Motivation. Every team should get up for every game, but sometimes some teams need a little motivation. Maybe teams for whom winning has become easy and expected, for example, and then they get shocked by like a Buffalo or a Columbus.
The Montreal Canadiens need no such motivation; except for a handful of games since November, they have been the better team, and the victims of profoundly unbelievable and unprecedented horrible luck.
The Canadiens were the better team again last night in St. Louis, fired 49 shots on goal in regulation, fought, their best players were their best players, drove the opposing team so crazy that they took a zillion penalties, even scored on the goddamned power play, and lost.
The Chicago Blackhawks. Who cares about the Chicago Blackhawks. I do not care that they are the reigning Stanley Cup Champs. I do not care that they’re the hottest team in the NHL. They’re just another team.
The Canadiens have a great team! Motivation? As if they even need it, but here’s some motivation: The Canadiens outplayed and out-chanced this very same team three short nights ago at home, registering 40 shots on goal and rendered Patrick Kane pointless. They’re playing this same team tonight, in their barn; playing against the team that Marc Bergevin was a part of for seven years. This is going to be a huge game.
Because, at some point, some of those shots are going to find the back of the net. They just have to. No time like tonight to embark on an epic winning streak like the one Ken Hitchcock alluded they were due for last night. Let’s DO THIS!
First period:
- I have no idea why they’re rocking the French O Canada south of the border lately, but I like it
- Although there’s really no reason to make it four minutes long
- Oh, my god. I will be 98 by the time these anthems are over.
- Hi Ben Scrivens! No pressure.
- Habs have a ton of jump in the first two minutes – yes!
- Chicago just scored. Forget about it. Forget about it.
- Forget about it.
- Nice save, Scrivens!
- Times two!
- No shots for the Habs yet, six minutes in. I don’t care. Would rather one shot that goes in than 49 that don’t.
- THERE! Lars Eller, ladies and gentlemen! Habs score on their second shot of the game.
- 1-1!
- That was a very weird thing Dale Weise just did at the blue line
- Just a couple of weeks ago I heard Jetairliner for the first time in a while. The guitar intro to that song is legit two minutes long.
- Eller looks like he wants to get another goal
- The guy just said “when you blow your forwards.” I didn’t say it, I’m only reporting it.
- Gamecentre just crapped out on me. Gamecentre just crapped out on me!
- Ben Scrivens has been pretty sharp
- The camera work in this game has not been the best
- The Eller line tonight. My my.
- Maybe Larry should just always be at C.
- Markov rifles a shot at the buzzer
- I don’t know about you guys, but I was really happy with this period.
Second period:
- Brendan Gallagher is just terrific and I am so glad he’s back
- PATCH almost got one
- And Scrivens again with the big save
- Mitchell trips Kane, Hawks off to the powerplay
- *teeth gritting emoji*
- Pacioretty has lost his stick OMG
- Thank you Ben Scrivens!
- Fleischmann does good things
- Good kill!
- Jeff Petry is on point tonight, you guys
- I know he’s older and everything, but Markov is still so smart
- Mitchell does that jump-around-the-player thing a lot
- I am so elated the Habs are playing tonight like they couldn’t care less that it’s the Blackhawks
- OH Chucky!
- Um, was that Mitchell’s stick? It was not Mitchell’s stick. IT WASN’T.
- BS call. This is the mildest language I could think of.
- SCRIVENS having himself a night!
- Thanks to Paul Byron, I have had about 30 heart attacks since October
- Here comes a call against the Blackhawks, not even sure what for, but it’s to address the lie of a penalty called on Mitchell
- The Habs owned that four-on-four
- Oh please. Get up, Hossa.
- Back to four-on-four
- I have no idea what Scrivens was doing there.
- OK. OK. 2-1, bad guys.
- Dear Rogers NHL Game Centre: Get your sh*t together. Every feed I’ve tried is completely mangled. Your service is utterly ridiculous.
- I finally reconnected only to see Toews score. So this does nothing to improve my furious mood.
- Apparently the refs totally missed an icing that led to that goal. You know, because of course.
Third period:
- So there were apparently two botched calls on those second period goals by the Hawks. Maybe this is why they’re on such a crazy winning streak!
- I was going to say Therrien looks unhappy, but he pretty much always looks the same.
- I’m too angry right now for interesting commentary
- A penalty on Subban! Tonight keeps getting worse.
- Killed. That’s all I have to say about that.
- A Habs power play! I’m trying to get excited.
- I just screamed “YEAH!!!!!” and woke up one napping child and two canines
- Probably the neighbours too
- Pacioretty with a power play goal!
- Okay, we’re back in this, I’m back in this, let’s DO THIS
- OH. Patrick Kane finally gets a point against the Habs.
- Can’t blame that one on Emelin, Habs fans.
- Speaking of Emelin, he’s looked just great for a long time.
- So basically, it should be 2-2 now instead of 4-2, Hawks. Right?
- I would rather scrape my knuckles with a cheese grater, and dip them into a vat of iodine than look at Twitter right now.
- Three minutes to get two goals. I may be the last person on earth to believe they can do this.
- Marc Bergevin’s beard. He has aged 20 years in four months.
- He still looks amazing though
- 1:45 left, Scrivens out
- Sportsnet guy not betting his life’s savings that the Habs can tie this
- Empty net, yeah, I’d say that was the smart choice, Mr. Sportsnet dude.
- Well. Bruins next. Still in a wild card spot.
- And still looking for answers./
Highlights
Lars Eller tied the game at 1-1
Pacioretty temporarily gave the Habs some life in the third
EOTP 3 stars
3. I think it’s a new strategy
2. A transaction in the works?
1. Yes. Yes it is.
