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Canadiens vs. Panthers Top Six Minutes: The dam bursts

Pre-game

  • NHL game number 600 for Karl Alzner. It would be fitting for him to fly under the radar and not be noticed, for all the right reasons.
  • Aleksander Barkov, always dangerous, but I won’t have to wonder whether the play-by-play is calling him or Andrei Markov this time.
  • Sigh…
  • 3-0-1 against the cats in 2016-17, 0-4-0 the year prior. Which is it going to be this season?
  • Habs are back at home – that could be just what they need, or it could make things feel infinitely worse. Roughly 60 minutes of hockey should decide things. /

First Period

  • That’s not how you open a game when you’re on a seven-game losing streak, Habs.
  • Price had to be sharp only seconds in to keep things tied at zip.
  • Hey look, everyone, it’s James Reimer! Optimus Reim, if you will.
  • That’s two big saves from Price. Panthers: 0 ; Habs: 0 ; Price: 2.
  • Did Max Pacioretty just lay a massive hit? It’s like he cares, see everyone?
  • The Canadiens are trying – hard. They need a goal here to fight off the monkey on their collective back, as well as a full house of restless fans.
  • Problem is, passes are not connecting. Anywhere.
  • Heck, at this point, I think ending the first period 0-0 could be considered a small win.
  • These new forward lines are looking alright so far, every line has been noticed for good reasons.
  • All players finish the frame with positive corsi, except Pacioretty-Danault-Shaw, who are matched up against the Panthers’ top line.
  • We’re not losing!/

Second Period

  • Just like the first period faceoff, the Panthers get a quick chance right away, but this time bury it.
  • Do you want to have a quiet home arena? Because this is how you get a quiet home arena.
  • The Habs did not tighten up their passing between periods.
  • Icing.
  • Here come the ‘boo’ birds. Ninth game of the season, only the third at home.
  • The Panthers’ powerplay is one of the least dangerous-looking things I’ve seen. It’s almost cute.
  • Montreal still not connecting their transition plays. Hudon shows some frustration, and so do 21k fans.
  • The Canadiens’ powerplay might be less dangerous-looking than the Panthers’.
  • Habs trying four forwards on the man-advantage, they’re trying anything at this point.
  • It worked! Alex Galchenyuk now has half the team’s PPG this year.
  • More power plays, please.
  • Shea Weber does it again, the powerplay is scoring! Shea found himself on Ovie Island for the perfect one-timer.
  • So is five-on-five! Gallagher makes it three goals in just 1:35 and the Canadiens have a two-goal lead!
  • Second period is over and we’re still not losing!/

Third Period

  • This was a far more acceptable start to a period.
  • Now if only we can get a goal for Mr. Pacioretty.
  • This Montreal team does not resemble the group we saw in California. Confidence is a powerful drug.
  • Shea Weber fires another rocket into the twine. Everything is happening!
  • Hockey is fun again!
  • Seriously, Pacioretty scoring is the one feel-good thing missing from this game.
  • Nevermind.
  • “You get a goal. And you get a goal. EVERYBODY GETS A GOAL!”
  • Lost in the chaos of goal-scoring is that Carey Price has steadily kept the door shut tonight.
  • A regulation win against the Panthers shouldn’t have to feel this good, but boy does it ever feel good!
  • Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em, the Canadiens have snapped the streak./

Highlight of the night

EOTP 3 Stars

We all know who is responsible for the first regulation win of the season.

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