First period
- The crowd is into this game early. The loudest it’s been to start a game in a while. Well, since the Subban game at least.
- The Canadiens obviously aren’t though, as the Maple Leafs get on the board quickly.
- Samuel Montembeault seemed to be expecting Mark Giordano to go somewhere else with the shot, as it goes right through him.
- Zach Aston-Reese stops playing and looks at the refs expecting a hooking penalty. “Play on, young man,” they say to him, and the play continues.
- Joel Edmundson demands an answer, I don’t think he heard what he wanted to.
- Aston-Reese’s guilty conscience leads to a penalty on his next shift.
- It’s been 57 seconds of power-play time and I miss Caufield already.
- Arber Xhekaj’s shot misses the net. First time this season.
- A nice post-power-play shift from Montreal’s … third-and-a-half line? … nearly results in goal for Michael Pezzetta.
- The game is wide-open, as it often is between these two teams. One decade the Leafs will actually commit to defence.
- It not leading to many recorded shots on goal, however.
- A nice backcheck from Nick Suzuki prevents an odd-man rush, but no one defends the follow-up play and Calle Jarnkrok is all alone to tap the puck in.
- Nearly a short-handed goal from Suzuki to Christian Dvorak. That would have been a nice finish to the period./
Second period
- His pass didn’t pay off to end the second period, but Suzuki’s pass to Josh Anderson early in the third results in a goal for the winger.
- Spare a thought for Andrea who lost power just before the game started and missed that Anderson goal.
- Anderson speeds around the zone, comes out into open space, and nearly scores again. If I didn’t want to see Montreal make a trade with Tampa Bay, I’d suggest the Leafs’ first-round opponent consider a trade for him.
- The Leafs’ complete lack of defensive play forces Ilya Samsonov to break-dance in his crease to make about six saves, and now he seems to be hurt. He does stay in, however.
- Samsonov is now getting shelled by … Alex Belzile and Michael Pezzetta. Good luck in the post-season, Leafs.
- Toronto runs Montembeault (with a little help from Joel Edmundson, as he does) and heads to the box. Can the power play take advantage?
- No, but again Jesse Ylönen helped make it a two-minute power play rather than ending on a one-minute break for the opponent. He’ll be on the top unit soon.
- The third-and-a-half line gets another shift after the power play, and it’s a goal for Rafaël Harvey-Pinard as he charges the net.
- The shots are almost evened up as the Leafs have generated nothing this period.
- And now Montreal is ahead on the shot counter following a few more shots for the TAAH line. The AHL line? HPBH line? A bunch of guys over the moon to be playing in this rivalry, anyway.
- Anderson uses his speed to draw a penalty as Giordano tries to slow him down. If only he could play like this every night….
- Mike Hoffman nearly decapitates Samsonov with a one-timer on the power play. Fortunately for him his head wasn’t in his mask when it flew off.
- An excellent period for the Canadiens. An embarrassing one for the Maple Leafs who are about to get shredded by Sheldon Keefe in the dressing room./
Third period
- Chris Cuthbert wonders if Has fans want a win or another loss to help their odds of getting Connor Bedard. The answer is always to beat the Leafs (and Bruins, whom them play next, on Tuesday).
- One last quick rush on the power play forces another save from Samsonov. A good way to open the final period.
- Now it’s the Leafs turn to have some pressure on Montreal.
- Dach skates right through the Leafs defence, accepts a pass, and nearly scores.
- Ylönen gets a bit too fancy on his own chance, looking for a pass when a shot was the answer. He’s just not comfortable in his NHL game yet.
- Anderson very nearly gets another on a rush.
- Montembeault tries to kick the puck out of a scrum behind the net, uses his own speed to race back and make a cross-crease toe save.
- Oh, it’s Mme. Béliveau’s birthday. That explains this Habs performance.
- Evgenii Dadonov gets taken down with no call. Kirby Dach makes a similar play moments later and heads to the box.
- Suzuki gets another short-handed look. That’s the best way to kill a penalty.
- Williams Nylander gets his stick up on Edmundson, and he’s off to the box with just over two minutes left. A chance for the Canadiens’ power play to win this game. I’m calling Ylönen.
- Cuthbert says Montreal leads the league in four-on-three goals, and I don’t believe that at all.
- Dach hits the post midway through the power play. Gah!
- Nylander has a shot at redemption out of the box, but his long-range shot is kicked aside by Montembeault and we’re off to overtime. It’s pretty incredible that Montreal even earned a point from this game, so it’s bonus time now./
Overtime
- Montreal’s first scoring chance in overtime goes to … Josh Anderson.
- Great speed from Dach to create his own opportunity down the wing.
- The last scoring chance goes to Rem Pitlick, with a perfect shot to beat Samsonov for the winner. Three unanswered goals for Montreal.
- The Canadiens ensure at least a split with the Maple Leafs this season. Expect to hear the words “wake-up call” from Toronto players and coaches after the game./
EOTP 3 Stars
3) Now to make sure he and Suzuki are surrounded with good wingers
2) A needed positive outlook on the situation
1) I know you’re not talking about Toronto
