Pre-game
- I honestly can’t recall being this excited for a game in mid-February, I can’t wait to see if the Habs that take the ice are the same refreshed team we saw at practice Friday.
- Good thing it’s an afternoon game!
- Last time these two teams played, it was a defence-optional game (7-4 win for Montreal) and that was fun to watch but I still want some solid D by the Habs.
- Artturi Lehkonen scored twice and had an assist in his only game against the Jets. Here’s hoping for a repeat performance.
- Patrik Laine, meanwhile, was injured for the last game, this is his first against the Canadiens.
- Happy Hockey Day in Canada, everyone!/
First Period
- Bob Cole! This is a great Hockey Day already.
- Claude Julien gets a pop from the crowd, he has to be loving this.
- Price denies Wheeler on the break. So far so good.
- High speed opening of the game, few stoppages in the first five minutes.
- Michael McCarron’s size surprises and impresses me every single time I see him.
- It looks almost like the Habs are doing anything necessary to avoid dumping the puck in. Lots of puck control and board play, line support. Confirmation bias or the beginning of the Julien effect? Only time will tell.
- Laine vs Price chapter one: Price snags a Laine snapper with his glove. Still scoreless.
- Andrei Markov finishes off a beautiful play by Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk, we have a 1-0 lead!
- Gulp – Shea Weber tosses the puck over the boards, earning himself a delay penalty.
- PRICE! You think Carey wants to have a good showing or what? He is stopping everything so far.
- Bit of a sloppy period but honestly so much fun to watch. Jets were better than Habs, but Andrei Markov and Carey Price stole the show. /
Second Period
- A little less sloppy to open the second, the rink rust seems to be wearing/worn off.
- Habs head to the powerplay after one of the slowest collisions Carey Price has seen lately. Trouba to the box.
- Oh. Oh no. Bad giveaway.
- Aw crap, it turned into a breakaway.
- Snap, shorthanded breakaway goal by the Jets. Joel Armia with the steal and the dangle. Price was all alone and Armia scored a beauty.
- Back to the man advantage as the Jets get called for too many men. Please no more SHG…
- Beaulieu just got robbed on the stick side. What a pass by Galchenyuk through the slot.
- Gally gets called for slashing, this period is much slower than the first.
- That didn’t last long – Markov gets cross-checked by Matthew Perreault and we’re going to have some four on four hockey!
- As an Andrei Markov stunt double, I do not appreciate Perreault right now.
- Nikita Nesterov breaks a skate blade and it results in the usual hilarious falling over of a grown man.
- Galchenyuk and Radulov together just makes me happy.
- Shaw with an almost-break, couldn’t quite get separation from his man.
- Big collision between Laine and Radulov, neither of whom saw the other coming. Radu popped back up, checked on Laine before heading to the bench. Classy move.
- Tied 1-1 after 40 minutes. /
Third Period
- Here we go, time to win this!
- Laine back, looks in good health. Phew, that’s nice to see.
- Pricer!!!! Comin’ in big again.
- Aw damn. Byfuglien just, either by magic or luck, made an assist of the year candidate. Scheifele with the goal, Buff and Laine with the apples.
- Winnipeg is playing better now.
- Chucky split two Jets but ran into a giant Dustin Byfuglien. That kind of puts an end to your rush quickly.
- Holy Carey Price. If it weren’t for him, this game could be way out of hand.
- Danault getting some time on the top line; Julien looking to get his team going.
- Ooooh, good time to head to the PP.
- Ooops, Radulov takes one of his own, back to four on four.
- Byron competing hard.
- Oh man good thing Laine fanned on that….
- This game is all Carey Price. All. Carey. Price. And a fair amount of Andrei Markov.
- Laine scored, but needed an empty net to do it. /
EOTP 3 Stars
Third star
Second star
First star
