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Canadiens vs. Red Wings Top Six Minutes: At least no one got hurt

Anton Rasegard/EOTP
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Three more players out injured. Who will be the last man standing for the final game next Thursday?

First period

  • Montreal gets a decent start and draws a power play a couple of minutes in.
  • Not only is Ben Chiarot getting the Habs a first-round pick this year, but now a chance to open the scoring with his penalty. A truly generous fellow.
  • Sean Farrell has an open look for a goal. It may have been too open as he whiffed on his shot.
  • Cayden Primeau sees the Red Wings’ first shot of the game get behind him, off the stick of Lucas Raymond. That’s not the start you want for him if the goal is to boost his confidence.
  • Montreal gets a few more shots on a long period of play without a whistle, but the Joel Edmundson-Johnny Kovacevic gets caught by a long pass, and David Perron makes it 2-0 on a breakaway.
  • The Habs go right back to work in the offensive zone, so at least they haven’t been fazed by the score.
  • Montreal pays tribute to referee Marc Joannette, who will be retiring after this season, after the first commercial break. I seem to recall them losing the last time they did that….
  • Jake Evans has a chance from the slot, but that seems to be a bad spot for Montreal’s chances tonight.
  • Detroit decided they needed to run a pick in a bid for a third goal. Montreal goes back to the power play.
  • The period went by with so few whistles, we’re taking one last break with 30 seconds to go. It took 30 minutes of time to play a 20-minute period.
  • Montreal led in shots, 10-7, but trails 2-0 going into the first intermission.

Second period

  • Some hockey is being played here. The Canadiens still can’t find that goal they need to get back in it.
  • The score goes to 3-0 as Matt Luff gets on he board. Michael Pezzetta took out his man hard at the top of the crease, but all Justin Barron could do was fall off-balance while spinning to block a shot.
  • Joel Armia gets the loudest reaction from the crowd when he pulls the puck around a defenceman to get a shot on goal.
  • Dylan Larkin decides to ramp up the energy by going after Mike Matheson in front of the net. That might be just what the Habs need to get engaged in the match.
  • The puck gets right through the legs of Primeau, but Nick Suzuki makes a save to prevent the score from getting to 4-0.
  • The man you’d expect to make the saves does so at the other end as Ville Husso stones Brendan Gallagher on a couple of occasions.
  • Then Gallagher trips up an opponent to put Detroit on the power play.
  • Another tripping penalty will just extend the Red Wings’ time with the extra man
  • Four minutes were too long for the Habs to survive as Joe Veleno tips in a point shot.
  • And right back to the box the Habs go. Denis Gurianov for what looked like it may have been an accidental butt-end.

Third period

  • The third period begins. Time to start the comeback.
  • Primeau makes a good save at the four-minute mark. His teammates’ response is to skate right past the puck and allow a breakaway from the blue line. At least is doesn’t go in.
  • Suzuki gets what remains of the crowd interested in a two-on-one. His pass in intercepted, and the hush settled over the fans once more.
  • Adam Erne hits a post.
  • Edmundson raced over to cover a player already marked, and therefore Perron faces zero resistance as he skates to the crease and just has to get his stick on the puck. 5-0.
  • At least we can be 95% sure this won’t be the team that takes to the ice in October.
  • Montreal gets a power play with four minutes to go. Will this be where the goal comes from?
  • No.
  • Joannette can’t be blamed for this result.
  • Let’s go, Buffalo

EOTP 3 Stars

3) I think you put more effort into this comment than they did into the game

2) Focus on the draft lottery, focus on the draft lottery….

gorian: Realizing that cheering for your team to tank and WATCHING them tank are entirely different beasts. *blech*

1)  We all have our chores three nights a week

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