- Former Colorado Avalanche centre Nazem Kadri scored the overtime winner as the Calgary Flames beat the New York Islanders this afternoon. The Canadiens will remain as the second wild-card team no matter what they do versus the Avs. But that doesn’t mean they can’t secure two points anyway.
Pre-game
- I really wish they would stop this pre-anthem message. The only ones making the anthem-booing being about the players involved are the Canadiens with that comment.
First period
- Josh Anderson lays a thunderous kit on Ryan Lindgren in the opening minutes to really bring the crowd into this game.
- Mike Matheson is just shadowing Nathan MacKinnon again tonight. That dedicated assignment might help him put a poor game on Long Island behind him.
- Cale Makar sends a shot glancing off the crossbar.
- Jayden Struble just denied a zone entry to Martin Necas and took the puck away at the same time.
- It’s all Colorado at this stage, launching shots and forcing Montembeault into a high volume of saves, even if they’re not all that dangerous.
- Montreal is having one of those stretches where no one on the team can complete a pass. I’m guessing that happens because everyone is just improving and not where they’re supposed to be.
- Sam Malinksi opens the scoring on Colorado’s 1oth shot of the game, a shot that beat Montembeault through a bit of traffic.
- It’s 2-0 for Colorado. Apparently no one on the coaching staff watched any tape of the Avs-Senators game on Thursday, because Montreal has no answer for them early.
- They can’t come back in every game.
- Anderson lays another big hit to raise the mood of the Bell Centre.
- Lane Hutson jumps up to join Juraj Slafkovský trying to become the third defenceman to score in this period, and draws a slashing penalty. A chance for Montreal to get back in this game.
- At the very least, it will be two minutes of needed passing practice.
- That power play really helped the Habs find their legs. They’re actually spending time in Colorado’s zone now.
- Colorado gets one chance after about six minutes without anything, and nearly scored. They can do that.
- A good response from Montreal, but they’re going to have a tough time outscoring them by two in the final 40 minutes.
Second period
- Montreal looks as good to start the second as it did to end the first. Now to get a goal.
- Keaton Middleton wants to fight with Anderson for going to the crease to follow up a shot. The Sheriff saunters up and says something like “No one treats my Powerhorse that way” and drops the gloves with Middleton instead. Xhekaj gets his
- Makar hits his second post of the game.
- Montreal had a bit of momentum, but Joel Armia decided to stop his change just before heading through the door, and Slafkovský jumped on the ice for the too many men call.
- Colorado scores on the man advantage, and that’s probably it for this game.
- Or is it? Slafkovský gets that goal right back as he tips Struble’s point shot.
Juraj Slafkovsky with the deflection and the Habs are on the board!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) March 22, 2025 at 9:25 PM
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- Struble has six assists since the 4 Nations.
- Patrik Laine draws another penalty, his second of the past three games.
- Montreal doesn’t get a goal, but they did get good momentum off their last one, so we’ll see what happens this time.
- Xhekaj rushes into the zone and Slafkovský collects a bouncing puck with Mackenzie Blackwood down and out, but he slings the puck over the half-empty net. He needed to bear down on that puck instead of just swinging at it.
- Struble lays a big hit in the corner on Charlie Coyle. Coyle retaliates after the play is over with a cross-check to Struble’s face. The refs call the situation correctly: it’s a Montreal power play.
- Hutson again jumps up to lead the charge, and gets taken down by Devon Toews on a mini break. Five-on-three Montreal. This has to end in a goal.
- I don’t understand why you alter the formation at five-on-three versus five-on-four. Why is Hutson at the goal line with a two-man advantage when you trust him to platy the point when there are four defenders on the ice? He has 23 power-play points while playing that spot. It makes no sense.
- Laine gets taken down when going to the net. The ref doesn’t want to call three successive penalties on Colorado.
- Mike Matheson tries a one-on-one move at the blue line right as the second penalty expires, and Toews hits the post on a breakaway from centre ice.
- MacKinnon takes down Matheson on the boards and gets called. Matheson gets up and throws a phantom elbow at him. It didn’t connect, but it wasn’t smart at all from Matheson. He’s had a lot of bad moments recently.
- Too many squandered chances in that period. The game should be at least 3-2, but it’s going to require another multi-goal third-period comeback for Montreal to win this one.
Third period
- Newhook gets an early look. He skates in a carries the puck across the front of the net, and can’t get a shot. He;s had the puck in that position about four times tonight, and has recorded zero shots on target.
- Brock Nelson tips a point shot, and it’s 4-1 Colorado. Suzuki was on him, but didn’t have Nelson’s stick tied up.
- Colorado is content with a three-goal lead, and Montreal can’t get anything going to threaten it.
- Newhook actually hits the net this time, and it creates a rebound that Joshua Roy can poke in,. He has goals in consecutive games. 4-2 Colorado.
Joshua Roy gets to the Alex Newhook rebound for goals in back to back games
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) March 22, 2025 at 10:31 PM
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- Well just hang on a minute here. Slafkovský battles for the puck along the wall, walks it into the middle and fires it through Blackwood to make it a one-goal game.
LIVE SLAF LOVE Habs within a goal!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) March 22, 2025 at 10:34 PM
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- The Bell Centre is alive
- Hutson rips a shot off the crossbar and out. So close to being tied.
- Caufield fires a shot off the crossbar.
- Roy finds an on-charging Matheson, and Blackwood has to make an excellent save to keep his team in the lead.
- Montreal is doing everything but tie this game up.
- Dvorak jumps on the ice and accepts a pass at the blue line. No Avalanche player is able to defend his run to the net, and he roofs the puck on the backhand. This game is, somehow, tied.
CHRISTIAN DVORAK! TIE GAME
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) March 22, 2025 at 10:42 PM
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- Brendan Gallagher just mugged his centre after that goal. He’s a happy boy.
- The Avs’ defensive coverage breaks down completely and allows Alexandre Carrier to walk right down the slot. He opts to shoot, but Blackwood makes the glove save.
- Colorado has settled down to get some possession of its own.
- Montreal needs to turn the level back up a notch for the final two minutes.
- Newhook leads a four-on-two, but has no idea he has so much help with him and just dumps the puck to the corner. But that does take some time off the clock
- That is a shocking point for Montreal. They were all but guaranteed to get zero from this game.
Overtime
- Laine is very lucky to get away with a very loud pick to let Hutson skate away with the puck. Maybe he shouldn’t get overtime shifts.
- Now a penalty is coming to Montreal. The refs were looking for something to call after that Laine play
- First minute killed.
- Matheson had a chance to set up a short-handed chance for Evans, but decided to ice it instead. That could end up being a poor decision.
- The overtime ends with Mike Matheson trying to skate the puck into the Colorado net, but the puck trickles wide.
- No ROW, but a second point would be more important.
Shootout
- Cole Caufield goes first. He’s stopped by Blackwood’s blocker.
- Charlie Coyle scores on a quick backhand.
- Suzuki makes 15 dekes, but Blackwood gets a toe on the puck. I feel that Montreal’s attempts are too slow.
- Valeri Nichushkin is stopped by Montembeault.
- It’s all up to Laine. He copies the Coyle goal to keep this game going.
- Nathan MacKinnon comes up fourth. Montembeault makes a big save.
- Dvorak kicks off round four by running out of room on a deke.
- Brock Nelson scores, and Montreal’s comeback will only get them a point.
- Montreal is 8-1-4 since the 4 Nations, just accumulating points as they go.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) A rare occurrence indeed
2) Always a dilemma
1) And a lifetime fandom was born
