Montreal Canadiens: Price and Kotkaniemi’s Heroics Force Game 7

The Montreal Canadiens had fans again, and they were loud all night long. I don’t know what I missed more: the Carey chants or booing the refs. Because man, those refs were bad (again).

Another meltdown late in regulation, and another overtime win. For the second time in as many games, the Montreal Canadiens jumped on a Maple Leafs’ turnover and didn’t waste their chance. This time it was Montreal’s other young centreman: Jesperi Kotkaniemi. After a frustrating regular season playoff, Kotkaniemi is back, and he is money. But before winning it in OT, the Habs provided their live audience plenty of drama.

The first two periods were Carey Price and Jack Campbell padding their highlight reels, as the game would be locked at 0-0 going into the second intermission. It was in that final frame of regulation that the goals started coming.

Kicking off the scoring was Corey Perry who banged in a greasy goal through a pile of players. Leafs’ coach Sheldon Keefe decided to challenge for goaltender interference, figuring the Habs wouldn’t score again even if the goal stood. He was wrong. Leading Montreal goal-scorer Tyler Toffoli banged in a beautiful pass from Nick Suzuki to give Montreal a two-goal lead.

The ghost of Claude Julien then seemed to possess Dominique Ducharme, as the team decided to stop playing offense after that goal. Just like under Julien, this strategy did not work. It’s almost like spending half of a period in your zone is stupid.

Jason Spezza and TJ Brodie would each bang one home, sending the game into the aforementioned overtime.

To be totally honest, the Leafs were the better skaters in OT. The Habs didn’t look like they knew OT losses are no good in the playoffs. After spending what seemed like a decade in their own zone, someone must have told Ducharme that goals are not often scored 200 feet from the net. After finally getting one on the net more than 11 minutes into overtime, the Habs seemed to wake up, and their second OT shot was all they needed.

As clutch as the OT winner was, there is a reason that number 15 was only the third star. And that reason is Carey Price. At this point, I’m convinced he is a wizard or something of the sort. He stopped 41 of 43 shots on the night, as well as clearing the zone during a crucial penalty kill. He can’t score goals from his net, but he’s making sure Auston Matthews can’t score either. Any night where Matthews doesn’t score is a good one.

With Game 7 looming in Toronto, make sure you don’t miss it. Both teams will be desperate, as this time, any one of them could be heading home.