For our new readers and community 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.
Pre-game
- It’s Game Six.
- Habs are down 3-2.
- Shaw is out with an upper-body injury.
- The anxiety is building.
- But … Carey Price. /
First Period
- If the Habs are even half as nervous as I am … we’re in trouble.
- A big (get it? Big?) welcome to Michael McCarron who’s making his NHL playoff debut. You know what would go well with a playoff debut? A goal.
- Radulov gives Lundqvist a snow-shower while Pacioretty drops the gloves with Vesey. Pacioretty fighting?! Oh, it’s on tonight.
- Off they go to the box for seven minutes.
- Emelin opens the scoring! This is one weird first half, but I’ll take it.
- So, crosschecks on Gallagher don’t even count as a penalty anymore, do they?
- Radulov breaks out the old school hockey skills and blocks a shot by McDonagh.
- Lehkonen heads to the bench nursing a bloody nose after a high stick by Kreider. Refs call it, “follow through.” Well, if the refs say so./
Second Period
- Rangers head to the power play after a holding call on Benn. Zuccharello takes advantage and goes short-side on Price to tie the game.
- The Habs get called for holding but the Rangers get away with crosschecks and high sticks. Time to kick this up a notch fellas.
- Halfway through and it’s been a fast four minutes without a whistle. Good pace but really just looks like chaos out there.
- Oh! I have an idea. Get out of your zone Habs.
- Zuccharello strikes again to make it 2-0. Get. Out. Of. Your. Zone.
- Ott taps Zuccharello on the head like he’s a child. Best part of the second period so far.
- A high stick to Davidson and the Habs head to the power play. Again, refs are making up their own rules and not calling a four-minute penalty even though Davidson is bleeding.
- Weber with a beautiful shot but Lundqvist came up with a pretty save.
- Okay. Second periods are not normally a strong suit. Take a break. Regroup. Do yoga. Whatever you have to do./
Third Period
- We have 20 minutes to win this. Nobody needs to be eliminated tonight.
- Did someone remember to lock Zuccharello in his dressing room?
- They didn’t lock him in, but Lehkonen gave him a nice hit. ‘Atta boy!
- He may not have stole the game, but Price is keeping them in the game during the first part of the period.
- The top line finally showing up with a few good attempts but still can’t manage to get one past Lundqvist.
- Weber breaks up the rush and draws a penalty from Kreider. Weber is not ready to go home.
- I miss Andrew Shaw.
- Face-plant for Weber into Price’s skate. Luckily, his helmet took the brunt of it.
- Plekanec so close to tying it up but Lundqvist kicks it away with a tip of the toe.
- Price heads to the bench with 1:20 left.
- The nail in the coffin with 17 seconds left with an empty-netter by Stepan.
- Well, Habs. It’s been fun. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner. Rangers win, 3-1 /
EOTP 3 Stars
Third star
Second star
First star
Habs Highlight of the Night
Emelin snipes one
