Ann 2Game 38 Review: Canadiens Defeat Panthers 6-5 In Wild Game (Highlights Video Included)
January 7th 2009 05:19
After a disappointing performance against the New Jersey Devils on Friday, the Montreal Canadiens were expected to pick themselves up for their first afternoon game of the season against the Florida Panthers, a club they had defeated 5-2 in their Florida trip.
Jaroslav Halak was given a second chance to redeem his performance against the Devils where he had looked weak on three of the four goals conceded. Unfortunately, the skaters in front of them didn't make his job easier. After twenty minutes of play, the score was 2-0 Florida, and one had the feeling that were was only one team who showed the play.
The situation reversed in the second period as Montreal suffocated the Panthers who almost spent the entire second period in their own zone. Indeed, in that period alone, the Habs had 19 shots on goal to the Panthers' 5. The Canadiens scored four goals without reply – two goals at the beginning of the period (the first by defenseman Francis Bouillon and the second by Andrei Kostitsyn) scored in a span of thirty seconds, and two more halfway through the period (Tom Kostopoulos and Robert Lang) scored in a span of two minutes. The poor Panthers looked shellshocked at the second intermission, perhaps wondering what had just hit them.
An early goal in the third period by Radek Dvorak, scored shorthanded, in the third period gave some hope to the Panthers but the Canadiens quickly reclaim their two-goal lead via Andrei Kostitsyn. And then, at 5-3, the Habs took their foot off of the gas pedal. The Panthers were free to enter the home team's defensive zone at will since no one stopped them at the blueline as everyone in a red sweater just backed up. The result was a fourth goal for the visitors scored by Jassen Cullimore as Tom Kostopoulos was screening his own goalie. It got even worse in the final minutes of the game. In a panic move, three Canadiens players found themselves getting into Halak's way, leaving the net wide open for Dvorak to score his second of the game to tie things up with less than two minutes left to go.
Overtime was uneventful as both teams were condemned to play 3-on-3 after penalties to Bryan McCabe and Alex Kovalev. It was a dirty but smart play by McCabe who deprived Montreal of their best sharpshooter for the period.
On the shootout, only Andrei Markov found the back of the net as Kovalev hit a post and Andrei Kostitsyn lost control of the puck. At the other end, Cory Stillman also lost control of the puck, Nathan Horton was denied, and Michael Frolik hit the crossbar to give the Canadiens a difficult win that entertained their young fans nonetheless.
Once again, the Canadiens' powerplay was inexistent throughout the game. Now, only Kovalev can be trusted to bring the puck in the offensive zone and keep it there. But even then, his risky stickhandling in the neutral zone can cause problems as he was directly responsible for the Panthers third goal after losing the puck, trying to make his way through Florida's skaters. Halak has now surrendered nine goals in his last two starts, and with Price still out of the line-up, you have to wonder what will happen later this week as the Habs get back-to-back games.
My 3 Stars:
3. Robert Lang
2. Radek Dvorak
1. Andrei Kostitsyn
Jaroslav Halak was given a second chance to redeem his performance against the Devils where he had looked weak on three of the four goals conceded. Unfortunately, the skaters in front of them didn't make his job easier. After twenty minutes of play, the score was 2-0 Florida, and one had the feeling that were was only one team who showed the play.
The situation reversed in the second period as Montreal suffocated the Panthers who almost spent the entire second period in their own zone. Indeed, in that period alone, the Habs had 19 shots on goal to the Panthers' 5. The Canadiens scored four goals without reply – two goals at the beginning of the period (the first by defenseman Francis Bouillon and the second by Andrei Kostitsyn) scored in a span of thirty seconds, and two more halfway through the period (Tom Kostopoulos and Robert Lang) scored in a span of two minutes. The poor Panthers looked shellshocked at the second intermission, perhaps wondering what had just hit them.
An early goal in the third period by Radek Dvorak, scored shorthanded, in the third period gave some hope to the Panthers but the Canadiens quickly reclaim their two-goal lead via Andrei Kostitsyn. And then, at 5-3, the Habs took their foot off of the gas pedal. The Panthers were free to enter the home team's defensive zone at will since no one stopped them at the blueline as everyone in a red sweater just backed up. The result was a fourth goal for the visitors scored by Jassen Cullimore as Tom Kostopoulos was screening his own goalie. It got even worse in the final minutes of the game. In a panic move, three Canadiens players found themselves getting into Halak's way, leaving the net wide open for Dvorak to score his second of the game to tie things up with less than two minutes left to go.
Overtime was uneventful as both teams were condemned to play 3-on-3 after penalties to Bryan McCabe and Alex Kovalev. It was a dirty but smart play by McCabe who deprived Montreal of their best sharpshooter for the period.
On the shootout, only Andrei Markov found the back of the net as Kovalev hit a post and Andrei Kostitsyn lost control of the puck. At the other end, Cory Stillman also lost control of the puck, Nathan Horton was denied, and Michael Frolik hit the crossbar to give the Canadiens a difficult win that entertained their young fans nonetheless.
Once again, the Canadiens' powerplay was inexistent throughout the game. Now, only Kovalev can be trusted to bring the puck in the offensive zone and keep it there. But even then, his risky stickhandling in the neutral zone can cause problems as he was directly responsible for the Panthers third goal after losing the puck, trying to make his way through Florida's skaters. Halak has now surrendered nine goals in his last two starts, and with Price still out of the line-up, you have to wonder what will happen later this week as the Habs get back-to-back games.
My 3 Stars:
3. Robert Lang
2. Radek Dvorak
1. Andrei Kostitsyn
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