- Jayden Struble strikes again. David Savard is removed from the lineup just before game time with an upper-body injury, but Struble comes in for this game.
First period
- Those are more like the players you want leading a two-on-one. Cole Caufield takes the puck away at the top of the defensive zone, skates it down to the Penguins’ end, and sends it across for Nick Suzuki, who deposits it in on his backhand. That’s an eight-game point streak for the captain.
Great read by Cole Caufield to intercept, and an even better finish by Nick Suzuki Habs up 1-0
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) December 12, 2024 at 8:15 PM
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- Perfect start to the game.
- Too perfect, so Patrik Laine is off to the box for … hooking.
This is absolutely not hooking and is absolutely an incredible sell job
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) December 12, 2024 at 8:18 PM
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- The plan works to get Pittsburgh back on even terms. Mike Matheson was caught napping as the puck came to the net and he was slow to react.
- Pittsburgh has carried some momentum from that goal.
- Lane Hutson sends a perfect pass across the ice to Christian Dvorak, who has no idea what to do with the puck.
- On the same shift, Hutson sends a pass right to the top of the crease, but Tristan Jarry stones Josh Anderson.
- Hutson could have 40 points. There will be four- and five-point nights in his future.
- Montreal gets a last-minute power play as Blake Lizotte goes off for real hooking.
- They’ll have to score their goal with a fresh top unit to begin the second.
Second period
- Not a very inspiring power play there.
- The crowd got way too excited for another Dvorak breakaway.
- Hutson gets tripped as his goal line, and that’s another Montreal power play. Hopefully this one is better.
- On a unit that features Suzuki, Caufield, and Laine, the Penguins are paying particular attention to Hutson.
- This second power play wasn’t much better.
- Alex Newhook uses his speed to gain a step on his man and accept a Suzuki, but Jarry is on top of it.
- Another Canadiens power play, this time they’ve been informed to actually shoot the puck it seems.
- Now there are too many passes again.
- Kaiden Guhle is lucky he didn’t get burnt for losing track of Sidney Crosby at the top of the crease.
- Bryan Rust pulls the puck right around Matheson from the outside lane, then wraps it across Samuel Montembeault to put Pittsburgh in the lead. It was Matheson’s giveaway that allowed the play to develop in the first place.
- Rust adds another from a sharp angle. Another Matheson giveaway.
- They just can’t beat this Penguins team.
- Joel Armia doesn’t dust off a one-time pass, and Jarry can’t get to that one. It’s 3-2. That goal was set up by a bold neutral-zone deke by Jake Evans to leave a defender behind.
Jake Evans starts the play and Emil Heineman tees up Joel Armia Habs trailing 3-2
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) December 12, 2024 at 9:31 PM
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- Laine’s puck touches and passes are just a little off tonight. He did take practice off yesterday, so I wonder if there’s a physical issue there.
- Kirby Dach collects the puck in the corner and misses the pass to a net-charging Laine by about eight feet.
- The period ends with the Canadiens trailing by a goal. They can win this game, but they need to do more with their possessions.
Third period
- Montreal just didn’t come out with the same energy as Pittsburgh, and they’re on the penalty kill because of it.
- Pittsburgh counters, Montreal leaves the front of the net open, and it’s 4-2. None of Hutson, Laine, or Jayden Struble took away the most dangerous scoring position.
- Anderson whacks Owen Pickering in the back of the head with his stick while below the Penguins’ goal line. It doesn’t seem like a comeback is in the cards.
- Kris Letang makes it 5-2 through a screen. This has been a bad period for the Canadiens.
- 6-2 Penguins. In comes Cayden Primeau.
- At least they don’t play the Penguins again this season.
- They shouldn’t get this discouraged by going down by a couple of goals with the talent they have. You can’t just accept that it’s a loss.
- 7-2. Rust completes his hat trick.
- 8-2. Now you’re just destroying the last thread of confidence Primeau had left.
- 9-2.
- The Canadiens get booed for the final 90 seconds, and they deserve it. They didn’t even pretend to try in that third period.
- The scoring in the season series finishes 18-6 Penguins.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) A couple of penalties notwithstanding, he’s noticeable for good reasons.
2) That highlight reel and still his point streak ends.
1) We just have to keep daydreaming about Demidov.
