Canadiens @ Blue Jackets Top Six Minutes: A crushing blow

First period

• Brett Kulak continues to score from the blue-line. He has been playing solid for the Habs. 1-0 Habs.
• Danault is ready for his shutdown role. Nice dive on Panarin to prevent a shot from the slot.
• Just incredible pressure by the Habs. They are everywhere. Forwards don’t give a second to the opposition and defencemen are consistently supporting the attack.
• Heart is racing. I forgot just how fun those games are. This is so different from last year.

Second period

• Questionable change. 1-1.
• Defencemen have to be careful with their pinch. Blue Jackets are just as fast as the Habs. Jordie Benn learned his lesson.
• That’s a good recipe. Just take another penalty to negate the awful penalty. 2-1 Habs.
• Petry late coverage there. 2-2.
• Just a beautiful play from Matt Duchene, showing why he will be a prime free agent target this summer. Habs down 3-2.

Third period

• If you ever needed proof that momentum is real in hockey, there it is. Columbus are very aggressive, creating turnovers. Habs playing catch-up to a more talented team.
• Now, all Montreal can do is play desperate hockey and hope for the best. Go all out.
• This team has proven it can bounce back from tough losses. It’s bleak, but not over. On to the next must-win game.

Highlight of the night

Petry ties his career high, and had Montreal on top midway through the game:

EOTP 3 Stars

3) If you weren’t there, it’s worth going back to check out the responses to this question:

2) A tough loss after such a competitive season

1) Perhaps this a better scene to think about at the moment