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Canadiens @ Islanders Top Six Minutes: Habs help complete playoff picture

The New York Islanders just need a point to make the playoffs. That may be worse than needing to get a win.

First period

  • The Islanders start their energy line, and it has the desired effect with the crowd in the game early.
  • At the first pause of the opening period, shots are 4-0 Islanders after a couple of successive shots on Samuel Montembeault. You would have expected a bit more from a desperate team.
  • The crowd isn’t into this game so far, but they haven’t really been given reason to be.
  • New York’s most dangerous chances are coming from nonchalant giveaways around Montreal’s net.
  • Denis Gurianov gets Montreal’s first shot. It looked like a fairly obvious hook on his way to the net, but the ref allows it.
  • Now the crowd can exhale as Montembeault is fooled on a shot he expected to be a pass.
  • The Sean Farrell-Jonathan-Drouin-Gurianov line gets two great looks from close range, but can’t convert.
  • Now Montreal is starting to control the play.
  • Kyle Palmieri gets in alone on a breakaway, but is surprised when Montembeault reads his deke perfectly, and can’t manage anything other than sliding the puck into his pads.
  • Matheson thinks about going one-on-five while Montreal is changing, but decides that’s more of a 2023-24 thing to attempt.
  • Jake Evans hunts down an Islanders puck-carrier, steals the puck, walks into the slot, and sends a no-look pass to the side into Rem Pitlick’s wheelhouse, and it’s 1-1. A great sequence from the centerman.
  • At the opposite end, Joel Edmundson rings the puck to the Islanders, a shot rolls up and over Montembeault, and Hudson Fasching knocks it in to let the crowd exhale once more. They’ll take a lead into the intermission, but it’s not a convincing performance for them so far.

Second period

  • Montembeault has to scramble to make a few saves early in the first, and Edmundson takes a penalty on the same seuqnece. Time for the NHL’s 31st-ranked power play to go to work.
  • Yep, definitely the second-worst power play in the NHL right there. At least Montreal gets a chance or two.
  • Evans and Pitlick try to re-enact their first-period goal, but this one won’t go.
  • The Islanders have played a bit more consistenrly in the second period, and now they have a two-goal lead as Brock Nelson tips the puck in.
  • Brendan Gallagher tries to land a hip check, but makes contact with his knee instead. He heads to the box for that infraction, and for roughing for an altercation after the fact.
  • Samuel Bolduc lumbers back to collect the puck on the power play, but Nick Suzuki races in at full speed to just beat him to the puck, flicking it in one-handed for a short-handed goal. It might be one of the nicest goals of the season.
  • A high-sticking call brings that disastrous Isles power play to an early end.
  • Montreal doesn’t tie it up on the power play, because their own isn’t very good either.

Third period

  • Both teams seem pretty happy with the score to start the third period, so not a lot is happening.
  • That’s still true as they approach the midpoint.
  • Mike Hoffman decides to spice things up by cross-checking his man into the end boards.
  • A chance for the Islanders to perfect their power play for the post-season
  • … Or another highlight-reel Suzuki goal.
  • It’s the former, and another tip in close. Maybe that’s the strategy going forward.
  • People are leaving after that goal, confident the post-season spot is secured, or completely unaware of the stakes.
  • Hoffman is hurt after a hit along the boards. It wouldn’t be a Habs game otherwise.
  • And that will do it. Islanders in, Penguins out, and the Habs hang on to the fifth-best lottery odds.

EOTP 3 Stars

3) I remember him scoring at a 100-point pace

2) That feels like cheating

1) Everyone’s crafting their best Marchand comment

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