For our new readers and members, the Top Six Minutes is a continuation of the discussion in the game thread. We try to keep it light and entertaining. Full recaps are up the morning after every game.
First Period
- John Tavares wasting no time in trying to get things going early, but Carey Price has the answer just a few seconds in.
- He said no, Tavares. No.
- Price’s stick got knifed in between the boards, so he abandons trying to yank it out and glides back to the net just in time to cover the puck. Is this a sign?
- Isles bring on the extra attacker after the arm of the ref goes up, and take approximately three minutes to get out of their zone and through the neutral zone. Gotta love the pressure of the Lehkonen-Plekanec-Byron trio.
- Price with a semi-absurd glove save on Tavares. How many times do we have to tell this guy?
- Twelve minutes into this game and it’s been all Carey so far as he throws his body in front of the puck for the umpteenth time this period.
- And… fiddlesticks. Andrew Ladd makes it 1-0.
- Chimera gets two minutes for slashing Emelin. Time to see what the third-ranked powerplay in the league has in store for us tonight! More Flying V?!
- Apparently nothing. But they still got a few looks.
- Tavares and Lee come flying down on a two on one, but Price responds cooly with his blocker. That’s right: his blocker.
- Anyone else not able to hear the difference between Greiss and Price? This game can get a touch confusing when you look away from the telly.
- Habs leave the first frame outscored by one and outshot by 10. Going to have to pick it up in the second, boys./
Second Period
- Montreal comes out of the gates with a little more jump in their step.
- Almost 1-1, but Greiss covers Artturi Lehkonen’s wraparound attempt. Still 1-0 for the Brooklyn Boys.
- Is that a puck they’re playing with or a golf ball? Hard to tell.
- Wait, where did the jump go?
- That clip Alexander Radulov choking up about being in the box when Calgary scored in the dying seconds of Tuesday’s game, effectively ruining what would have been a shutout for Price, gets me right in the feels.
- Danault to Pacioretty who whips one off his stick. Greiss the save. Gosh darnit.
- With the bye-week just a period and a half away, the Canadiens are playing the way most people work on the day before a vacation. Whistling, twiddling thumbs, fumbling around and killing time until you can make a quiet exit without making eye contact with other people… Or is that just me?
- The Islanders, however, are playing like the intern who will do everything they can to steal your job as soon as you turn your back.
- Ladd almost got his second, but it pinged right off the crossbar. Maybe this team can use it as a wake up call.
- CAREY PRICE. He is just insane this evening. He’s making save after save to keep his team alive as the Habs are being outplayed by a desperate club.
- Lehkonen gets hooked and the Canadiens are off to the powerplay again. Momentum? Yes? Please?
- SHEA WEBER! Or did Radulov get a piece of that? I’m a happy camper either way. Thank you powerplay. We’ve got a hockey game, ladies and gents. 1-1.
- Oy. Barberio to the box for tripping. Not the time, man.
- The Canadiens kill it off, and Price comes up with a big save in the last minute of the second./
Third Period
- So… Shots are 29-13 Islanders coming into this period. That’s fun. But at least we have a tie game?
- Regardless of what happens tonight, this was Carey Price’s game. One, two, three saves within a split second to keep this game tied up.
- Weber got a penalty? Does that even happen?
- Price + Beaulieu. Making miracles happen.
- This is getting out of hand. Isles with 38 shots to Montreal’s 14. #31 almost flawless.
- Pelech to the box for hooking. Time to wrap this up.
- Wait, what? Embellishment call on Byron? Embellish this!
- Lehkonen has easily been the best Hab that is not Carey Price tonight.
- Ladd scores. 2-1 Isles. Meh.
- Puck bounces around in front of a near-empty Isles net, but Danault can’t bank it in.
- Thomas Greiss may not have faced a ton of shots this evening, but he has made some killer saves.
- Okay, Greiss, stop being a decent goaltender. We’re trying to win a hockey game here. (Ish).
- Habs get called again. Andrew Shaw has a few choice words for the ref.
- That didn’t take long at all, did it? Bailey makes it 3-1 right off the face off. Price shaking his head, and rightfully so. He didn’t get his team here.
- Powerplay? 2:44 left? Alright. Let’s do it. Price stays on the bench to give Montreal the two-man advantage.
- …and, nope. That’s all she wrote. Habs lose 3-1. /
EOTP 3 Stars
Third star
Second star
First star
Habs Highlight of the Night
A stick getting stuck in the boards.
