First period
- The top line comes out of the gate with a great offensive-zone shift, getting a couple of shots off.
- Joshua Roy fires a low shot off Tristan Jarry’s pads, and Jordan Harris pounces on the rebound, but can’t put it in. Nearly another primary assist on a defenceman’s goal for Roy.
- Colin White forgets he doesn’t play for the Penguins anymore and gives the puck to Kris Letang. Letang doesn’t want to play for the Penguins anymore and gives the puck back to Mike Matheson. Matheson scores versus his former team. Maybe the Penguins should have held on to him.
- Tanner Pearson was about to exit the zone when the puck was turned over, then decided to make the lesser-known yoga pose of the statue to just set a screen for Matheson.
- Letang makes up for his gaffe almost immediately by floating a puck toward the net through traffic. There were too many bodies in front of Primeau for him to see the shot.
- There will be no multi-game shutout streak for the Habs netminder.
- I think Arber Xhekaj just made a Nick Suzuki-esque stick-lift to turn a transition rush into a scoring chance. Look out if he starts doing end-to-end things.
- The Pittsburgh goal does seem to have awoken the Penguins. Suddenly they remembered they’re in a playoff chase.
- Colin White drops his shoulder and drives to the front of the net. RDS didn’t cut to Dubas in the press box to see his reaction.
- The Penguins’ GM did just make a trade moments ago, however, so maybe he wasn’t watching. He just dealt William Nylander’s brother to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
- White just missed connecting with a high pass from Pearson for a tap in. It’s good to see the fourth line doing some things. Too bad it wasn’t while Brandon Gignac was in the centre role.
- I would say Montreal was the slightly better team in that period with one or two more scoring chances. Both teams are allowing the other to get to the front of the net too easily.
Second period
- After a lazy start to the middle frame, the Penguins are called for tripping, and the Canadiens have a chance to show them what a good power play looks like.
- Matheson fails to keep the puck in at the blue line.
- Brendan Gallagher taking a penalty is the only notable thing since that last power play expired.
- A point shot is deflected once right after release and again just in front of Primeau, who had no chance of stopping it. The Penguins power play is okay for one night.
- Mere seconds later, the Penguins make it 3-1 as there are more rushing Penguins players than Habs defenders as Cole Caufield had to peel off after losing his skate blade. That’s a couple of nights in a row it’s been an issue.
- Pittsburgh goes back to the power play as an offensive-zone turnover leads to a Xhekaj tripping penalty.
- A few errors wound up costing the team yet again. They just can’t survive those at this stage.
Third period
- Roy has three chances to score on one of the first shifts of the third period, despite getting plastered to the boards by Letang on the same shift.
- Suzuki gets his feet kicked from under him, and that means the Canadiens are on the power play. And Nick is probably a bit winded.
- A great setup from Suzuki to Newhook to Slafkovský just misses the mark.
- The best setups are coming from the down-low setups. i don’t know why the Habs have been trying to set things up from the blue line lately.
- Matheson forces the Penguins into a penalty by spinning away from Bryan Rust, forcing the Penguins forward to stick his leg out.
- Part of the issue with the power play tonight is that the Habs just expect the corner to be open. They need some possession to set that up first.
- Jayden Struble can’t get up onto his left leg and needs to be basically carried off the ice. Reset the days-without-injury counter to zero.
- Letang hits the empty net soon after Primeau vacated it. He outscored the Canadiens on his own. 4-1 Penguins.
- Only two more back-to-backs to go this season.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) They’re the masters of ruining their draft position
2) I miss the Gallagher who played with Danault and Tatar
1) The poems keep us going
