What a pass from Juraj Slafkovsky to Nick Suzuki for the Habs opening goal! pic.twitter.com/zCGsH4YL9i
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) March 14, 2024
Initial phase
Josh Anderson has too much space to make a play, is overpowered by the possibilities, and loses the puck after holding it for almost three seconds despite Montreal’s promising shift to open things up.
The Bruins score on their fifth attempt when Samuel
Montembeault lost his footing and Danton Heinen managed to get enough puck on it to shoot it into an empty net despite Juraj Slafkovský’s shove of his man onto the ground.
The Habs didn’t want this start, and given what I heard yesterday, I wasn’t anticipating this either.
Kaiden Guhle’s boxing of Brad Marchand for high-sticking will put the penalty kill to the test right now. It was worthwhile even if they kill it off.
Even with two defencemen, Boston is getting three players to the crease, which makes it difficult to contain.
Hopefully, the Canadiens will start the second period tonight.
They are currently unable to withstand the Bruins’ intensity.
The top line executes a solid, connected zone entrance, which requires a blocker save from Linus Ullmark.
After the TV commercial break, the same sentence appears and almost scores.
The action is now covered in the second line. The players have increased their skill level to the required degree.
Unsurprisingly, Nick Suzuki scores the first goal with a short tap pass from Juraj Slafkovský to the top line at the side of the net.
Suzuki has set a new career record with 26 goals. He should reach thirty with ease.
A pass intended for Boston to tap in from the cross-crease is intercepted by Guhle, who sends it out of danger.
After being thoroughly outplayed in the first half of the period, Montreal rallied to tie the score and improve the shot counts.
Second time frame
The shots were fairly even all around after an intermission audit reduced Boston’s score from 10-7 to 9-8, and the Bruins had a power play.
In the second, Guhle joins the surge as the Newhook line gains the break, but his backhand shot goes wide.
Another penalty for the Habs as holding puts Johnny Kovacevic in the box.
The punishment is abolished.
Despite having a penalty, Guhle is the most composed player for the Habs on the ice this evening.
It’s trapping for the Bruins. How dull. However, since they’re traveling, they don’t give a damn.
Montreal will have to go the hard route because they won’t receive any power plays for the kinds of things they’re being asked to do.
With his stick grasped, Suzuki lets go, well aware that no call will be made.
Colin White is attempting to skate the puck to the red line, but his hands are stuck. The Bruins are in control as the play progresses.
A Bruin is clinging to Slafkovský in the middle of the ice, and I thought the action would immediately continue as soon as the Bruins made contact with the puck.
Boston’s defense held firm, allowing only one shot on the power play.
The Bruins gain another man advantage when the second line plays a five-on-five shift that appears more dangerous than the power play. The line also causes the puck to be sent out of play.
In a closely contested second quarter, the final shot total was 5-5.
Period Three
The Habs move the puck to hazardous positions during the remaining power play, but they miss their shots for nothing very dangerous.
Slafkovský can quickly convert defense into offense with his long reach, but in a two-on-one situation, he is unable to get the shot off in the manner he desires.
Boston is now able to withstand some Montreal pressure.
Guhle makes a mistake protecting the front of the net.
The Maple Leafs might only make it through three games if Boston receives the same caliber of officiating in the postseason.
Once more, the number of unanswered calls was becoming excessive, forcing the authorities to place Jakob Lauko under an evident hold.
The officials are calling a double-minor for high-sticking to investigate after Charlie McAvoy falls to the ice. The Habs’ power play will end at four minutes to Suzuki, and Boston’s will continue for three minutes.
After Lauko’s penalty is over, Montreal rags the puck and goes on the shorthanded assault. David Savard wins a faceoff in the offensive zone and a shot.
Jake Evans is tackled by David Pastrnak in order to stop a short-handed breakaway. The game goes on.
The audience roars with excitement as Suzuki emerges from the box.
With all the possession in the last minute, Montreal tries to score late, but OT is in order.
After deciding that one point would suffice for the evening in overtime, Mike Matheson takes a long step into the offensive zone before losing the puck. As Suzuki tries to stop Jake DeBrusk from scoring, the two-on-one is won. Boston prevails 2-1.
