First period
- We have a Cole Caufield-Nick Suzuki-Juraj Slafkovský trio to start the game.
- Mike Matheson pinches up to allow a breakaway for the Blues, then gets back to cover someone Johnny Kovacevic already marked, allowed Jordan Kyrou to get open and put the Blues in the lead.
- So much for the Blues not being able to score.
- Montreal has a chance to get it right back on the power play.
- A bump up the lineup was just what Slafkovský needed apparently. He ties the game on the power play with an excellent net drive.
- Slafkovský digs for a rebound. When he can’t find the puck, he just shoves his man over in the slot. A beast mode has been unlocked.
- Brendan Gallagher takes a stick in the face, and the referees opt to call that one. They must have thought it was Alex Newhook.
- Sean Monahan makes a power move of his own, but Joel Hofer the denies the Habs a second power-play goal.
- Newhook gains the zone as the only player who can move with pace, and passes it across to the boards where no one could have gotten to. He’s looking more like Jonathan Drouin each day.
- Matheson is having a real adventure trying to move the puck tonight. I don’t know what injury does that to a person.
- Arber Xhekaj sends a puck close to the net after a whistle. The Blues go so far as giving him a gentle nudge on the shoulder to show their disapproval.
- Robert Thomas, who looks more than a little bit like our Scott Matla, makes it 2-1 for St. Louis.
- Kaiden Guhle executes one of the smoothest controlled zone entries of the game to set Caufield up for a shot.
- The Blues deserve to have the lead after that period. We’ll see how much energy they have left for th final 40 minutes after playing last night.
Second period
- Matheson tries to skate past the post between about four players to make a zone exit. It’s his decision-making that’s day-to-day.
- So no signs of fatigue for the Blues yet. They’re still getting the better chances.
- Matheson looks better in the offensive zone, moving up to send a quick snapshot on goal for the Canadiens’ first real look seven minutes in.
- I think Matheson has failed to hold a puck in 100% of the times it’s been thrown back to him on the power play this season. So strange.
- I didn’t even finish typing that before he did it again.
- Caufield jumps onto a puck in the slot, but Hofer makes a great save.
- Lane Hutson just scored two quick goals to complete a hat trick. Put him in Matheson’s lineup spot for next game.
- Brandon Saad converts the two-on-one to make it 3-1. A couple of bad touches from Christian Dvorak and then Alex Newhook opened up lots of space for the attack.
- It’s just the fourth time this season that the Blues have scored three times.
- Brendan Gallagher continues his hot hand with a very necessary second Habs goal. It’s back to a one-goal game.
- An allowed goal and a drawn penalty for Brendan Gallagher in the same game? That has to be pretty rare.
- So trailing by one heading into the third period again. We could all save a lot of time by just playing one period with the Canadiens down 1-0 on the scoreboard.
Third period
- The Canadiens have scored a third-period goal in each of their last six matches. No reason to think that streak will break tonight.
- An early power play for Montreal. They can’t say they haven’t had their opportunities.
- Instead, a short-handed goal for Alexey Toropchenko after Justin Barron got stripped of the puck at the blue line.
- It’s time to have Guhle take one of the power-play waves.
- 5-2 Blues. Brayden Schenn gives St. Louis five goals for the first time this year.
- Samuel Montembeault goes to the bench early as the Canadiens look to get back in it. Instead, St. Louis seals this one for good.
- I think a couple of people in the crowd extended the count of bells to “Seven!” There have probably been a few beers consumed this Saturday night.
- The top decides it’s just going to set the tone for the next game. They go out there determined to score a goal, and they do on their second try.
- Well, that third-period scoring streak stays intact at least.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) I freakin’ love it
2) Slafkovský could have a lot of success on plays just like that one.
1) At least we’re not Leafs fans
