Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs Top Six Minutes: KO in TO

Pre-game thoughts

• Alright people, one week remaining in the preseason. We can do this.
• (But also, can we maybe win this game? Thank you.)/

First period

• Oh good grief. 47 seconds in, Matthews makes his mark.
• Powerplay Montreal! Let’s do this!
• Pleka—nope! Pleky rings one off the crossbar, but he comes just millimetres shy.
• Toronto creates a tornado in front of Montoya, who can’t make the save from his back. 2-0 TO, less than 5 minutes in.
• Carrick trips up Jacob de la Rose, and the Habs are off to the man advantage yet again.
• Artturi Lehkonen on the first PP unit with Max Pacioretty. Yes, please.
• Victor Mete really does move the puck beautifully along that blue line.
• (BTW, Habs 0-2 on the powerplay).
• Both #11s drop the gloves — Hyman and Brendan Gallagher go toe to toe in what ends up looking like an odd, bear hugging slow dance. Better than Gally reinjuring his hand, however…
• Paul Byron came this close with a SWEET back pass from de la Rose, but can’t get it home./

Second period

• And we’re back. You know, as bad as that first period looked on paper, the Habs didn’t do too badly in the first.
• And just as I’m typing that, Patrick Marleau makes it 3-0 Leafs.
• “The Leafs have won back to back games in the preseason.” That must be nice for them.
• Zaitsev to the box once again and the Habs head back on the man advantage.
• What do we think? Something? Maybe? Anybody? Bueller?
• WE HAVE A GOAL! Jeff Petry with a sweet feed from Victor Mete! 3-1 Leafs!
• But Hemsky’s off to the box for slashing, so, you know, womp, womp.
• Ugh, the Leafs are, like, a decent team, now, aren’t they? What kind of world do we live in?/

Third period

• Aaand less than three minutes into the third frame, Matthews gets the hat trick on a breakaway from the neutral zone.
• Byron Froese goes off for slashing, and as you can probably guess, William Nylander makes it 5-1 Leafs.
• Charles Hudon with the nifty dangle through the slot, but Anderson remains solid for Toronto.
• Torrey Mitchell to the box for slashing with less than two to go.
• And that’s it. Habs lose 5-1.
• ...It’s gonna be a long week, guys./

Highlight of the night

Victor Mete with a really subtle play and great pass to Jeff Petry who makes no mistake. #Habs pic.twitter.com/tqMMGVCAnS

— Jared Book (@jaredbook) September 26, 2017