As the Canadiens game ended with a win, HNiC switched to the Leafs game in time to see Sidney Crosby win it in a shootout. That was double awesome.
The Tampa Bay shot trackers are pretty suspect, but giving them the benefit of the doubt, the Habs ate the Lightning alive in the third.
Yeah, they never really should have been in it, but they held the Bolts without a shot until Cedrick Desjardins was on the bench. They finished the period outshooting Tampa 13-1, outscoring them 3-0.
Michael Ryder was clearly interfered with on one goal by the Lightning. He responded by leading both teams with 7 shot attempts and racking up another 2 assists, 5 in the last 3 games now.
Ryder will score his hundredth in a Habs jersey tomorrow in Florida. Book it.
Down 3-1 to start the third, Canadiens captain Brian Gionta scored to get the game within one, then made a brilliant move to take the puck off of the left side boards and sent it to Alexei Emelin who tied it.
Emelin now has 6 points in his last six games. Can we try him on the PP over Bouillon please?
Speaking of Francis Bouillon. His assist while sitting on his bum in the crease tonight was his first powerplay point on the year, in spite of getting second wave time there the last 24 games. Why is he there again?
Guy Boucher loves his 1-3-1 system, but I honestly don’t think he has the defensive horses in order to pull it off. Tampa’s passive approach in the third got them killed.
Brandon Prust left the game with a shoulder injury. No news on him tonight I’d say, but if he didn’t play through it, my guess is that it’s serious.
I have a ton of work to do getting tomorrow’s stuff ready and we’re rolling out the half season review starting on Monday, so no EOTP Three Stars tonight.
However, the first star, by request, is gary 7986, who brought the tying goal with him upon signup. Hello, new good luck charm!
