A Winning Habit
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Montreal Canadiens: Looking Back On Their Most Recent Playoff Series

By Ken MacMillan

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 22: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers scores a goal against Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens during the second period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 22, 2017 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Canadiens 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 22: Mats Zuccarello #36 of the New York Rangers scores a goal against Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens during the second period in Game Six of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 22, 2017 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Canadiens 3-1. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 20: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – APRIL 20: Phillip Danault #24 of the Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Game 5

This game was an opportunity for the Habs to take the series lead back again on home ice after a tough 2-1 loss in New York in Game 4. It did not get off to the best start as Mika Zibanejad got a glorious scoring chance less than a minute into the game but Price made a terrific pad save.

Just after the midway point of the first period, Lehkonen won a puck battle along the boards on the forecheck and got the puck back to the point. A shot was blocked but landed near Lehkonen and he had a chance to fire the puck on goal. It missed and ended up behind the net but once again Lehkonen was the first one on it and he buried the puck on a wraparound that surprised Lundqvist.

Less than four minutes later, with the Habs on the power play, Galchenyuk turned the puck over to Zibanejad who went down the ice on a two-on-two with Fast. The pair of Rangers criss-crossed as they entered the Habs zone and seemed to confuse Nathan Beaulieu and Jeff Petry just long enough to get Fast between them and in on goal. Zibanejad found him with a perfect pass and Fast quickly fired the puck past Price for a shorthanded goal.

Just 25 seconds later the Habs answered back, making up for their power play blunder. Markov made a nifty backhand pass from the point to Gallagher in the middle of the ice. Gallagher spun and took a step toward the Rangers goal before firing a snap shot past a screened Lundqvist to give the Habs a 2-1 lead into the second period.

Price and Lundqvist traded saves for most of the second period, but the Rangers tied it late when Nash crashed the net again and created an opportunity. Brady Skjei jumped into the play and pounced on a rebound to tie the game.

The Canadiens had so many chances to win this game in the third period it is difficult to watch even now. Danault hit the post on a two-on-one rush. Pacioretty was turned aside on a breakaway, Galchenyuk was stopped after cruising through the slot and having a terrific scoring chance, they had a late power play they couldn’t capitalize on.

Then, the Rangers won it in overtime off a broken play. Chris Kreider tried to shoot the puck off the rush, but a great back check from Lehkonen stopped him from getting anything on his wrist shot. The puck did however, slide across the ice and landed right on Zibanejad’s stick who fired it past Price into the open goal to give the Rangers the win and a 3-2 series lead heading back to MSG.

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