Canadiens vs Red Wings Top Six Minutes: Can't lose them all!
Easter is over, but that didn't stop Detroit from laying an egg in Montreal.
Montreal has hit rock bottom so many times this season that the term itself has become meaningless. This season has no rock bottom. The team hasn't bottomed out. This team has found itself in a bottomless descent, and tonight they play the Red Wings, and the best we can do for optimism is to say we almost came back to beat them last time.
The Red Wings are playing for something. The Canadiens say they are playing for pride, but really, pride went to the wayside sometime around the middle of January.
If the Habs lose and Sabres win, Montreal drops to 7th last. Probably as far as they can realistically drop.
— Andrew Berkshire (@AndrewBerkshire) March 29, 2016
There. That's what we're playing for. Challenge accepted!
First Period
- It's always bittersweet to watch the team play out the meaningless end of a season and wonder who will be playing their last games as a Hab. Is Tomas Plekanec back next year? Does somebody like Nathan Beaulieu get moved? Can we drop Alex Emelin off in some remote rural area, and drive away tearfully? I'm thinking Edmonton.
- My wife and I just welcomed our second child, a little girl, a few weeks ago. This is the first game she's taking in. It's never too early to teach your child to swear in both of Canada's official languages.
- Montreal's sniper gets things going! That's right, sportsfans: Joel Hanley rips one from the point, it hits some guy named Pacioretty (sp?) and goes in. 1-0 Montreal.
- Paul Byron plays Gallagher and deposits a rebound to make it 2-0 Montreal. Mrazek comes out of the pipes and Jimmy Howard goes in for the Wings. Hard to imagine Detroit making the playoffs if the goaltending is faltering this badly.
- Montreal has a powerplay! Go make some nachos, or something.
- The powerplay is over, and we only allowed one breakway. It's a season to relish small improvements, ok?
- Sven Andrighetto just opted to pass on a wide open net. In Montreal, we call that "doing a Davey."
- Montreal seems to be freewheeling out there, and Condon's made some big saves. They are playing the most irritating brand of hockey if you're a team trying to make the playoffs. It's great! The period ends 2-0 Habs.
Second Period
- Sportsnet reports Montreal is 20-3-0 when leading after the first period. Montreal has had twenty leads this season?
- Danault almost finds a way to put one past Howard but can't quite pull it off. That scoring chance brought to you by none other than Joel "The Architect" Hanley, whom I'd like to submit for Calder consideration.
- Alex Emelin absolutely demolishes Dylan Larkin and it's hard not to see that as a major.
- Emelin gets five minutes for boarding Larkin into pulp. Larkin is in the room. Likeable guy, talented player. Hope he's ok.
- After some 4-on-4, Detroit gets on the board when Nyquist tips a Kronwall point shot on the powerplay. The good news for Habs fans is that this is a major, and there's still a chance Detroit can tie this thing. Go Wings!
- The Red Wings do score, and I realize how much I'm lying to myself when I say things like that. 2-2.
- Mike Condon does a complete pirouette on that goal, while every other Montreal player barrels into the crease to try to make the stop. How's that for confidence in your goaltender?
- Mike Brown tries to fight the entire Red Wings team and picks up a double minor - just the energy boost we needed! Hashtag grit!
- Mike Brown penalty. Mike Green scores. Montreal fans tired of seeing red, feel blue; souls black. 3-2 Detroit.
Third Period
- Stay with me, here. We're almost through this.
- Mike McCarron tries a wrap around on Howard - who has been playing very well in replacement - and the puck bounces out to Emelin, who steps in and buries it.
- Detroit is going to challenge this for interference, but can you imagine if Montreal comes back to win this thanks to a goal from Emelin?
- Our old friend Mike Brown is there, interfering with Howard, generally getting in the way. This might get called back.
- Have we looked into the possibility that Mike Brown is a double agent? A saboteur? The goal gets called back. It's funny and sad that Brown and Emelin are both probably doing their best to help the team win, but they are doing more harm than good.
- Mike Brown is still getting ice time, as the 2015-2016 Canadiens are a complete farce.
- Sven Andrighetto tips a Tomas Plekanec point shot to tie the game on the powerplay! 3-3. That's good, right? No? Whatever. I don't care. Shut up.
- I'll tell you one thing about these Detroit goaltenders: massive rebounds. I haven't seen rebounds like that since the last time the puck was at the other end of the ice.
- Max Pacioretty feasts on a second helping of goal. It's his 27th, and I'm happy for him, if a little sad to see Montreal regain the lead. 4-3.
- It's hard not to think that there's a way we're supposed to feel, as fans - sometimes, I get the impression that there's a "right way" to feel the team at any given time. That's simply not the case, and I've always had a hard time rooting for the team to lose even when it's in the best interest of the club. So in a season full of abysmal lows, I'll allow myself the tiniest sliver of happiness with this result. I hope you can do the same.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) I did predict a six-game win streak to end the season earlier this month....
2) But ... grit! And heart!
1) Yeoman's work for the tank commander tonight.