Both the Montreal Canadiens and Chicago Blackhawks were able to use home ice to their advantage in game 5, but will both teams be able to hold off elimination another game?
Game 5 in Montreal the Canadiens did something they haven’t been able to do all series, they got to, New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. It took 1:22 into the first period for Alex Galchenyuk to tip PK Subban’s slap shot, on the power play to get the Bell Centre rocking. By the 11th minute in the second period and a 4-1 deficit, King Henrik’s night was over. The Canadiens took advantage on the goalies shaky night, scoring 4 goals on 19 shots.
After pulling Lundqvist, the Rangers would score 3 unanswered goals goals to tie the game. Derek Stepan would score his second of the game past Dustin Tokarski. Tepan just a few days removed from a broken jaw injury, had a heck of an evening.
Cam Talbot came in for his first action since their opening series and looked good early. You could feel momentum change, at 15:10 when Rene Bourque scored his second goal of the game, for a 5-4 Canadiens lead heading into the final intermission.
“It was just nice to get that lead again,” Bourque said. “We worked hard to get the 4-1 lead and they played well, they came back … and that was an important goal for our team.”
The third was all Bourque and the Canadiens, while Talbot looked shaky the final period. Bourque would net his hat-trick third goal at 6:33 with a wrist shot top shelf, that Talbot never had a chance to get the glove on. With the icing on the cake, David Desharnais scored an empty net goal, to give the Canadiens the 7-4 victory, and most importantly keeps them alive in the series. Now down 3-2, Montreal has a chance tonight to even out the series at Madison Square Garden.
In their two previous games at MSG, both went to overtime, and both teams won with the final score 3-2.
I’d expect much of the same tonight, and don’t think we’ll be seeing Henrik pulled again. However you can not count Montreal out. They’ve proven this entire post season, that with their backs against the wall, they find a way to win. Easily can see this game going into overtime.
Game Prediction: Montreal 3-2 OT
On the Western side of the bracket, game 5 wasn’t as smooth sailing for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Chicago got the scoring early on the power play, as Brent Seabrook blasted a slapshot past Jonathan Quick. Little after Johnny Oduya made it 2-0 Blackahawks, with a wrist shot of his own.
In a mid period fury, Jarret Stoll would open the scoring for the Kings, as he was able to recover a rebound before Corey Crawford could react for the save. Not two minutes later Brandon Saad sped up tempo and beat Quick with a wrister to give back Chicago’s two goal lead. However on an odd man rush two minutes late, Marian Gaborik wristed a weird angled shot through the five hole of Crawford, to close the deficit to one. It was a wild but close first period, both teams each had 9 shots, with the Blackhawks having a 3-2 lead at intermission.
The second frame had more offensive opportunities, but the goaltending stood up. 11:08 through the period, Dustin Brown would tip Marian Gaborik’s shot, in a frenzy in front of Crawford and the Chicago goal crease. The tie at 3 was short lived, as two minutes later Tanner Pearson sniped his shot past Crawford’s stick side for the 4-3 lead. In a frenzy of a period Los Angeles turned up the tempo outshooting Chicago 16-11.
Ben Smith wouldn’t let the Kings lead long into the final period. Smith found his pass from Oduya and beat Quick, to tie the game at 4. That would be the only scoring, but Chicago had opportunities they couldn’t finish. Out shooting the Kings 16-8, the Blackhawks had all momentum heading into overtime.
The first 20 minutes of overtime would go by, with few stops of play and no penalties. Both teams exchanged opportunities, but neither could find the back of the net. An even amount of shots, with the edge to the Kings 10-8.
The Kings would get the first shot of overtime, but on an odd man rush, Michal Handzus would end the game. Rushing the net with Patrick Kane to his right, Kane put the pass where only “Mr. Showtime” could, and Handzus did the rest, putting his backhand shot past Quick. The assist was Kane’s fourth of the night.
Handzus wasn’t all celebrations after the game though. “I wasn’t very happy with my play,” said Handzus. “I’m glad that I came through. It’s one game only. I know I got to get better. Hopefully it helps me.”
“He’s a special player,” Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said of Kane. “They’ve been tight on him. They got a tight gap. It’s tough to get through that neutral zone with possession. … Read off his new linemates there, figured things out quickly. He anticipates as good as any player. Patience level with the puck is as good as anyone. Nice to see him get a big night like that.”
Chicago has the best offense left in the NHL. They know they have to win out, it helps to be in front of 22,000+ screaming fans like last night. With game 6 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Friday night, expect the same, high powered offense to come out of the Blackhawks bench. It’ll be up to Crawford and the Defense to keep them in this series.
Game Prediction: Blackhawks 5-3
photo credit: getty images gifs: officialnhl