Top Six Minutes

Canadiens vs. Avalanche Top Six Minutes: Colorado gets snowed under by Pacioretty & Co.

The Bell Centre scoreboard registered double digits for the first time ever.

By Veronica Canete@chile_pepper Dec 10, 2016, 9:52pm EST

NHL: Colorado Avalanche at Montreal Canadiens

Carey Price, Carey Price, Carey Price. Every week, a new Montreal Canadiens narrative. There was a lot of pearl-clutching these past couple of days over the league’s best goalie, if not player, laying down the law after getting run in his crease for the second time in the same game.

But there was a lot of approval, as well. Enough is enough, as (ironically) the band Toronto sang in the 80s. Wonder how much vigilante justice the NHL will put up with from goalies before they start sincerely protecting them? And could there possibly have been a more effective advocate in the league for this cause?

It seems this team, this group, is all-in for each other. It seems this group, including their coach and management, are ALL in a foxhole. Them against the world. That’s important.

The Canadiens are still number one overall. They’ve also been playing an entertaining brand of hockey. Colorado isn’t exactly a rival and haven’t exactly been good, but I’m looking forward to this one. There might also be wine.

First period:

Forty seconds in, and I’m already sick of hearing about Jarome Iginla’s 1500th game.
Brian Flynn, one of my favourites, opens the scoring! Daniel Carr doing what he should be doing, getting dirty at the net.
1-0, good guys!
Oh, my dear sweet Captain. I’m SO GLAD he didn’t pass that! That was FILTHY.
2-0. I’d say his foot is all better now, eh?
Patch is back. He. Is. Back.
Lehkonen! 3-0 in this, er, avalanche of goals.
So - powerplay? What’s the rule? Wasn’t there a penalty before the goal?
Bye, bye, Pickard.
Ouf, not even eight minutes gone!
Oh my lord. Oh, my captain!
4-0!
Oh my god! Speedy Von Byron!
HAHAHAHA
5-0! Have they broken yet another century-old record in this game?
NOT EVEN NINE MINUTES GONE
Pretty sure the Habs are gonna win this one. Do you want to spend the rest of this time talking about how handsome our team is? Or maybe, relationships?
OK, so if New Jersey was a ‘statement game,’ what do we call this? I’d say it’s a goddamned Riot Act.
Uh oh, Colorado powerplay. Adversity!
Flynn, Pacioretty, Lehkonen, Pacioretty, Byron. Just trying to remember all the goals.
Sorry - FLYNNER, again! 6-0!
Michel Therrien looks like a million bucks.
Gallagher just had his way with that puck all around those Avalanche players.
Nooooooooo they scored.
6-1. Crap.
Just kidding! But the shutout would have been nice.

Second period:

Here we go!
Every player is a +1? Amazing.
Sorry - * at least * a +1.
Habs powerplay! I want a Weber goal. It’s been too long.
Lots of Weber shots, no cigar.
OH a tidy breakaway but nada. Is it greedy to want more goals? There’s so much time left!
I have a new enemy: Zadorov. Stay off Shaw.
Almost, Petry!
There’s been a lot less to talk about this period, but I guess we can talk about how great it is to be winning by five goals.
Radulov. OK, six goals!
Ouf, Rene Bourque is the goat on that one, too.
I know what we can talk about! Our Radulov feelings. I’ll go first. I love him! Most of all, I love the way he makes me feel about myself.
Yes, yes, we know Patrick Roy wanted Radulov and the supposition is that’s part of why he quit his job and left his management team in a lurch. As if Radulov would have even wanted to go to Colorado.
No tripping on Radulov? When did rules stop being rules?
By the way don’t look now, but Plekanec has three assists.
HATS HATS HATS for the Captain!
Radulov could have had that one. He gave it to Max. That’s a teammate.
I love this team.
What’s the score??
Petry! 9-1, powerplay goal. 9-1. My stars.

Third period:

This wine is delicious!
Pickard’s back?
Already an Avalanche penalty? No, I guess not.
When did rules stop being rules. So what, they’re losing, rules are rules.
Oh! A post!
Agh!
OK, clearly the Habs are interested in trying to put yet more pucks into the net.
Max! 10-1!!!!!!!!!
FOUR GOALS for the Captain.
Has he hit 30 on the season yet?!
When was the last time the Habs scored 10 goals in one game?
Pacioretty got a penalty? What a call.
Who hasn’t scored? Hope Plekanec gets a shorty.
Price has only faced 12 shots. TWELVE.
I don’t know about you, but I want the Habs to get at least one more to make up for the goal deficit from The Aberration in Columbus.
Avs didn’t score on that powerplay, btw.
4:39 left.
Roy would pull the goalie right now.
Weber’s fighting! Have I mentioned I love him?
Emelin lets his guy go, and it’s a goal, the critics would pounce, no matter the score. Especially if your name is Alexei Emelin.
Emelin is playing his game, and that’s all I have to say about that.
Although, dollars to donuts that that’s going to be the post-game talking point.
Where did the saying ‘dollars to donuts’ come from?
Did I say post-game? The HNIC guys are STILL talking about Emelin.
42 seconds left!
36!
Game over. 10-1. Your Captain got four. 14-1-1 at home this season.
Life is fantastic.
Enjoy your evenings!