Canadiens @ Panthers Top Six Minutes: There Won’t Be (Much) Blood

Pre-Game

• For the love of God, please let this game not devolve into a stupid mess where players get hurt.
• It’s totally going to turn into a stupid mess where stupid idiots, do stupid idiot things isn’t it?
• Congrats on daughter #2 Carey, Team Canada’s women’s team is likely set in net in 20 years or so.
• Good look to you to Antti Niemi, because behind you it’s a 20 year old with less than two years professional experience./

First Period

• Well, that’s a great start by Phillip Danault!
• That’s an even better start by Tomas Tatar!
• And now Jesperi Kotkaniemi gets a good chance, this is the kind of on-ice mauling I’m in favour of y’all.
• Nic Deslauriers turned down a fight?
• And scored??? The end is truly nigh.
• Oh yeah, Aaron Ekblad is around, forgot about him until he hit Jonathan Drouin.
• Henrik Borgstrom is good, leaving him with space in the slot is not.
• Mike Reilly skates in, and skates, and skates, and skates...Some say he’s still skating to this day.
• Who the hell is Denis Malgin?
• This is not a goaltending clinic by any stretch of the imagination at this point.
• Great pressure and a power play! (I think this is a good thing)/

Second Period

• Phillip, this is the exact opposite of last period’s start.
• Good penalty kill begets a great looking Max Domi rush, I’ll take it!
• Another penalty, but Niemi looks great as he stones Mike Hoffman’s one time chance!
• In fact Niemi looks sharp this period, like the guy last year who played with a chip on his shoulder the whole time.
• I think Claude Julien should call the “score a goal” play, 60 percent of the time, it works every time.
• Tripping is now legal apparently, poor Michael Chaput.
• I do like seeing this aggressive play from Brett Kulak though, it’s how he found success in the AHL to start the year.
• RIP Aleksander Barkov, cause of demise: Shea Weber slap shot./

Third Period

• It appears Barkov’s demise was overstated, he seems no worse for wear after that Weber blast.
• Habs are finding space to work in the slot, with Artturi Lehkonen and Tatar finding space, be nice if they can find a goal there too!
• BIG SAVE NIEMI
• POST FOR GALLAGHER
• WORDS ON THIS ARTICLE!
• Niemi has been nothing short of fantastic since the first period, and he shuts down Borgstrom this time.
• Him playing the puck on the power play did however stop my heart momentarily.
• Big five on three now, load up the Weber bomb.
• Or give the puck to Tatar that works too!
• Fast Habs are fun, watching chances appear out of nowhere makes these games so much more exciting.
• Did I just see a Deslauriers breakaway off of a kicked puck?! What on earth is this game?
• Oh my, Mike Matheson got posterized again, what a snipe by Lehkonen to finish.
• Aaron Ekblad decided to seek his revenge on Max Domi finally!
• By getting his butt kicked by Phillip Danault apparently?
• Okay Habs, please don’t do this now, things have been going so well.
• Empty net goal WOOOOOOOOOOOOO/

Highlight of the night

Mike Matheson gets beat by Andrew Shaw, and Artturi Lehkonen snipes his seventh goal of the year off a great pass. pic.twitter.com/n40CNiG3Pq

— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) December 29, 2018

EOTP 3 Stars

3) Just your typical December game in hockey’s hotbed is all

2) The slump is officially over

1) It’s an all-year Christmas gift