Ann 2Game 50 Review: Bruins Capitalize On Canadiens' Mistakes To Win 3-1
February 7th 2009 17:24
Just 24 hours after their last-gasp victory over the Los Angeles Kings, the Montreal Canadiens faced a major test in their Northeast division rivals, the Boston Bruins.
Montreal started the game well, suprising the Bruins with an uncharacteristic physicality. The Habs even got the first goal of the game late in the first period when Robet Lang scored on the powerplay while Andrei Kostitsyn was screening Tim Thomas. In the final minute of the period, all that effort went into thin as two giveaways one by Alex Kovalev and one by Mike Komisarek gave the opening to Dennis Wideman who scored the equalizer with 0.6 seconds left.
Montreal's game completely went south after that last-second goal. The start of the second period proved difficult as Alex Kovalev picked two consecutive penalties, leaving the Canadiens shorthanded twice in a short span of time. Kovalev was consequently benched, and the Habs would play the rest of the game without their star player. The Bruins made it 2-1 halfway through the second. Although the Canadiens were theoretically still in the game, injuries made sure they would never come back.
First, Robert Lang severed his Achilles tendon in a freak collision with Stephane Yelle. The injury has effectively ended Lang's season, and the Canadiens are now without their best scorer and the much-needed big center. A few minutes later, Guillaume was helped off the ice after violently hitting the boards. He will be out for four to six weeks with what is probably a shoulder injury. Despite all the two injuries, Kovalev was condemned to stay on the bench even if the Habs desperately needed a goal in the final minutes. After calling a time-out and taking out Carey Price for a sixth skater, Carbonneau sent Tom Kostopoulos TOM KOSTOPOLOUS for Christ's sake, the guy can't even score in the fray. As expected, the Canadiens failed miserably in their attempt and Marc Savard scored the insurance goal after taking the puck away from Andrei Kostitsyn who tried to make the same fancy stuff that Kovalev makes when trying to enter the offensive zone.
The Canadiens have now lost five of their last six, and the Bruins are not their punching bag anymore as evidenced by the 1-4 record this season against their rival. Without Kovalev though, they will be going nowhere. The Artist better pick up his play if the Habs want to stay in the thick of it.
I don't really have three stars for the game so I'll pick Tim Thomas as the man of the match. He had 27 saves and finds more and mroe ways to stop the puck in amazing fashion.
Montreal started the game well, suprising the Bruins with an uncharacteristic physicality. The Habs even got the first goal of the game late in the first period when Robet Lang scored on the powerplay while Andrei Kostitsyn was screening Tim Thomas. In the final minute of the period, all that effort went into thin as two giveaways one by Alex Kovalev and one by Mike Komisarek gave the opening to Dennis Wideman who scored the equalizer with 0.6 seconds left.
Montreal's game completely went south after that last-second goal. The start of the second period proved difficult as Alex Kovalev picked two consecutive penalties, leaving the Canadiens shorthanded twice in a short span of time. Kovalev was consequently benched, and the Habs would play the rest of the game without their star player. The Bruins made it 2-1 halfway through the second. Although the Canadiens were theoretically still in the game, injuries made sure they would never come back.
First, Robert Lang severed his Achilles tendon in a freak collision with Stephane Yelle. The injury has effectively ended Lang's season, and the Canadiens are now without their best scorer and the much-needed big center. A few minutes later, Guillaume was helped off the ice after violently hitting the boards. He will be out for four to six weeks with what is probably a shoulder injury. Despite all the two injuries, Kovalev was condemned to stay on the bench even if the Habs desperately needed a goal in the final minutes. After calling a time-out and taking out Carey Price for a sixth skater, Carbonneau sent Tom Kostopoulos TOM KOSTOPOLOUS for Christ's sake, the guy can't even score in the fray. As expected, the Canadiens failed miserably in their attempt and Marc Savard scored the insurance goal after taking the puck away from Andrei Kostitsyn who tried to make the same fancy stuff that Kovalev makes when trying to enter the offensive zone.
The Canadiens have now lost five of their last six, and the Bruins are not their punching bag anymore as evidenced by the 1-4 record this season against their rival. Without Kovalev though, they will be going nowhere. The Artist better pick up his play if the Habs want to stay in the thick of it.
I don't really have three stars for the game so I'll pick Tim Thomas as the man of the match. He had 27 saves and finds more and mroe ways to stop the puck in amazing fashion.
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