No comeback tonight for the Gooins. And now they’re down 2-1 in the series.
Ain’t it grand?
The Canadiens stepped it up, skated hard, forechecked and thumped and came away with a great 4-2 win on home ice. And yes, they had their lapses, but all in all were solid and scored some beauties in the process.
Beauties!
A Tomas Plekanec goal in the first period on a sensational pass from Thomas Vanek.
A PK Subban breakaway goal after he’d stepped out of the sinbin, was fed a gorgeous pass from Lars Eller, and broke in alone and beat Tuukka Rask.
A sharp pass from Daniel Briere that sprung Dale Weise who fired it through Rask.
An empty-netter from Lars Eller, also in alone.
Yes the game was tense. A late goal by the Bruins in the second frame made it 3-1, and with 2:16 left in the third they scored again to narrow it to 3-2.
But the boys held on, Eller hit the empty net, and with a fine and outstanding series lead, what more can a poor Habs fan ask?
Thursday they go at it again. We ‘re not asking for much. Just a severe tightening of the noose, that’s all.
PK was once again a force. Carey Price held the fort. Vanek, Max, Eller, Plekanec, Weise, Bournival, Bourque, Gallagher, Weaver and all the guys wearing red gave a serious display of pride, guts, and passion.
The Canadiens were on the Bruins quicker tonight than in the previous two games. They skated harder, used their speed, and took no bull from the greasers.
Dougie Hamilton and Torie Krug forgot to shoot high. Price was great, Rask wasn’t. Douglas Murray and Alexei Emelin flexed muscles, Zdeno Chara and Milan Luci didn’t.
Brad Marchand continues to get away with murder.
Claude Julien will probably whine for the next day and a half.
Random Notes:
PK’s goal and assist gives him 11 points in the playoffs, good enough for second place overall behind the King’s Anze Kopitar, who has 14.
Ginette Reno got the party underway, the joint was rockin’ all evening, and for me in my living room, sometimes I sat, sometimes I stood.
Lucy’s in Russia right now, and because it’s the middle of the night there, she has no idea that the boys won huge.
Boston outshot Montreal 28-26.