Canadiens vs. Flames Top Six Minutes: Allen’s home game debut foiled by Calgary

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:

• I’m requesting a repeat performance of Thursday night. Complete with a Tkachuk smackdown. Thank you./

First period:

• No Carey Price in net on a Saturday night. That’s just weird.
• Flames get the first power play of the night thanks to Kulak. Let’s hope this doesn’t backfire.
• As they say, hope is a girl’s name, not a strategy. When you leave Gaudreau wide open, dude’s gonna score.
• You know what might help us even it up? Getting out of our own zone.
• The first kerfuffle of the night results in four players heading to the box.
• That is until Danault joins Romanov and Perry and the Flames get the man advantage once again.
• Allen’s getting fancy now, making saves using Petry’s stick. As long as he’s keeping the puck out, he can use a golf club for all I care.
• The closest call of the period goes to Suzuki but Markstrom is just a second faster.
• Fifteen seconds left and the Habs finally head to their first power play after Mangiapane roughs up Drouin... right in front of the ref. /

Second period:

• Valimaki is the latest casualty of a Weber shot. Thinking you should have just let that one pass through, hey Valimaki?
• And we’re heading to another power play after Andersson heads to the box for roughing up Gallagher. The Flames are being pretty... rough... tonight.
• Remember guys, you know how to score on the power play now.
• We’re just going to keep trading power plays and getting nothing from it.
• Anderson won’t return for the rest of the night?! What did I miss?
• Weber off the post! We’re getting closer.
• What the hell was that?! Kotkaniemi is flattened behind the net by Dube in a nasty way. Like a hit to the head kind of nasty.
• And Weber’s the one to head to the box. Because, say it with me...
• Then Drouin gets called for tripping when Ryan trips HIMSELF up in Drouin’s stick./

Third period:

• Kotkaniemi is back on the bench, so yay!
• Oh, hey! It looks like Markstrom may get himself a shutout. Good for him.
• The Habs have 31 shots on goal and absolutely nothing to show for it.
• Except for awesomely solid goaltending backing them up. Yes, awesomely solid.
• We have nine minutes left. Enough suspense. Time to break out a shorty guys.
• Allen heads to the bench and the pressure is on.
• Tatar stops the empty netter with an inch to spare.
• But the next shot goes in.
• My shutout jinx attempt clearly didn’t work. /

EOTP 3 Stars

3. It’s always an anxious stretch

2. We tried

1. At least the Canucks and Senators are next