Carey Price was often sensational and P.K. Subban scored a couple of beauties as the Canadiens edged the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
Five wins and just one loss, but without getting carried away, it was Colorado’s third-string goaltender Calvin Pickard between the pipes, and we still had to hold our breath as the clock wound down.
It truly would’ve sucked if a third-stringer shut the door. But he didn’t, so maybe I’ll just quit talking about it.
The Canadiens once again were forced to play catch up, with the Avs leading 1-0 after the first frame. Max would fall short on a clear cut breakaway, and we moaned and groaned. (I’m assuming you moaned and groaned).
But the second period took a definite turn, beginning with a P.K. blast from just inside the blueline on a power play.
Finally this guy was solved, and nightmares regarding a rawer than raw goaltender beating our team were put to rest. If someone’s gonna have a storybook night, let it be against another team.
Shortly after, cooler than cool stuff happened, if you’re a Habs fan of course, which, according to the organization, approximately 10 million around the world are. (How do they count something like that?)
Alex Galchenyuk jumped out of the penalty box, took a nice feed from Brandon Prust, and gave the guys a 2-1 lead. More and more, we’re seeing fine hints of soon-to-be superstardom from Galchenyuk. Just like we knew we would.
Jarred Tinordi, showing again that he’s the team’s tough guy, got his licks in on Avs’ tough guy Cody McLeod, and ain’t it grand when our tough guy can also play, unlike George Parros and Georges Laracque.
Speaking of Georges Laraque, I’m reading his autobiography that Danno sent me, and Georges, according to himself, is the world’s greatest person. He won every fight, he’s a saint in many, many ways, he was underappreciated and never used properly as a hockey player, and the only reason he decided to play for the Habs was because his mother lived in Montreal.
Maybe I’ll talk more about Georges another time. But back to things that matter – the game. Not that I don’t appreciate Danno’s gift. Thanks again Danno.
The highlight of the night? P.K. Subban, out of the penalty box, chased down the puck, swooped in behind the Avs net with a defenceman losing his footing, found himself with the puck in front of Pickard, moved to the right and beat the young fellow with all the swagger P.K. could muster.
If you missed it, it’s at the bottom.
A goal that put smiles on 20,000 folks at the Bell, and a big slice of the 10 million Habs fans around the world who saw it. If they have Rogers of course.
In the third period, Price came up big several times, but the game was narrowed to 3-2 when, with Pickard pulled for an extra attacker, a deflection fooled our guy, making P.K’s second goal even more heroic.
But that was it. The team held the fort, it ended 3-2, and we exhaled.
Five wins and one loss to start the 2014-15 season. If you’re wondering, the boys were 4-2 last year after six games.
Random Notes:
Canadiens outshot the Avs 36-34.
Overall a fine win, with Price, P.K., and Chucky sparkling, Manny Malhotra winning draws and playing like the mature player he is, and I thought Eller skated well and at least he finally has a point now in his six games, collecting an assist on P.K’s winner.
Next up, Tuesday when Detroit visits. The Canadiens’ only game until next Saturday.
