Third Period Thoughts
With shades of Brian Skrudland scoring the fastest overtime goal in NHL history, Sam Bennett scores eight seconds into the third period to double the Panthers lead.
Alex Newhook got knocked down as he headed to the Panthers goal and he jams his left foot awkwardly into the mesh and sort of folds over top of his own foot as it is stuck in the net. He stayed down on the ice and needed to be helped to the dressing room without putting weight on his left foot. That looks like another long term injury for the Canadiens. With seven goals in his first 22 games he was on pace for 26.
Even if the Canadiens are really bad, you just want to see young players developing and playing well. It sucks when the young players who are playing well keep getting hurt. Kirby Dach was terrific when healthy last season and only played two games this season. Hopefully Newhook isn’t out long term as well.
The third goal against is not a good one as Primeau is beat clean with a wrist shot from about the top of the circle. He has been good, but that is one that should not go in.
When is the last time a player not named Brendan Gallagher actually got called for goalie interference? Seems like refs just wait and see if it causes a goal and then waive the goal off without even calling a penalty, but Gallagher gets hauled down on his way to the net and gets goalie interference.
Kovacevic had zero points in his first 16 games of the season and now has four goals in his past seven games. He is tied for seventh on the team in goals scored this season which is both great for Kovacevic and awful for the team as they obviously don’t score enough.
You have to feel kind of bad for Primeau. The Canadiens played last night and look sluggish in the third as the goals against pile up. One was surely stoppable but the team just kind of stopped playing in front of him after the second intermission.
A 5-1 loss after being down just 1-0 to start the third and the Habs now have 22 points in 23 games on the season. That puts them on pace for 78 points which would be a wide margin from the postseason.
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