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Games are getting more and more crucial for our team. With 16 games to go and only six points separating 8th and 13th places, there’s lots of room for the Canadiens to slide. Yet, they are only five points away from 6th place. At the end of a very successful road stretch, 6th place was a real possibility. On the other hand, after the three losses at home, the 13th place is becoming more a real possibility. In this game, Bouillon is out due to an ankle injury but, happier news… Anrdei Markov is back even if he’s not totally healed. Huet is back in net. So, it does look better for the Canadiens.
Of note, Alex Perezhogin is back in the line-up after being a healthy scratch last game. Saku Koivu had a ‘talk’ with his team mates after the morning practice. Will this have had an effect? It remains to be seen.
*1 – early good chance by Bulis & Plekanec
3 – maintained pressure by the Canadiens’ 2nd line
4 – first whistle
5 – Simpson & Clymer fight (5 minute penalties)
6 – CANADIENS GOAL (Komisarek)
9 – continued pressure by the Canadiens
10 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Bulis – hooking)
11 – CAPITALS PENALTY (Halpern – hooking)
12 – CAPITALS PENALTY (Morrisonn – hooking) – 5 on 3 for 33 seconds
16 – CAPITALS GOAL (Sutherby)
18 – a number of good hits by Murray
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
The period started well for our boys. They outshot the Capitals by a healthy margin but unfortunately their shots were not, for the better part, very threatening. Kolzig took most of them in his chest. After an early sustained pressure by the Canadiens, the game settled down as the period progressed.
Both goals were gifts by the respective goalies. Kolzig was the most generous but Huet seems to have misplayed a partially screened snap wrist shot by Sutherby from the slot. It seems that the Canadiens struggle with offence continues to plague them.
Of note: Mike Komisarek scored his 1st NHL goal in his 123rd game.
– Canadiens 12 Total 12
– Lightning 4 4
– MTL, M. KOMISAREK (0) (A. KOVALEV), 05:47
– WSH, B. SUTHERBY (13) (B. CLYMER), 16:17NO GOALS
*10 seconds – Sutherby has another close call on Huet
2 – short fight by Murray & Bradley (who won big time)
5 – broken play
7 – a number of good checks started by Ovechkin (especially on Souray)
7 – CAPITALS PENALTY (Biron – tripping)
8 – CANADIENS GOAL (Ryder – power play)
9 – CANADIENS GOAL (Perezhogin)
10 – CANADIENS GOAL (Dandenault)
13 – pressure by the Capitals
15 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Bulis – hooking)
17-18 – Broken play
19 – CAPITALS PENALTY (Halpern – hooking)
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
This was a pretty well balanced period with a two shot differential and a one -penalty difference. Yet, what separated the two teams was a two minute and six second span where the Canadiens scored three goals. All three were ‘good’ goals – a power play scrum in front of the Capitals net, a deflected shot from the point and a pinch-in by a defense man. Before and after that spurt, there was nothing outstanding that happened. Even the ‘fight’ between Murray & Bradley was short lived – Bradley took out an off-balance Murray.
Of note: Despite that fact that Ryder has been struggling for a while he’s still the Canadiens’ leading scorer with 25 – a long shot ahead of the team’s second best shooters, Alex Kovalev & Jan Bulis with 17 each. Souray has greatly increased his shots on goal over the last several games which are ‘netting’ him encouraging results. Dandenault is +10 over the last dozen games.
– Canadiens 11 Total 23
– Lightning 9 13
– MTL, M. RYDER (25) (C. HIGGINS, S. KOIVU), 07:28
– MTL, A. PEREZHOGIN (8) (M. KOMISAREK, A. MARKOV), 09:08
– MTL, M. DANDENAULT (3) (R. ZEDNIK, M. RIBEIRO), 09:34
*0 – Continued power play for the Canadiens
2 – continuous pressure by the Capitals
3 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Bonk – tripping)
6 – error by Kovalev leads to a Capitals break on Huet who blocks the shot
8 – CAPITALS PENALTY (Heward – hooking)
11 – broken play
14 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Bégin – holding)
18 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Bulis – hooking)
18 – CAPITALS GOAL (Ovechkin – power play)
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
This was a period where the Capitals put a bit more pressure on the Canadiens resulting in one goal. Aside from that it was more or less evenly played. The Capitals outshot the Canadiens by a 50% majority but these shots were not all that threatening.
Of note: Todd Simpson pretty well took Markov’s five-on-five shifts this period as Gainey endeavored to protect Markov’s health. Komisarek & Markov effectively shut down Ovechkin except for a final shot in the last few seconds of play where he scored a power play goal.
– Canadiens 9 Total 32
– Lightning 13 26
– WSH, A. OVECHKIN (44) (B. WILLSIE, B. CLYMER), 19:49
Even if the play wasn’t all that very ‘inspired’, the Canadiens finally won out over the Capitals though the damage was effectively done in a short two-minute three goal explosion.
On the other hand, Montreal’s defensive play was quite effective. Most of the shots taken on Huet’s net were not of a threatening nature. He may have looked a bit weak on the 1st goal and to be scored upon by Alex Ovechkin is nothing much to be ashamed about. As mentioned in the 3rd period summary, Ovechkin was pretty well kept out of the play and almost right off of the score-sheet throughout the game. His only offensive contribution coming on a power play goal with 11 seconds to go in the game.
Of note: Montreal players who stood out this game were Mike Komisarek, Sheldon Souray & Mathieu Dandenault. Bégin, Koivu and Kovalev, though they didn’t score were often in charge of the play when they were on the ice.
With this victory, Montreal is able to keep ahead of the Thrashers who thrashed the Sabres. The Canadiens were also able to gain a point on Tampa Bay who lost to Florida in overtime. At the same time, they were able to put up two more points on Boston who lost to the Rangers.
See you in Long Island for the second game in two nights.
THREE STARS
1 – Komisarek
2 – Koivu
3 – Dandenault
