First period
- After a short delay as I think they’re waiting for the lights to come on full, the puck is down for another big game.
- The fourth line gets the start, which is a nice gesture by Martin St-Louis.
- A muted start to begin, as you’d expect after a ceremony involving the players to boost the spirits of some children fighting cancer.
- Juraj Slafkovský leads a two-on-one after a nifty backhand pass from Cole Caufield, but can’t seem to decide whether to shoot or pass, and ends up doing something between the two.
- The energy is beginning to ramp up about six minutes in, and the Canadiens have the majority of it.
- The fans drone “Shoot!” the next time Slafkovský comes in with the puck. They don’t want to see a repeat of his first attempt.
- Tanner Pearson blasts one off the post. The horn sounds, but that’s no goal. I bet the person who runs that is quite embarrassed.
- Kaiden Guhle goes down momentarily in pain after blocking a shot, but recovers to help set up two chances for his team later in the shift.
- Montreal is probably up to at least one expected goal with several chances from the low slot.
- A lot of Montreal’s missed chances are the result of good stick-work from the Canucks’ defence.
- The Canucks average one-and-a-half goals per period, and in that 20 minutes they scored zero, so that’s good news. The Canadiens played well, but need to bear down a little bit more on their chances to get through the sticks.
Second period
- Slafkovský gets in alone and has no choice but to shoot, but Casey DeSmith DeNies him.
- Tyler Myers drops in the corner after contact with Slafkovský, then Carson Soucy goes down after a shot block. A rough shift for Canucks defencemen.
- Matheson has his stick snap in half and is in danger of getting beaten on a counter-attack, but Justin Barron steps up to whack the puck away before a two-on-one can materialize.
- Conor Garland opens the scoring following a perfect cross-crease pass off the rush from J.T. Miller. Just have to get that one back.
- Now a couple of chances in a row on counters from Vancouver.
- And the Habs do get it back, on a long-range shot from Christian Dvorak after another Slafkovský look.
- But we have an offside review.
- Curse those tiny little legs of Cole Caufield.
- The Canucks run a pick play at the blue line, and Ilya Mikheyev takes advantage to beat Jake Allen from the top of the circle. Allen was forced to make the save without a stick after Guhle had knocked it away earlier in the shift.
- Montreal was really good in the second period last night, but Vancouver is controlling this one. They’re on the power play with a 2-0 lead.
- The Canucks moved the puck around, then had several players attack the crease at once on their chances. I can see why they have so much success on the man advantage.
- But not on this occasion thanks to good discipline and a desperate effort from a stickless Rafaël Harvey-Pinard.
- Dvorak and Slafkovský are getting plenty of chances in this one. You can’t criticize the effort.
- 3-0 Vancouver. Dakota Joshua scores, The Canucks just want this one more after their loss last night, getting their sticks to the puck first around the crease.
- Brendan Gallagher received a prime chance off a giveaway, but DeSmith makes the save.
- The Canucks are right back on their goals-per-average after a productive period.
Third period
- No let-up by the Canucks to begin the final 20 minutes, Montreal is going to have to do this the hard way.
- Anderson gets another grade-A chance. No goal, but a power play. If there’s to be a comeback it will begin here.
- Caufield has half a zone to himself for a long one-timer, but Smith sprints out to confront the shot.
- Another Canucks penalty. Some five-on-three for a bit. Hopefully not long.
- Nick Suzuki leaves the zone to attack with speed. The Canucks frantically point to each other to watch his inevitable blitz. He picks up the puck, but can’t find the opening. He then breaks his skate blade and has to crab-walk to the bench.
- Matheson makes sure the power play converts from close range after about five point-blank chances are denied. It’s a two-goal game.
- Josh Anderson collects his first power-play point of the season on the play.
- Sean Monahan accepts a perfect pass from Pearson. DeSmith can’t follow the pass, but the shot hits his
- It’s all Montreal after the goal. Brendan Gallagher gets sent into the boards … and also loses his skate blade. Might need to look into that.
- Pearson tried to push him to the bench, but I thing he was more hindrance than help. It’s the thought that counts.
- Pearson than takes a whack at a Canucks player while getting off the ice and will sit in the box for it.
- This game could use a Jesse Ylönen short-handed rush right about now.
- Another shot, another DeSmith rebound, but they’re so far out that the Canadiens can’t get ahold of the them.
- Pearson is taken down at the blue line and slides into the zone offside, No interference is called on the play.
- An open net and the Canucks will sco– no they will not because of a lightning-quick pad save from Allen.
- Vancouver hangs on during a long shift for the Dvorak line.
- Allen to the bench with two minutes left.
- Another shot for Slafkovský, another save for DeSmith.
- Brock Boeser hits the empty net. That will do it for this one. That third consecutive win is proving very elusive.
- But not before Arber Xhekaj scores one with 47 seconds left.
- Toronto tries to take it off the board, but it stands.
- Another empty-netters makes the final 5-2.
EOTP 3 stars
3) Such is the life of a defensive defenceman. No news is good news.
2) It should be a fun year
1) An important thing to keep in mind after a disappointing game
