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INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS
This game is another in a series of important ones. The Canadiens pretty well have to win to hope to improve their playoff positioning. They could finish reasonably finish as high as sixth. Fifth is possible but would only take place with the total collapse of the Flyers and mediocre play by the Lightning & Devils. On the other side, ninth is possible but pretty well as possible as fifth. For that to happen, the Canadiens have to have a total crash-and-burn and the Thrashers or Leafs have to play pretty well perfect hockey till the last night.
Ottawa is still playing with missing major members. Our team is also missing some key players – Bégin, Bonk & Bouillon (Killer B’s?) are out. To fill those slots, Zednik & Sundstrom have come in. Also, Aebischer is in to face the Senators for a second game in a row. It’s hoped he has as much success as the last time. A struggling Senators team with major elements missing is still dangerous.
FIRST PERIOD
*13 secs – CANADIENS PENALTY (Komisarek – holding)
3 – CANADIENS GOAL (Higgins)
4 – Fight & multiple penalties
5 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Koivu – holding)
6 – SENATORS GOAL (Spezza)
11 – SENATORS GOAL (Heatley)
12-17 – sustained pressure by the Senators
19 – SENATORS PENALTY (Heatley – hooking)
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
FIRST PERIOD SUMMARY
The absence of the ‘3Bs’ showed in the penalty kill as during the five-on-five play. was evident at the beginning of the period. The Senators were far more often than not winners in the sideline struggles. The Canadiens had the upper hand for the first five minutes but, after that, it was the Senator’s period. The score and shot differential indicated the final break-down of the struggle. In a sense, the Senators should have had more scores but Aebischer kept out some of their best attempts. At the other side of the ice surface, Emery seemed to be hesitant and unsure of himself defense struggled with the Lightning offensive pressure though they settled down as the period progressed.
Zednik &, especially Sundstrom didn’t seem up to the task that would normally have been taken on by Bonk & Bégin. It would almost seem as if the latter of the two doesn’t want to play with the Canadiens anymore. It’ll likely end up that way.
– Canadiens 10
– Senators 16
– MTL, C. HIGGINS (23) (A. MARKOV, M. RYDER), 02:57
– OTT, J. SPEZZA (19) (D. ALFREDSSON, D. HEATLEY), 05:53
– OTT, D. HEATLEY (48) (P. EAVES, A. VOLCHENKOV), 11:10
*1 – Canadiens power play continues – no results 3 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Downey)
5-6 Big pressure by the Canadiens
7 – CANADIENS GOAL (Souray)
8 – continued pressure by the Canadiens
9 – SENATORS PENALTY (Fisher – holding)
12 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Plekanec – holding the stick)
12 – SENATORS PENALTY (Neil – interference)
13 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Dandenault – hooking)
13 – three on four play
15 – SENATORS PENALTY (Schubert – tripping)
18 – CANADIENS PENALTY (Ryder – goalie interference)
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
This period, for the better part belonged to the Canadiens. The Senators only had 2 shots on nets after 13 minutes. A happy development was that Souray had the upper hand on Spezza. The Senators shots mostly came on the power play. The Canadiens defense controlled the Senators attacks much better than in the first period.
Both goalies weren’t tested that much during the period but still, Aebischer seemed much more in control of his game that was Emery.
Things are shaping up for a potentially exciting third period.
– Canadiens 7
– Senators 6
– MTL, S. SOURAY (10) (A. KOVALEV), 06:58
*1-7 broken play with interspersed pressure by both teams
9-11 – sustained pressure by the Senators
12 – CANADIENS GOAL (Zednik)
14-18 – broken play with interspersed pressure by both teams
18 – double penalty (Zednik & Smolinski – roughing)
19 – Senators empty net (five on four)
*the numbers are minutes indicators and are approximate.
The third period was a mix of a let-down from the expectations after a hard fought second period interspersed by occasional instances of pressure by both teams. The penalty-fest of the second period was replaced by a very well controlled play by both teams. The only called infractions were a double-minor on Smolinski who roughed up Zednik who was, in turn, penalized due to his retaliation. The only goal, by the Canadiens was a result of a scrum in front of the Senators net.
– Canadiens 8
– Senators 15
– MTL, R. ZEDNIK (15) (M. RIBEIRO, M. DANDENAULT), 09:27
Yet again, David Aebischer proved his worth as the return part of the Colorado trade. Often, he was the reason the Canadiens remained in the game and had the opportunities to salvage what should likely be considered a stolen victory.
The only replacement player who had a significant impact in this game was Zednik. Even then, his general play wasn’t that great. He was there for the goal, as important as that was.
As I stated at the beginning and alluded to earlier in my game summary, the Senators remain, for the Canadiens at least, formidable opponents. If the Canadiens meet them in the first round, it will take inspired play by all of our team during all of each game they play for our boys to come out on top. If the Senators get ‘fortified’ by the return of Hasek, Chara, Phillips, Redden & Havlat, I do believe that it’ll take something along the lines of Divine intervention to see us came out victorious in that series. The Senators remain one of the prime candidates for the Stanley Cup this year.
– Canadiens 25
– Senators 37
THREE STARS
1 – Aebischer
2 – Souray
3 – Alfredsson
