We return to Saturday hockey, however things have changed in the last 7 days. The Montreal Canadiens are looking from the outside in as Boston decided to show up and turn the 2-0 lead into a series. It was going to be a battle that night, the stat about who would score first or if the road team win, let’s throw that out the window.
It was all about the goalies. Tim Thomas, now a nominee for best goalie versus Carey Price who got snubbed but has worked his ass off all season. Montreal’s cowboy was in the ultimate goalie showdown, something out of a Western movie.
It was going to be good, it would be bad for one team to lose and man, it could get ugly with a win up for grabs. I decided to go to Brasserie Bar Laurier for game 5 as the fans bleed for the Habs and beer was cheap (7 dollar pitchers during playoffs). Fans were running in and out of the bar for cigarette breaks and food runs so they wouldn’t miss whoever would break the scoring tension. Still no score after two periods.
It was a goalie duel along with great defensive play. Boston was still weak during the power play while Montreal had many, many chances at scoring and killing penalties. Fans watched carefully as the Boston line of Ryder-Peverley-Kelly had been the top scorers.
Even Max Pacioretty played a little defense from afar with a tweet he regretted as he compared the length of the scoreless drought to Boston’s Brad Marchand’s nose. Marchand got his revenge as he broke the scoring tension and Montreal’s hopes in the third. The tweet got removed, we wish we can do that with the goal.
Bar Laurier got drunker in hopes of the Habs coming back, they started booing whenever they showed children in Bruins gear. Price had to stay cool, the defense had to stay solid. PK Subban and Hal Gill locked up the most minutes for the defense with guys like Gionta and Plekanec taking the most shots but Thomas wouldn’t let up. Even Michael Ryder played a little bit in nets (he is sometimes a goalie in the summer).
Then there was Chara, playing dirty and getting away with it. Didn’t that hit on Ryan White looked a little familiar? The hero of the period became Jeff Halpern as he scored late in the 3rd and took the Habs into overtime.
Never before had I felt the heavy hearts of a city in one game. Boston was all over the cowboy goalie and Montreal vice versa. Both were walls, this could have gone all night. A word to Carey Price: you really should work on the stickwork in the offseason, scary save.
It was another round of “guess the overtime winner, win a beer.” Once again, PK was the favorite, then Gionta. Lars Eller was actually making a claim for it.
No one should text during overtime, WHO THE F**K IS TEXTING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MOST INTENSE GAME OF THIS SERIES, REALLY!!! Like I said, never text during overtime.
Hamrlik was one second too late in double overtime and Nathan Horton scored. I felt the hearts of hundreds in the bar sink to the ground and a collective groan all over the city. At least there are 7 dollar pitchers.
So there is a game 6. Montreal is on the verge of finishing their season. There still is a lot of game in them, but will it be enough to beat Tim Thomas? David Desharnais may be doubtful for the game, Chara hurt him (not surprised). It’s all about beating Thomas, it’s all about not being a second too late for defense. To shut down the Ryder line, to avoid any mistakes. The usuals better step in up, in fact, everyone has to step it up.
Forget about who’s hurt, dehydrated or gives the finger. It’s all about staying alive. I predicted a game 7, I usually keep my word. Plus, it would suck to lose in front of the home crowd as the hearts of Montrealers couldn’t handle another hearbreak.
Shout out of game 6: Shout out to the fans at Bar Laurier, best I’ve seen this series.
