After a surprise win for England versus France in London last night, it is time to see if Montreal can get the surprise win against Tampa before the Super Bowl starts.
First Period
- Offsetting penalties to start the game; Laine with some good play along the boards and it will be a busy night if the refs have that level for ‘holding the stick.’
- Slafkovský steals the puck but fumbles the pass to Caufield and Nick Paul is alone with Dobeš and makes no mistake. 1-0 Tampa.
- Victor Hedman makes it 2-0, a complete mess up from Hutson and Struble.
- If you call Laine for holding the stick, you need to call the Tampa player for the hold of Dach’s stick.
- Mayhem in front the Tampa goal, everyone gets a chance, but no-one scores.
- More chances, the team is buzzing bit there is no use as they never sting.
- A puck takes Carrier down.
- Anderson on the breakaway, and getting a penalty shot – missed.
- A pet peeve of mine is that the penalty shot isn’t a good scoring chance, it should be a penalty shot and a two minute minor. If the shot is scored, then no power play.
- PowerKill™…
- … and with 11 seconds to go, out of a failed dump by Tampa Newhook enters the zone and drops it for Gallagher. 2-1 Tampa.
- Montreal finishes the period a man down, Matheson to the box.
Second Period
- Puck over the glass, and it’s called a penalty. However, the refs take it back after a quick conversation not even a look after the challenge from Martin St.Louis.
- Dobeš loses his footing, and Point has an open net and a ton of time. 3-1 Tampa.
- He calls it a night and Montembeault comes in, and makes a good save directly.
- Anderson gets another breakaway, no goal, and follows up with a weaker shot.
- 4-1 out of nothing. Calamity after the face off.
- Badaboom, 4-2. Dvorak puts it in the net with a nice shot. His chance comes after a ferocious shot by Slafkovský.
- Suzuki gets Cernak down on the ice and makes a cross ice pass for Caufield to tap in, however Vasilevskiy snaps it right in front of Caufield.
Third Period
- Glendening off for a trip on Laine.
- Suzuki hits the bar, more or less from Laine’s office. Good movement and forcing the defence to not only wait/cover for the pass to Laine.
- Anderson and Armia with chances, but no goal. Lightning is gifted goals, not even high danger chances goes Montreal’s way.
- Gallagher gets his second, and the Canadiens are within one. 4-3 Tampa.
- Too much time and Montembeault doesn’t need to make a save on Girgensons’ breakaway.
- Timeout with 50 to go.
- Matheson falls on the blue line, Laine defends the open net, but in the end it’s a Tampa goal. 5-3 Tampa.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) Two really good games if only we could take out the five seconds before each goal the opponents scored
2) The Habs are perfectly happy to see him in the crease
1) Some change can’t be bad for him at this point
