CANADIENS vs FLYERS – Mar 6, 2006
INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
Three games into the six-game road trip and already the goal of playing for .500 has already been achieved. This game against the Flyers is the 4th. The Flyers have been struggling of late and, for our considerations. They’ve lost 13 of the last 18 games.On top of that, they’ve fallen to the Canadiens every time they’ve met so far (a 3 – 2 overtime win in October and a 5 – 3 win in January). Will this ‘domination’ be maintained? It should be kept in mind that Peter Forsberg was away due to injuries for at least the second game but that he’s back now, on the wave of a gold medal at the Olympics. Simon Gagné’s also back after missing a few games.
FIRST PERIOD
*1 – early pressure by the Flyers
4 – presure by the Canadiens
5 – tussle between Rivet & Umberger – Rivet penalty
8 – penalty by the Flyers (Gagné) annuls a goal for them
10 – extended pressure by the Canadiens
15 – penalty Canadiens (Komisarek) – delay of game
16 – penalty Flyers (Richards)
18 – Pressure by the Flyers
* the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
PERIOD SUMMARY
An evenly divided period in all aspects. Shots on goal (10 – 7), scoring (0- 0), penalties (2 – 2) & distribution of periods of pressure.
The Flyers seemed to play a tentative game and, for the 1st part of the period put the majority of the pressure on the Canadiens. From the 10th minute to just about the end, the Canadiens put the majority of the pressure on the Flyers. The Flyers came back for about the last minute.
Small outstanding things that took place – A fight between Rivet & Umberger, a goal post by Markov during the second penalty, a hard hit on Ribiero near the end of the period with Bégin coming to his assistance. Probably the most interesting little thing that happened was the Kovalev didn’t play on the 1st power play. On the second, he was quite a bit more aggressive than he was during the 1st half of the period.
SHOTS ON GOAL
– Canadiens 10 Total 10
– Flyers 8 8< /P>
SCORING
– NO GOALS
SECOND PERIOD
*2 – close call by Kovalev
3-5 – broken play
6 – goal post by the Flyers
7 – strong pressure by the Canadiens
8-11 – broken play
12 – Canadiens penalty (too many men on the ice)
– Flyers goal (power play)
13 – Canadiens penalty (Koivu – hooking)
14 – Higgins break-away – stopped by Esche
15 – Flyers goal (power play)
16 – Canadiens goal (Ribiero)
18 – Ribeiro bowls over Simon Gagné
* the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
PERIOD SUMMARY
This period was one where the Flyers took the most advantage on the Canadiens penalties – two penalties = 2 goals. Ribeiro’s goal was a very important one so as to keep the Canadiens in the game and break the Flyers’ stride. Alex Kovalev had many shots at & on the Flyers net but nothing would go in. The Canadiens penalty for too many men on the ice came as a result of Kovalev’s going towards the bench on a player change but turning around and staying in the play. The result being that the Forsberg scored for the Flyers. The Flyers also scored on Koivu’s penalty for hooking. So, two power play goals for the Flyers on two penalties. An interesting development – Plekanec didn’t play the whole second period – an injury?
SHOTS ON GOAL
– Canadiens 8 Total 18
– Flyers 6 14< /P>
SCORING
– PHI, P. FORSBERG (16) (S. GAGNE, F. MEYER IV), 11:54
– PHI, R. UMBERGER (11) (J. CARTER, J. PITKANEN), 14:37
– MTL, M. RIBEIRO (12) (J. BULIS, R. ZEDNIK), 15:25
THIRD PERIOD
*1 – Small ‘fight’ between Bégin & Brashear
3 – Plekanec plays a shift
5 – Flyers goal – Huet lost control the puck & Desjardins scored
7 – Flyers penalty (Richards)
9 – Canadiens goal (Higgins – power play)
10 – Flyers goal (Pitkanen)
11 – Canadiens penalty (Rivet – slashing)
12 – Canadiens penalty (Komisarek)
16 – Canadiens goal (Ribeiro)
17 – Double penalty Canadiens (Dandenault), Flyers (Savage)
18 – Flyers penalty (hooking)
18 – Canadiens goal (Souray)
19 – Canadiens penalty (Markov – hooking)
* the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
PERIOD SUMMARY
The third period wasn’t a memorable one for Huet. The Flyers scored two goals with Huet being weak on both. Happily, the Canadiens scored three and tied the game – stealing at least a point from what was effectively a sure loss. .A double-minor penalty (Rivet & Komisarek) though the Flyers didn’t score. Huet was weak on the goals by Desjardins and Pitkanen. It seemed a misplayed/offspeed shot that threw him off and Desjardins knocked the pu in from between his legs.
Yet, Huet’s skin was saved by a three-goal period by the Canadiens offence which salvaged what should have been a rout. Higgins, Ribeiro & Souray got the puck past Esche.
SHOTS ON GOAL
– Canadiens 14 Total 32
– Flyers 10 24< /P>
SCORING
– PHI, E. DESJARDINS (2) (P. FORSBERG, M. KNUBLE), 05:27
– MTL, C. HIGGINS (11) (C. RIVET, A. KOVALEV), 08:46
– PHI, J. PITKANEN (10) (S. GAGNE, M. KNUBLE), 09:26
– MTL, M. RIBEIRO (11) , 15:30
– MTL, S. SOURAY (5) (M. RYDER), 18:17
OVERTIME PERIOD
1 – *Canadiens kill the remainder of the Markov penalth
2-3 – Close calls for Bégin and Richards on break-aways
4 – strong pressure by the Flyers
5 – breakaway by Richards stopped by Huet
* the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
OVERTIME SUMMARY
A wildly and swiftly played period. Lots of close calls. Huet bought back his bad goals with fantastic saves on Richards’ two break-aways and a one-timer by Gagné.
* the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
SHOTS ON GOAL
– Canadiens 4 Total 36
– Flyers 4 28< /P>
SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
– Kovalev – missed the net
– Gagné – stopped by Huet
– Ribeiro – SCORE
– Richards – stopped
– Ryder – missed the net
– Forsberg – SCORE
– Perezhogin – stopped
– Nedved – SCORE
GAME SUMMARY
This was a game of lows and highs for Canadiens fans. The lows included the fact that this wasn’t Huet’s best game. He let in two, maybe three weak goals. Also, the Flyers, took 100% advantage of the 1st two Canadiens penalties. The Flyers proceeded to take what seemed an insurmountable lead up until the 15th minute of the 3rd period. At this point, the highs took over. Ribeiro and Souray both scored to bring the game back to even and allow the Canadiens to steal one point in this contest. This was Ribeiro’s best game in a long time. Strong play, good passes, two goals and incessant effort marked this night for him. Also, of happy interest is the fact that the Canadiens outshot the Flyers 36 – 28.
The Canadiens came within one shot of stealing the game from the Flyers. Peter Forsberg scored on the Flyers last of three penalty shots which set up Peter Nedved’s shot which went in behind Huet
.
If the Canadiens play like they did against the Flyers, they should stand a good chance of winning against Toronto.
See you at the ACC.