First period
- It’s really nice to see how aggressively the defencemen attack opponents in the neutral zone. That was the whole point of having a mobile defence, and they’re finally beginning to make use of it.
- Jacob Fowler missed the linesman arm going up for an icing and came out to play the puck … right to the stick of a Rangers forward. There are still some things for him to work on.
- Juraj Slafkovský escapes his battle in the corner with the puck, but caught Vladislav Gavrikov in the face with his stick as he tried to free it and play the puck. Montreal’s strong start will take a four-minute hiatus.
- The penalty-killers are getting a little too eager to race to the boards and leaving some ice open in the middle of the ice. The Rangers got some dangerous chances with the space that opened up.
- A post is as close as New York comes in the two minutes, but the Habs would be wise to face those units as little as possible.
- With the kill done, the Canadiens get their chance with the man advantage after a hook on Oliver Kapanen.
- A four-way passing play gets to Cole Caufield at the back post, but his redirect pushes the puck too far his right and bounces off the foot of Igor Shesterkin and away.
- Josh Anderson does some nice work on the cycle deep in the offensive zone, but his only reward is a deflected puck into the of his head. He gets up and skates off hunched over, but stays on the bench.
- Ivan Demidov is flying once again tonight. He’ll take advantage of any open ice he’s allowed.
- Zachary Bolduc makes a pass to Jake Evans’ left cheek then sends another to Anderson who would have needed a stick 20 feet long to accept it, but the line still managed to get up the ice and earn an offensive-zone faceoff.
- Fowler has to make two more saves, one off Mike Matheson’s own deflection and another off the rebound from the surprise puck on goal. That and the four-minute power play were the only moments of trouble for Montreal in the opening 20 minutes. They’re looking like the better team, which is what you hoped in this trap game.
Second period
- Hutson joins a rush with the third line and ends up getting the puck in the slot. Shesterkin reads the play to get there, but it is good to see that trio setting up offensive-zone shifts for the top forwards.
- Alex Newhook wins a faceoff and then makes a well-times stick-check to knock the puck away when the Rangers try to steal it. Demidov picks it with no lane to shoot, but still fakes likes he’s going to to freeze the defence and let Newhook get to a shooting position, where he gets teed up for the opening goal. Great work from both players off that offensive-zone draw.
- Arber Xhekaj goes low in the zone to blast Braden Schneider off the puck and keep the play alive for the top line. It ends with the puck going from Suzuki to Juraj Slafkovský, who makes a backhand pass between his feet to Caufield, and a slapshot to the far-side top corner gives Caufield his 48th.
- The second line gets a little too loose with its passing and gives up a three-on-two that could have reduced the lead to one if not for a wide shot from the Rangers. Martin St-Louis will probably have some words with that trio, but perhaps a little kinder than his previous words for the group.
- Bolduc tries to clear Will Borgen’s stick out of the way on a rush below the goal line and knocks it into his own face, but he earns a high-sticking penalty out of it.
- Shesterkin is making a point to squeeze up against the post as tight as he can when Caufield gets it. A pass from #13 to the opposite side of the crease could create a tap-in.
- What was a good shift for the top line ends in a too many men penalty on an early change, so the Rangers’ dangerous power play goes back to work as the hosts look for their third shot of the period.
- Evans leads a short-handed two-on-one and fights off his man to go in on a deke, almost tucking one past the foot of Shesterkin, but then tripping over it and sliding into the corner.
- Now a five-on-three with Evans down and out, the Rangers quickly counter for a rush chance, but Fowler makes a lunging save on Alexis Lafrenière, who then sends the puck off Fowler’s foot once again, to keep New York off the board.
- Montreal’s top line gets caught on the ice for two minutes and gives the Rangers their fourth shot of the period. New York bails them out with an icing as they tried a stretch pass to hold some tired players on the ice.
- A more chaotic end than it needed to be, but Montreal gets through it with a 2-0 lead. Now to prepare for the period that has caught them out in this season series.
Third period
- The Rangers have decided to try in this period. Another Habs goal would put an end to that.
- Slafkovský just tried the exact same setup to Caufield that worked two nights ago in Tampa, but this time the shot gets saved.
- Hutson somehow calculates a 100-foot bank pass off the boards to the tape of Demidov’s stick in the neutral zone, and Demidov turns it into a shot from the slot.
- Gallagher chips the puck past a defenceman and the blue line to start a rush and dives at the puck trying to direct it in the net. He does a good job to manoeuvre around Shesterkin to not bowl him over at the end, but is feeling the effects of making such an acrobatic move at his age.
- The third goal of the game goes to the Rangers as Adam Fox collects a loose puck before Newhook can get to it, and now we’re in for hairy final 10:39.
- Another third-period collapse versus the Rangers is complete. It’s 2-2 as Will Cuylle skates right through the crease to have the rebound go off him and in. It’s their seventh third-period goal of 11 total in three games.
- You know what the Canadiens could use? A game-breaker. A guy who can get them a lead when they need it most. Cole Caufield is that guy, and the goal comes on an individual effort and a lightning-quick snapshot through Shesterkin’s five-hole. That’s #49.
- The Canadiens are hanging on now. Literally for Matheson and Dobson as they clamp onto a Ranger stick each, but the ref lets that slide. Montreal is fortunate to not be playing the final two minutes on a penalty kill.
- Suzuki misses an empty net, and the Rangers come down the ice for an open shot, but it’s perfectly squared up by Fowler.
- The Rangers use their timeout with one minute to play.
- Guhle blocks the best shot they get with his skate blade.
- An icing with 2.8 seconds to go. A two-point faceoff coming up for Evans.
- It goes to the wall. The Canadiens win. Four-for-four on the road trip. They have 98 points.
- A chance at perfection awaits on Saturday when they head to New Jersey.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) I’m sure Alex Turcotte will score 50 goals in his NHL career
2) No more Second Scaries
1) Start dusting off the synthesizers
