Habs Post-Game: Vs. Lightning – March 17th, 2011

GAME SUMMARY – LIGHTNING 2 CANADIENS 3 (F/SO):

Everyone expected the worst in tonight’s game versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Canadiens, decimated by injuries, were missing arguably their best player, Tomas Plekanec, as well as Jeff Halpern and Hal Gill for this game. Gill was fighting off the flu, while Plekanec and Halpern were nursing “lower body injuries”

The game had a tremendous pace to start. The Habs were exerting an enormous amount of pressure on the Bolts. However, there was no score after the first period. The only real action, which was of great significance to the outcome of the game, was a five minute major and game misconduct assessed to Lightning’ forward Vincent Lecavalier. In a battle in front of Montreal’s net, Lecavalier lost his composure and laid a two-handed slash to the thigh of Canadiens’ defenseman P.K. Subban. The play, in my opinion, warrants a review for the league offices.

To start the second, the Habs were down four-on-three, when Teddy Purcell jumped on a Martin St-Louis’ rebound to give Tampa a 1-0 lead. The goal came at the 35 second mark . At the 5:40 mark, Andrei Kostitsyn potted his 18th goal of the season, on a sweet backhand feed from David Desharnais to tie it at one. It stayed that way until 3:58 of the third period, when Martin St-Louis had the puck hop over his stick during a Tampa Bay power play, giving Brian Gionta a clear cut breakway to beat Roloson. The scoring in regulation was completed by Simon Gagne, who scored a four minute man advantage, with 10:31 left on the clock. The power play was the result of two selfish penalties by Benoit Pouliot on the same shift. One for hooking and one for roughing, when he hit Simon Gagne into the boards after the whistle.

Overtime solved nothing. In the shootout, Michael Cammalleri got the game winner, after both newcomer Nigel Dawes and Simon Gagne exchanged goals.

The two point were crucial for Montreal. With the Boston Bruins losing 4-3 in overtime against the Nashville Predators, the Habs remain just 3 points back of Boston. They also extended their hold on sixth place in the Eastern Conference to seven point ahead of the New York Rangers, their opponents tomorrow night.

GAME NOTES:

• Goaltenders Carey Price and Dwayne Roloson were solid for their respective teams tonight. Roloson made an amazing reflex save in the first period, knocking a sure goal out of mid-air with his paddle. Carey Price was just…well, Carey Price.
• Nigel Dawes and Aaron Palushaj, who were called up from Hamilton to fill the void left by the absence of Plekanec and Halpern. Palushaj was all over the Lightning’s defensive zone, getting several chances to score. Dawes got a few good shots away, was physical, and, as mentioned above, scored in the shootout.
• Benoit Pouliot continued his lazy and ineffective play. While he was given ample time on the Canadiens’ powerplay, he didn’t do much, and was glued to the bench in the third period after taking the aforementioned penalties.
• Andrei Kostitsyn and Lars Eller continued their strong play tonight. Eller was moved the puck well, and played a strong game at both ends of the rink, while AK46 looked dangerous all night long.

THREE STARS:

1- Michael Cammalleri

2- Carey Price

3- Brian Gionta

NEXT GAME: Friday, March 18th versus the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. 7 PM Puck drop.