This version of the Hidden Sport is devoted to … look ahead to it … the 40 minutes of a hidden recreation the Canadiens and Nashville Predators produced by two durations Thursday evening on the Bell Centre.
The groups mixed for 12 photographs — six every — within the first interval and performed greater than 31 minutes earlier than a aim was scored. And to suppose individuals spend a whole lot of hard-earned {dollars} to look at this once they might sit at house or go to a sports activities bar.
It’s not the way you begin, it’s the way you end:
The tempo lastly elevated. The third interval and additional time had been electrifying and everybody went house completely happy following the Canadiens’ 3-2 additional time victory.
Guess the Canadiens didn’t get the memo:
The guests had been coming off a 7-4 loss at Toronto on Tuesday evening. And Montreal was the NHL’s sixth highest-scoring crew going into this one, averaging 3.75 targets.
When unsure, change the lineup:
Nashville head coach Andrew Brunette modified three of the crew’s 4 traces following the Predators’ loss at Toronto.
Unusual, however true:
The Predators, who didn’t be a part of the NHL till 1998, at the moment are 17-11-8 in opposition to the Canadiens.
As soon as is sufficient:
This was Nashville’s solely go to to Montreal this season.
Within the immortal phrases of the late, nice Pink Fisher:
“Someone do one thing.” For 2 durations, everybody appeared reluctant to comply with that credo.
If the sport sucks, play quick no less than:
There have been solely three whistles by the primary 11 minutes.
Star within the making:
Not solely is Russian rookie Ivan Demidov gifted offensively, he produced a powerful backchecking effort within the first interval, skating by three zones to impede Ryan O’Reilly.
Like watching paint dry:
The groups went 5 minutes of the second interval with out producing a shot. Certainly, Nashville went midway by the interval earlier than lastly testing goaltender Jakub Dobes.
Dumb penalty:
Cole Smith slashed
Mike Matheson
within the offensive zone nearly 5 minutes into the second interval.
Sure, we’re curious:
Tv cameras caught
Brendan Gallagher
and former Canadien Justin Barron having a pleasant dialogue two minutes later.
Both the followers had been asleep … or they didn’t care:
In the identical interval, Barron was proven on the scoreboard with a welcoming message from the Canadiens group. It was met with silence. And Barron was speaking to a teammate on the bench anyway, so didn’t even discover.
Off the schneid:
Steven Stamkos, 35, scored his first aim of the season at 11:36 of the second interval. Stamkos, a two-time winner of the Rocket Richard trophy, twice has scored 50 targets in his profession and has reached the 40-goal plateau 5 occasions. So yeah, he was due.
He may need saved a aim:
Defenceman Jayden Struble, lastly dressed after being a wholesome scratch for 4 video games, cleared the puck later in that interval after it took a loopy bounce off the top boards and Dobes was out of place.
About time:
It took till the third minute of the third interval for the spectators to interrupt right into a “refs you suck” chant. This adopted what seemed to be Barron interfering with Gallagher. No penalty was assessed.
How to not play defence:
Nick Perbix seemed to be caught on the Canadiens’ opening aim, by Oliver Kapanen, six minutes into the third interval. Kapanen transformed his personal rebound whereas Perbix had a front-row seat.
He’s forgiven:
Perbix scored 5 minutes later, giving Nashville a 2-1 lead.
Finest timeout of the sport:
It was referred to as by Martin St. Louis with 1:16 remaining.
The brand new emergency goalie:
With Dobes pulled within the closing minute,
Lane Hutson
blocked Jonathan Marchessault’s shot.
And if that wasn’t sufficient:
Hutson fed Cole Caufield for the tying aim with 19.5 seconds remaining in regulation time.
Save of the sport:
Nashville had a two-man breakaway in additional time. Dobes made a glove cease on Filip Forsberg.
Information you want:
Caufield’s additional time winner
, with two seconds remaining — his second in as many video games — was the tenth of his profession, tying a franchise file held by Howie Morenz. He additionally grew to become the quickest participant in NHL historical past to attain 10 occasions in additional time, requiring 292 video games. The earlier mark was held by Frank Finnigan (304 video games).
Subsequent time, decline the penalty:
The Canadiens went 0-for-3 with the man-advantage.
Fast stats:
Caufield and Nick Suzuki every had 4 photographs. Matheson blocked 4 photographs whereas taking part in 26:21. Zachary Bolduc had three hits, however hasn’t scored in two video games. Patrik Laine performed solely 12:10 and was minus-1. The Canadiens gained solely 44.7 per cent of their faceoffs and had been outhit 16-13.
They stated it:
“That’s numerous overtimes … but it surely’s 10 wins,” Caufield stated. “He (Dobes) performed a hell of a recreation for us. He stored us in it. Big save in additional time. A man like that, he competes so onerous.”
“I wanted to make a save,” Dobes stated of his additional time theft. “Within the third, I didn’t make a save. Most likely if I might, we’d have gained in regulation. I owed another save to the blokes. I’m glad I rebounded and Cole completed it off.
“I simply tried to remain as affected person as attainable,” he added. “Don’t make the primary transfer. I made a save and (Forsberg) made it not too onerous on me. I’m glad he took the shot.”
“It was simply luck,” Hutson stated of his block. “It was a fairly humorous play — and Cole is aware of the place to go. He’s a harmful shooter. We wish to attempt to play with a lead and shut video games out.”
“That additional time interval was fairly loopy,” Suzuki stated. “There have been numerous probabilities each methods. Dobes got here up with the massive save on that breakaway to maintain us alive. It positively was thrilling for the followers.
“I don’t know the way a lot web Lane takes up, however he made an enormous block and made a heads-up play to hit Cole. I believed we performed a strong recreation. We simply weren’t getting any targets, however we had numerous probabilities. We’ve received guys that may rating massive targets clearly.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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