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What a game. What a STRANGE game. Honestly I had no idea how to read this game for the first 40 minutes, and I've seen the Bruins dominate games statistically over and over again only to end up down a few goals (faced with a stellar goalie and bad luck), get frustrated and take lazy penalties--a frequent outcome in Bruins match-ups with Montreal. For the first 40 minutes the Bruins dominated possession but passes were just off the mark, clean shots were wound up just a second too long, pucks were tipped just wide. But the Bruins are famous for their 3rd period comebacks, and these playoffs have proven that no two goal lead is safe.
In the end it was terrible penalties that killed the Bruins, eventually leading to a PK Subban goal in double overtime.
THE GOOD
- The Bruins have a bad habit of playing up to the crowd against the Habs and it's bitten them in the ass a lot, this season and in seasons past. They kept it close to the vest tonight and stuck to the game plan.
- Though the scoresheet didn't reflect it, the Bruins thoroughly dominated the Habs in shots and possession. Doesn't mean much when those shots aren't becoming goals but that has to give you confidence in this series moving forward.
- Once again the Bruins struggled with Montreal's (re: Brendan Gallagher's) speed, leading to Paille taking a terrible penalty at the tail end of the first overtime.
- BAD LUCK. The Bruins had many, many opportunities to really break this game open and just couldn't finish. Carey Price was phenomenal, but there were times when he was beaten clean and the puck just didn't find its way to the back of the net.
- Seems like the general consensus in media for this series was that the Bruins' young D could be pressured into big mistakes by a deep Habs' forward corp. It paid off for the Habs--their 4 goals were bookended by power play goals for penalties against Matt Bartkowski.
- Also the Habs' power play was something like 2-20 coming into this game. Bruins' penalty kill has to be better than it was tonight.
- Can't help but wonder why Julien doesn't trust Dougie Hamilton in playoff overtime.
- Goddammit, Bart.
