Canadiens @ Lightning Top Six Minutes: Young guns take out the veterans

For our new readers and members, the Top Six Minutes is a continuation of the discussion in the game thread. We try to keep it light and entertaining. Full recaps are up the morning after every game.

Pre-game

• Hey, Jordan Harris! Welcome to the big league!
• Meet Tampa. We don’t like Tampa./

First period

• Tampa heads to the box for roughing right out of the gate. You realize we’re not a threat to your little playoff status, right?
• Well, I mean, they are wearing their black villain uniforms tonight so I guess they’re just trying to make good on it.
• Savard walks in, tries to go backhand, and... runs out of space.
• Harris almost picks up his first NHL assist. Way to jump on in there Jordan.
• This Pitlick-Suzuki-Caufield line could be something.
• Stamkos opens the scoring. Of course, he does.
• Suzuki goes for the wraparound but Elliott gets back just in time.
• Suzuki tries again but gets tripped and off to the power play we go.
• Guess who scored? Yep. Tampa.
• However, Cirelli ended up in the net too so goalie interference challenge here we come.
• No interference. It was totally interference since he prevented Allen from being able to move his pad to stop the puck. But hey, I don’t have the magic rulebook that changes during every challenge.
• Wow, what a save by Elliott. Is what I would say if I didn’t loathe Tampa so much. So, meh, a bit of a showboat.
• Cirelli ran Allen again in the final seconds.
• Villains./

Second period

• Habs are flying to start this period with shot attempts galore. One even goes off the post. I wonder if one will go in the net?
• Or, you know, we could just run Elliott and chase it with the puck. It’s fine to do that, you know.
• Two-on-none from centre ice, Caufield to Pitlick to Caufield, and we’re on the board!
• Kucherov gets a power-play goal as Harris sits in the sin bin for playing without a helmet. I warned you about Tampa, Harris.
• Schueneman makes it 3-2!! Serves them right since Suzuki was getting cross-checked as the puck flew in the net.
• Anderson on the breakaway goes five-hole and we’re tied!! If nothing else, I got to enjoy an Anderson goal tonight.
• And naturally, Tampa takes the lead again on the power play with 15 seconds left.
• Villains./

Third period

• Tyler Pitlick plays the puck despite it getting caught in his skates, passes to Poehling, who passes to Ylonen and we’re all tied up once again!
• Allen denies Point and it’s lovely.
• First-day jitters aren’t slowing Harris down.
• Oh no, Cirelli is heading for Allen. Amazing. He didn’t run him this time. First time for everything, I suppose.
• Speed is picking up in the final two minutes.
• Allen with the poke check on Sergaachev’s fancy little dipsy-doodle to keep it even.
• That’s a point!/

Overtime

• Allen keeps the game going more than once.
• Some pushing and shoving after Allen’s last save.
• Allen is getting a little help from his friends and it’s awesome.
• Period ends with an after whistle scrum because you know, villains.
• Let’s keep this party going, shall we?/

Shootout

• Kucherov ends up on his butt after taking his shot. It was perfect.
• Suzuki has a chance to win it all...
• And he does!!
• The heroes defeat the villains!/

EOTP 3 Stars

3) Some very promising players on the blue line

2) That was a fun one to watch

1) We’re slowly learning the new rulebook