Ann 2Game 11 Review: Blue Jackets Defeat Canadiens 4-3 In Shootout (Highlights Video Included)
November 8th 2008 22:54
After a week-long layoff during which the Montreal Canadiens spent most of their time practicing with no games scheduled, the question was how they would react on their return to competitive play. The last time they had a five-day break, the Anaheim Ducks came to the Centre Bell and defeated them 6-4 after the Habs suffered a poor start.
This time around, the Canadiens blew out of the gates, pummeling Steve Mason with 19 shots in the first period. Despite their good start, it was the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored first when Habs-killer R.J. Umberger took advantage of a big fat rebound given away by Jaroslav Halak. The goal had a cooling effect on the visitors who suddenly looked a bit flat and sluggish in their execution. Fortunately, they inherited a powerplay towards the end of the first which allowed them to level the score at 1-1 with Tanguay getting his seventh of the season.
There were no goals in the second period, but it wasn't for a lack of trying on Columbus' part. Similarly to their game against the Minnesota Wild, the Canadiens' play suffered from indiscipline as they picked up four penalties during this period including one negating a powerplay in their favor, and a 5-on-3. However, they were the ones to take the lead early in the third as Patrice Brisebois scored his first of the season on the powerplay. Later, the Habs would concede two goals in the span of 45 seconds as both teams were playing with four skaters. The first, scored by Marc Methot, was the result of an odd-man rush as both Christopher Higgins, and Robert Lang were caught deep in the offensive zone, giving a 3-on-2 to the home side. The second, scored by Fredrik Modin, was the result of yet another mistake by the Habs as Plekanec failed his man-marking duties. Down 3-2, the Canadiens had to wait until the last minute of the third to get their equalizer via Sergei Kostitsyn who finally did something beneficial for his team. In the end, it was the Blue Jackets who picked up the two points when Mason blanked both Tanguay and Andrei Kostitsyn in the shootout while Rick Nash and Derrick Brassard scored on Halak.
Once again, indiscipline cost the Canadiens. But the skaters aren't the only ones to blame. Halak didn't have a stellar night in front of his net, giving countless rebounds in the slot which didn't make life easy for his defensemen. Although Sergei Kostitsyn scored, his fire and aggressiveness is still missing, and one has to wonder where those two attributes went. On the same line, Robert Lang was completely invisible while Guillaume Latendresse only played single-digit minutes since he isn't used on special teams. On Plekanec's line, the diminutive center was the only effective player, getting two assists in the game, including on the equalizing goal. Kovalev committed turnover after turnover while Andrei Kostitsyn was hot and cold all through the night. In defense, Carbonneau has to hope that Harmlik's shoulder injury won't bother him tonight against Toronto, and Markov and Komisarek both have to pick up their play.
My 3 Stars:
3. Fedor Tyutin
2. Tomas Plekanec
1. Steve Mason
This time around, the Canadiens blew out of the gates, pummeling Steve Mason with 19 shots in the first period. Despite their good start, it was the Columbus Blue Jackets who scored first when Habs-killer R.J. Umberger took advantage of a big fat rebound given away by Jaroslav Halak. The goal had a cooling effect on the visitors who suddenly looked a bit flat and sluggish in their execution. Fortunately, they inherited a powerplay towards the end of the first which allowed them to level the score at 1-1 with Tanguay getting his seventh of the season.
There were no goals in the second period, but it wasn't for a lack of trying on Columbus' part. Similarly to their game against the Minnesota Wild, the Canadiens' play suffered from indiscipline as they picked up four penalties during this period including one negating a powerplay in their favor, and a 5-on-3. However, they were the ones to take the lead early in the third as Patrice Brisebois scored his first of the season on the powerplay. Later, the Habs would concede two goals in the span of 45 seconds as both teams were playing with four skaters. The first, scored by Marc Methot, was the result of an odd-man rush as both Christopher Higgins, and Robert Lang were caught deep in the offensive zone, giving a 3-on-2 to the home side. The second, scored by Fredrik Modin, was the result of yet another mistake by the Habs as Plekanec failed his man-marking duties. Down 3-2, the Canadiens had to wait until the last minute of the third to get their equalizer via Sergei Kostitsyn who finally did something beneficial for his team. In the end, it was the Blue Jackets who picked up the two points when Mason blanked both Tanguay and Andrei Kostitsyn in the shootout while Rick Nash and Derrick Brassard scored on Halak.
Once again, indiscipline cost the Canadiens. But the skaters aren't the only ones to blame. Halak didn't have a stellar night in front of his net, giving countless rebounds in the slot which didn't make life easy for his defensemen. Although Sergei Kostitsyn scored, his fire and aggressiveness is still missing, and one has to wonder where those two attributes went. On the same line, Robert Lang was completely invisible while Guillaume Latendresse only played single-digit minutes since he isn't used on special teams. On Plekanec's line, the diminutive center was the only effective player, getting two assists in the game, including on the equalizing goal. Kovalev committed turnover after turnover while Andrei Kostitsyn was hot and cold all through the night. In defense, Carbonneau has to hope that Harmlik's shoulder injury won't bother him tonight against Toronto, and Markov and Komisarek both have to pick up their play.
My 3 Stars:
3. Fedor Tyutin
2. Tomas Plekanec
1. Steve Mason
| 62 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
Subscribe to this blog
