked?

Eller wins the draw but the chase sees Gionta and a man collide deep.  Kubina.  Puck floats to the blue.  And the shot is blocked.

And Lightning reset.  Marc-Andre Bergeron loses the puck outside the blue.  Finally it’s dumped in.

Price is low, pads on the ice.  Back up.  Puck leaves the zone yet again.

Now Cole ends an incursion by pressing his man into the boards.

Power-play lilts and the Lightning lose the puck.  Desharnais.  Sees Plekanec coming out.  Just a bit off and Plekanec can’t handle the puck.

Pacioretty in on the offwing and his weak wrister is padded dry.

They duel outside the blue.  Lines change.  On the boards.

It’s demolition derby minus the hitting.  Sticks flail and the turnovers are profound.

Tyrell and Pyatt combine under the end line.  Connolly pivots at the blue.  Back down he goes and his backhand is handled and held by Price.

We’re informed that  former Carolina Hurricane Cole has 38 points in 46 career games against Tampa.

Puck is deep.  Darche has it.  Keeps.  To the right point.  Across.  Shot.  Backhander off the rebound.  Mike Blunden.  How did that go in.  He goes to the glass arms raised and trembling with accomplishment.  His first goal as a Hab.  Utility forward listed at six-four and 218 pounds.

Montréal 1, Tampa Bay 1

Fourteen left in the period.  Go Habs Go chant begins.  Eller line is on.

Moen with one hand reaching, loses it.  Kostitsyn takes down Connolly.  Legal hit, the shoulder, Houde informs us.  Stays in.  Five on five and the Habs make it look like a man advantage for nine ripe seconds.

Lecavalier gets a stick on it and Diaz is forced back.  Gets to it and immediately backhands.

Stamkos.  To St. Louis.  Speed. Shot.  Big pad save.

Cole takes down Downie.

Another rush.  Pacioretty.  Shoots.  And scores.

Looked left and shot right.  Pumps his fist.

Once.

Whoo!

Over Garon’s left pad.

Montreal 2, Tampa Bay 1

Boucher calls a time-out.  First goal for Max Pac since December 10th.  Boucher loses his cool briefly.  Get over here.  Goes a bit dark with the blood of the hockey righteous.  Instructs.  Scolds.

Replay shows St. Louis’ shot hit the post.

Boucher is still in tiger’s heat.

Pacioretty is back on the bench and spitting on the ice.

Faceoff is won by Plekanec.  Twelve and a half.

Subban got an assist on the goal.

Deep left.  Kept alive.  Gionta and Cammalleri combine briefly on the boards.  But the puck is lost high and Malone and Campoli collide on the left hash.

Lobber shot.  Price gloves it.

Not much time between the goals.  Are the Canadiens going to be a home scoring sensation in January?  No road games this moth.

Reseau catches Pacioretty removing the monkey from his back in celebrating his goal.  An arm to the shoulder gesture.

Houde said singe.  And chuckled.

Eller.  Left side.  Covered.  Brakes and heads back up.

Another goal.  Kostitsyn to the crease.

Waved off immediately.  Train horn interrupted.  And honey-bee booing.

No goal.  Cunneyworth waves over an official, small hockey papers in his hand.

Eller pushed his skate forward.  Deliberate motion off the end-line pass.

Pochmara goes toe scorer’s table for a further word.  Replay shows it was purposeful.  And they have the decision.  No goal.

Good call.  Ok, correct call, then.

Eleven and twenty and the puck is whistled on entry.

Cole is bumped after the play and shares a smile with the accidental hitter.

And heads to the bench.

It’s made of beech-coloured wood.

I dunno.  Oak?  Cedar?  Pine?  Beanstalk?  It’s school-hall yellow.

Tampa ice.  Defenceman Brett Clark. Across for Matt Gilroy.  To Malone.  Up for Nate Thompson and they’re over.  And it’s turned over.

Desharnais to Blunden.

Round the net and lost.  Blunden takes the time to bang Eric Brewer into the boards.

More turnovers, mostly Tampa. Canadiens are playing bright shinny and moving as one unit.  Gionta swerves low and tight around the Tampa net in chase.  Stamkos and Plekanec dig for the puck on the left point.

It’s in offside.  Gionta shakes his head at the official and removes his mouthguard.  Still in disagreement.

Star selection how-to is reviewed for the fans.  Website.  Hat in hand.  Have another hot dog.

Eller is in offside with Moen and they share a smile.  That peptic kid expression again.  And they leave the ice.

Larry Carriere is standing watch like a bouncer.

Nine and a half.

Tampa ice.  Diaz keeps it in.  Pops out to Cole in the low column.  It’s munged up.

Emelin lifts St. Louis off his skates and into the end boards.  The short but barrel-like former Hart Trophy winner is up quickly.

Lightning manage a re-entry and Price is up to the stretched triangle shots.
Plekanec.  To Gionta.  Gionta to Plekanec on the end boards.  Kubina chases and the puck round the boards with the two  knee to knee and both see the puck escape.

Lines change.

Campoli from Gill.  For Cammalleri but it’s into his skate.

Lecavalier is allowed in.

Off Desharnais’ purposeful skates.

And the puck is lost at centre ice.  Gervais tries a shot from the Bucyk area and Price claptraps the thing.

Faceguards collide.  The Emelin hit is shown.

Black cage.  Looking very beer league.  Or pee-wee.  Emelin drains water through the face cage, sitting on the bench.

Pacioretty shoots a haphazard puck from the hydrant.  Garon is all bold.  Roloson, who is not all bald, is still the backup. How much does he have left for the playoffs?  Don’t count out the old shag-tooth.  He’s simmering on the bench for now.

Six and fifteen.

Roloson has started nearly half the team’s games but his 0.881 save percentage and 3.76 GAA are out of character.  Garon, a career backup is at 0.904 and 2.84.  Not good indicators for the 42 year-old backup.

Roloson’s numbers last season; 0.912, 2.56.  Fear Roloson.  Forget numbers.  He can beat anyone.  Stop anything.

Five oh six.  Randy Ladouceur is interviewed and wants the team to put more pucks on net.

Montreal ice.  Downie.  Maneuvers away from one but has it taken easily by a second defender.

Pacioretty.  Right side.  His stick hits a face.  Gets away with it.  His backhander crosses the crease with no sticks in wait.

Montreal dumps it in.  On the goalie and the puck is out quicker than we would like.

Eller around the net.  Blindside attempt by Malone is deftly evaded as the Dane leaves his zone.  Malone, eh?

Keep yer head up, kid.

Emelin follows his own shoot-in.  Ducks low to avoid a high elbow.  Lightning clear.

Gill carries.  Right side to Plekanec.  Blasted in.  Around the net where the centre finds it on the left point.  But his shot is blocked.

Montreal end.

Takeaway.  Cole on the right side.  Around the net. Cammalleri digging to support.  Falls to he ice as he brooms it from one player.

Stamkos and Downie enter.  Another turnover.  Pacioretty, back on the ice and his ungainly stride sees him control, balance and then try a backhand pass that fails.  Moments later, a stoppage. Pacioretty soaks up oxygen bent low.

Cole is vociferous in complaining about something. Looks like an old man venting on the price of raisins.  Not sure what it could be.  Nobody is paying attention to him.  Maybe he’s scolding himself.

Ninety seconds.

Tampa entry.  Two Lightning.  Four Habs.  That’s how you play hockey.

Moore keeps a puck alive on the left point.  But it’s lost behind the net and the Lighting are lagging.

Under one.

Price closes the door to his left.

Cole.  Right side.  Advances hard.  Then brakes.  Across.  Shot.  Save.  Garon holds on.  Slapshot from the high circle.  Seen and stopped.  Gorges’ shot.

Faceoff to Garon’s right.

Cole is back on the Montréal bench.  Actually on the boards and ruing his fate.  Whatever that may be.  No goals?

Ten seconds.  Lightning are pressing.

Lecavalier bumps a man.  Puck eludes Price but the clock had expired.

Montreal led on shots 11-9.  They lead overall, 18-17.

Second Intermission
Montreal 2, Tampa Bay 1

Yvan Cournoyer is interviewed by Alain and Mario.  He was the last Canadien to score five goals in a game.  Against Chicago.  A long, long time ago.  But in the same galaxy.

Third Period
Montreal 2, Tampa Bay 1

Subban has 14 minutes and 28 seconds logged so far, most for all Montreal defencemen.  A new development in recent games, say Houde.

Kostitsyn tries a sneaky wrister from the circle.  Takes it up again.  And has it again.  Moves and moxie.  And the shot.  Rebound.  Shot.  Just over the crossbar.  Garon was beaten.  Puck escapes with Kostitsyn still at full speed at the end of shift.

Kostitsyn will break out next season.  All the development, slow as it was, is over.  He’s ready for greatness.  And he’ll be bigger yet.

Quick entry.  Garon gloves the awkward shot and Connolly takes a seat, fumbling with is chin strap.

Now a brief Connolly montage. His junior days.

Habs win the draw. Long shot.

Big rebound, Kostitsyn.  Long-sticks and plays keepaway with three Lightning around him. Can’t get the shot he wants.

Now Eller.  Tries a pass to a trailing Moen but he a stick is across.

Gionta intercepts.  In.  Just a bit of space.

Shot off the outside of the net to Garon’s right.

Cammalleri follows.  Pass to the crease.  No.

Great speed from the captain as he curved to the net.  I shake my head.

Stoppage.

He just missed.  Is he done?  I doubt it but let’s not wait to find out.

Three minutes gone.  Faceoff to Price’s left after a mild glove save.

Darche is in deep.  Fights.  Loses.  Gets.  Passes.  Left point.  Kaberle keeps it in.

Blunden follows on the boards.  Shoulder up, back to the defender.

Now Plekanec and two others twist and pretzel to the boos.  Gilroy may have held Plekanec’ arm.

Lightning survive and the Habs change lines as Emelin rounds his net.  Malone is swacked by Emelin.  Malone doesn’t like it.

Emelin is non-plussed as Malone goes after him, stick high. The referee is watching from the corner of his eye, intones Houde.

Long Montreal puck and no animosities are expressed.

Malone tried to run Emelin.

And fell like a bowling pin over the puck-carrying Emelin.  Emelin is remarkably strong.  Malone came at him full freight thinking the defenceman wasn’t going to be ready nor be able to take it.

He was.  He did.

Five gone.

More booing ads Kostitsyn is perceived to have been interfered with on a long puck.

Lightning are struggling to maintain possession and the Canadiens are only gaining emotional momentum.  The will clasps.

Gionta and Plekanec are stopped at mid-ice.  Gionta is very fresh and not out of sorts nor in need of acclimatization.

What’s he been reading?  What’s he been thinking?  He’s been working out, that much we can guess.

Still the captain.

Pace has peaked.  Now turnovers will rule the moment.

Cole.  With care and a head down is leveled off the puck.  Not too flat.  He’s another strong one.

Hockey players are identifiable by their strong lower bodies.  Many, many of them.  A bit different from, say, the Dale Davises of the world.  The Rodmans.

Both teams are quick.  Both are opportunistic.  Maybe Moore is the most opportunistic of all players on the ice tonight.  Clever, shifty and skilled.  And that streak of aluminum.  I’m surprised we didn’t keep him.  A Muller type in certain ways.  Not as smooth but similar.

Price traps one.

I don’t think Moore enjoyed his stay in Montréal and he hadn’t been there long enough to grow to like it.  He may have asked to be released.

Then I consider Metropolit.  He wanted to stay.  Head-scratcher (yes, Coach Ayotte).  Halpern comes to mind and not for the last time.  Another one.

Champion grit.

That danged cap, too.

Ten and a half.

Lightning send a puck down too soon (Bergeron) and it’s called for icing.  Bergeron is not much of an on-ice thinker.  Reminds me of Watts’ interception proclivity.  Some guys just think differently in the fray.  Less.

JC Watts.  Ottawa Rough Riders.  Then your Argos.  And an early retirement after suffering 103 sacks in 1986.  He shared that sack number with Holloway.  And a few others.  It was a factor in both players’ retirements.  Holloway had one more year as a backup and in BC.  Watts was done following 86.

That new Tampa kid was born in 86.  Nineteen eighty-six.  The Roo-Ah Hex.

Pyatt finds a backhand chance.  Price is pad low and across.

Blunden is in on the left.  Bergeron trips him.  And gets away with it.  Blunden smiles small as he gets to his feet.  Crowd boos.

Marc-Andre Bergeron.  What a pole.  I don’t miss his turnovers and low hockey IQ.  Nor his hubris.  Never at fault, our man from Trois-Rivieres.

Never at fault.

Denis talks about Subban.  Decision-making.  He references the eventual return of Markov and my breathing changes.

I’d given up on the idea.  Maybe that’s the best course.

Gill bumps Thompson in the corner to Price’s left.  Tyrell is around the net and capts it. To the crease.  Price falls on it.

Capts. Sure.

Blunden has speed, Denis informs us and adds that Cunneyworth holds the Toronto native in high esteem.   Fair enough.

The game slows.

Eller down the right.  To Kostitsyn from under the end line. Bergeron is in trouble keeping up.  To the point.  Now Eller has it in the circles.  Shot.  Stopped.  A high one.

Under seven.

Malone tries a turn-around sweeper in the slot and is bumped off the puck on his follow-through by Subban.

Close-out time.

Gionta. Cammalleri.  No-look pass by Cammalleri leads to a loss of possession for a brief instant but Cammalleri makes up for the mistake and a shot on goal results from his avid board work.  Swooped in on the opposite side to keep it alive for a Gionta shot.

In secret and sudden ways this team is recovering.  One by one by one.  Each man a story, each story coalescing on one page.  Teams often do well after a crisis of some sort.

Well, they’ve had the crisis.  Crises.

I wonder if the same applies to home-owners.

Cole and Pacioretty squeeze the lanes and make things hard for the Lightning.  Too hard.  And they have to reset.  More good work from Pacioretty in the neutral zone.  And the Canadiens’ defencemen have only to scoop up the lost pucks.

Now Pacioretty enters on the left and scoops a long one at Garon.  He bats it away.

Defensive attention is at a peak.

Lightning have to look for lanes.  Here they find St. Louis down the middle, a short pass and a brief entry.

Now Stamkos loses the puck.  Two on one.  Eller keeps.  Blast.  Not much energy was left, says Houde, the two were at the end of the shift.

Cammalleri.  Flying. Firing.  And Garon scoops it from the back boards.

The team is a team.

We wonder, we wonder.  Who said what.  Who did what.

Jobs on the line.  And pride.  And the city has a way of uniting the team it can criticize so harshly.

Alcatraz 86 comes to mind.  The players were holed up in a hotel outside the city in the weeks leading up to the playoffs.  They won the Stanley Cup that year.  There was, again, a criticized coach and a city in flame.

Rookie coach Jean Perron.  And a captain, Gainey, stood up for him.  And there was a sparkling rookie goalie.  Not Ken Dryden.

They called it Alcatraz.  The barred doors opened to silver.

Three minutes.

Offside entry is booed.  Houde says it was clearly offside.

Strange to see Gionta on the bench after so long.  I’ve come to think of Cole as the captain.  And Price as the alternate.

Gionta is old enough, wise enough to know what’s needed in what might be a delicate situation.  How will he execute it?  If he does it fairly and with heart and work, the team has a chance to be special this spring.

Connolly.  Right side. Shot. Rebound.  And Diaz saves the situation.  First decent chance of the period for Lightning.

Recently deposed Jacques Martin must be wincing somewhere.  And pacing with his hands in his pockets.  Shots on goal against.  The coach who preceded Cunneyworth was a proponent of reducing these.

Boucher is indicating with a crab claw hand what needs to be done.
Faceoff deep left. Desharnais loses the draw.

Cole behind Kubina.  Turnover at mid-ice.

Pacioretty with a man.  Keeps.  Shoots over the net.

Confidence isn’t always a good thing.

Long Montreal puck following the departure of Garon.

Boucher is gesticulating wildly. He suddenly reminds me of the intelligent and passionate former Reseau analyst, Joel Bouchard.

No more Tampa timeouts.  Bouchard is a GM in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, these days.

Faceoff is won by Tampa.  Long shot from the left point. Desharnais ices it.

Forty-three point five.

Desharnais and company must stay on.  Cunneyworth with an expression I recognize from somewhen else.

One arm long. And intense.

Habs are out.

Bergeron hooks.  And is called. Pacioretty was on the right hash.

Bergeron goes to the box.  He’s excused by Houde who says, rightly, the defenceman had little choice.

But how did the turnover come about?

Twenty-nine point six.

Deep right.

Desharnais wins it.  To the left point.  Goalie is back.

Habs keep it in.  To the low circle.  Shot.  Rebound.  In.

Houde says that Desharnais has terrific peripheral vision. Backhand through the legs from a very sharp angle.  Popped in by Cole.

Cole is effusive with Desharnais, seated two players away from him on the bench.  Still frustrated but happier now.   And Desharnais smiles, too.

What is he referring to?

Time runs out.  Carriere smiles and shakes Cunneyworth’s hand.  Cunneyworth keeps his game face on.  So would I.

Boucher is concerned and furrowed as he leaves the ice.

Gionta talks with Cole.  A smile.  Gionta looks a lot like Johnny Depp.

The low fives.

Final Score
Montreal 3
Tampa Bay 1

HDS Stars: Andrei Kostitsyn, Alexei Emelin, Michael Cammalleri
RDS Stars: Max Pacioretty, Carey Price, Vincent Lecavalier

The greatest player in the world was coaxed back for one last season in Detroit.  His name is Nicklas Lidstrom.  He’s a defenceman.

Reseau’s post-game show, Ante-Chambre, features Canadian hockey hero Paul Henderson, former Russian goalie, the legendary Vladislav Tretiak and Yvan Cournoyer.  Guy Carbonneau asks Tretiak who was the best he ever played against.  Tretiak has played against almost all of them in international competition and the diplomatic goalie lists Phil Esposito, Bobby Orr, Bobby Hull, Guy Lafleur and Stan Mikita.  He pauses and adds Wayne Gretzky.  He disappoints Carbonneau and your scribe by saying “they’re all the best”.

Tretiak has always been charming and nothing’s changed.

Henderson finds an opportunity to diss Harold Ballard and references a controversy around the signing of players by then-Leaf rivals, the WHA Toronto Toros.

Both Carbonneau and Therrien call him Mr. Tretiak.  Therrien asks the once-fearsome goaltender which game was his greatest.  Tretiak is quick to answer in terms of the 1972 series.  He quickly adds the New Year’s Eve Game; the first “club” matchup between the countries.  Montreal Canadiens against Russian Red Army,  December 31st, 1975.

Mr. Denault wrote a book on the subject.

Ok, I just call him Todd.

They take shots on Tretiak floor-hockey style and number 20 hams it up.  Cournoyer scored on the first shot, five-hole.

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2. Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets
3. Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
4. Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets
5. Montreal Canadiens vs. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Montreal Canadiens vs. New York Islanders