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.
Pre-game
- One New York team down. One to go./
First period
- *rubs hands together* We’ve got a battle of the goaltenders tonight!
- … or not.
- Twenty-three seconds in and Tatar goes five-hole on Lundqvist in the first shot of the game!
- Domi tries to follow up on Tatar’s five-hole trick but Lundqvist was ready for it this time.
- Price goes behind the net to play the puck. Kreider comes flying in behind him and Mike Johnson is surprised there was no collision. You are? Really?
- Who needs to win a faceoff if you’re just going to immediately steal the puck from the other team?
- A turnover in the neutral zone by Drouin makes it a tie game. Don’t ask me who scored. I don’t want to talk about it./
Second period
- Starting the period four-on-three is a terrible plan.
- Both penalty kills complete with no damage done. But let’s not tempt fate again.
- Now that’s determination! What a team effort as Tatar slips another one past Lundqvist to take the lead!
- Two minutes later, Domi gets fancy on Lundqvist and notches a power-play goal. That’s right. A power-play goal.
- McLeod is looking to pick a fight with… just about anyone. So, he’s done for the rest of the period. Go have your bottle and think about your behavior McLeod.
- Ooohh fun! The rarely seen four-minute power play.
- A knee-on-knee clip on Armia by Smith turns into a five-on-three.
- Domi to the box, Tatar to the box, Smith to the box… power-play for Habs, two-man advantage for NYR, Oh, I give up.
- After almost a full period of penalties, Rangers put a wall around Price and make it 3-2./
Third period
- Looks like the break didn’t calm the Rangers any.
- Hudon must have felt left out after the penalty parade last period. He’s the first one to the box this time.
- Lehkonen tries to stop a puck with his hand and looks like he instantly regrets that decision.
- We’ve already lost Armia, hang in there Lehks.
- After a save on Staal’s wrister, Price can’t find the puck and Buchnevich makes it 3-3.
- The puck seems stuck to the boards. At least four players are over digging at it. Someone should just bend down and pick it up.
- Back to good ol’ four-on-four with three minutes left. And Pionk goes coast-to-coast to make it 4-1.
- To get even more comfortable, Zibanejad gives the Rangers a two-goal lead to finish up./
Highlight of the night
EOTP 3 Stars
3) Good start for the benched Knight
2) A RE of hope in the season so FA
1) Well they could have done with something anyway
Team Russia vs. Team WHL
How to watch
Start time: 10:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM PST
In Canada: Sportsnet, Sportsnet Now
The Western Hockey League claimed the first of six games in the 2018 Canada-Russia Series last night, ending the game on a power play as they took it by a 2-1 score. Tonight, the Junior players from Western Canada look to finish their work in the series with a 2-0 record before the Russians head to Sarnia to battle the top OHL players.
Alexander Romanov, who apparently has some rather incredible moves in practice, will be back in trying to guide his side to their first win. He will likely be in for all six games of the tournament as players join and leave from the respective CHL leagues.
Making up a top pairing with Ty Smith, Josh Brook will want to make an impression on the scoresheet, as he’s been doing in the early part of the WHL season. He’ll be joined by Scott Walford on the back end to fill out the Canadiens prospect contingent.