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.
RIP Leonard Cohen, a true genius.
Pre-game:
- Carey Price hasn’t lost in a long time. Maybe he’s forgetting what losing is.
- Peter Budaj has posted shutouts in his last two games. It’s awesome to see him back in the NHL playing so well.
- Max Pacioretty will alongside Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw tonight. This should be interesting. Danault has played well and deserves a promotion. I’m just hoping Pacioretty can break his slump playing on a line with a two-way forward in Danault and quintessential grinder in Shaw./
First Period:
- Rogie Vachon is honoured to start the game with a classy ceremony to celebrate his induction into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame next week.
- The Canadiens get off to a good start by drawing a penalty in the opening minutes, but are not very threatening on the ensuing powerplay.
- This game is moving quickly, only a couple of whistles in the first eight minutes.
- Paul Byron does it again! Alex Radulov drives to the net from the corner and the puck comes loose for Byron who breaks Peter Budaj’s 140 minute shutout streak to put the Habs up 1-0.
- It’s midway through the period and the Habs are ahead in shot attempts (13-7) and not trailing on the shot-clock (5-5).
- The Habs go up by two! Off a draw won by Torrey Mitchell, Andrei Markov unloads a shot that Daniel Carr deflects past Peter Budaj to put the Habs up 2-0.
- That was as solid a first period the Habs have played all season. They outshot the Kings 13-7 and end the period with a 24-16 lead in shot attempts./
Second Period:
- Anze Kopitar almost ends his goalless drought but can’t slide the puck into the net after guiding it around Carey Price on a reverse wrap-around.
- Moments later, Dustin Brown breaks in around Nathan Beaulieu and drives to the net, leaving a loose puck to be tucked in by either of his two linemates who both miss the puck before it’s cleared away and out of danger.
- The Canadiens start to get back into the game, regaining control of possession and starting to generate some chances and attempts on the net.
- Michel Therrien’s line-up is paying off. Phillip Danault puts the Habs up 3-0 after corralling a high-rebound and then shooting the puck from a sharp angle to net his fourth-goal of the season. Danault ties his 2015-16 season goal-total with the goal.
- The Canadiens are dominating again. The Kings have the odd chance but their shots are made to look non-threatening by Carey Price. It’s quite the talent to be able to make these chances look like a walk in the park. Not only does Carey Price prevent goals, he prevents momentum by making dangerous chances look like nothing happened./
Third Period:
- The Kings come at the Canadiens to start the period, but can’t solve Carey Price.
- Apparently this is frustrating as four Kings jump Brendan Gallagher after he swipes at a puck Peter Budaj had already covered up.
- Everything is working for the Habs tonight. Three of four lines have scored so far, the team is dominating possession, special teams look good… CAREY PRICE… It’s been an overall great performance tonight.
- Not the best powerplay in the world from the Habs, and it’s cut short with 16 seconds remaining with Brendan Gallagher assessed a four-minute high-sticking penalty.
- Carey. Price. What a save on Anze Kopitar as he scrambles around his crease and throws his glove in front of Kopitar’s shot as Kopitar stared at a wide open net.
- On the second half of the double-minor the Kings get on the board. Tyler Toffoli picks up a loose puck on an attempted cross-crease pass that deflects of Anze Kopitar and leaves Toffoli wide open to roof his fourth goal of the season.
- Another high-sticking penalty puts the Kings back on the powerplay with just over four minutes left in the period. The Habs limit the Kings to just two shot attempts and successfully kill the penalty.
- That’s it! Habs win 4-1. Now 12-1-1. Alex Galchenyuk seals it with an empty netter, his sixth goal of the season./
EOTP Three Stars
3. Agreed.
2. 🙁
- You Know Who I Am. Farewell.
Habs Highlight of the Night
Sweet moves by Radulov leads to a Byron goal
