Now that you finally saw the Habs involved how do you like 3 on 3 OT? Did you learn that it’s not a good idea to get another beer or go to the washroom? Personally I learned what I already knew – that the game was lost once they were tied after 60 minutes. Because it seems the only way Montreal can beat Craig Anderson with a shot is to have Brendan Gallagher knock him off balance or have the puck deflect off Gallagher’s arm/shoulder.
While Jean-Gabriel Pageau provides the offensive sizzle against the Habs (4 goals + 6 points in his last 6 regular season games vs Montreal) it’s Anderson who actually haunts them. Since the 2012-13 season which ended for Montreal in a playoff loss to the Senators and signalled a new rivalry, Anderson vs the Habs is 10-5-1 overall (including playoffs) with a 2.04 GAA and a .937 Save Percentage. In just the post season he’s 6-3-1.42-.960. Something to think about should the rivalry take the next step sometime next spring.
As for the overtime loss – here’s hoping it wasn’t too taxing on 3 on 3 critic Erik Karlsson. All 34 seconds of it.
THE GOOD
- Jeff Petry. He owned the puck all night and skated miles with it. Not at all surprised to see him out there to start the overtime. He tried to end it by carrying it deep and then giving it to the Habs best goal scorer.
- Dale Weise. The Habs other best goal scorer. Who’s laughing now?
- Alex Galchenyuk. Tremendous cross ice pass to Weise for the lone Montreal goal. Like Petry, Galchenyuk was on his toes all night. Alex Semin will likely get another shot (“Is Semin finished?” asked Pat Hickey to Michel Therrien following the morning skate. “It’s a long season” was Therrien’s reply.) but Marc Bergevin’s stable of pro scouts have to be looking at somebody who can play alongside Galchenyuk.
- Power Play. Smart move to place Galchenyuk alongside Weise and David Desharnais on the second unit. It was Desharnais who started the play along the boards that led to the goal.
- Brendan Gallagher. Had a couple of opportunities to win the game on a late power play but couldn’t solve Anderson from in close. No hangover effect following the Byfuglyn hit. Led both teams with six shots on goal.
- Tomas Plekanec. Back in form after going consecutive games without a shot on goal. Early goal waved off after Gallagher clearly bumped Anderson in the head.
- Paul Byron. Fun to watch. A fast team got even quicker.
- Mike Condon. Beaten on a breakaway and a two on one. Habs record without Carey (“One man team”) Price is now 4-0-1.
- Referees Chris Lee & Garrett Rank. They worked a good game, above and beyond getting both non-goal calls correct. It was Rank’s 11th career game in the NHL. Where’s he ranked?
THE BAD
- Coach’s challenge. Moot point but Therrien’s decision (via Dan Lacroix) to challenge the early no goal cost him his time out. Once the overhead view was available it was quite clear the correct call had been made. They’ll learn. Or as Therrien likes to say, “It’s a process”.
- Pageau shorthanded breakaway goal. P.K. Subban – going for the big slapper/one-timer – swung and missed like Chris Davis, resulting in one of too many odd man rushes by Ottawa.
THE UGLY
- Max Pacioretty. What was that? For the second consecutive loss a key Habs forward gave the puck away while offering little or no resistence, leading directly to the winning goal against. We’ve seen how the Desharnais line bounced back. Now it’s Pacioretty’s turn. Pacioretty – in control of the puck behind the Senators net after the Petry rush – with Karlsson next to him but hardly challenging him much physically – simply coughed it up. Mike Hoffman jumped on it, skated up the ice with Kyle Turris as Karlsson easily outskated Pacioretty to the Montreal zone to act as a decoy, while Hoffman delivered a beautiful pass to Turris for the win. And the Habs first ever 3 on 3 was in the books. An angry, embarrassed captain who’s also overdue (scoreless and pointless in his last five games) should spell bad news for the New York Islanders.
