Montreal Wins 3-1 In a game where both teams only played for a half ,Montreal was simply the more efficient team despite being outshot.
2:01 Boston's last hope comes on an interference penalty against the Canadiens on a race to the puck. although still down 3-1
2:53 GOAL In an awkward sequence of events the Montreal Canadiens forced a puck in front and hit off Chara's skate squeking past Rask deflating most hope the Bruins had of a comeback.
4:31 The Canadiens are just clearing it up the ice at this point as the Bruins' onslaught continues but the attack is stopped as Johnny Boychuck was going to get beat to a puck and decided to take a penalty.
8:34 Puck possession is the name of the game for the Bruins half way through the third as their time of attack has been high. Several half chances from in front but no real chances until the Canadiens slid a few passes right in front of Rask on the counter. No players could get to the puck however as the game remains 2-1 in favor of Montreal half way through the third.
12:12 Both teams are beginning to look tired as the third period continues leading to more errend passes in the neutral zone. Montreal got their first bit of pressure on Boston of the third but it was short lived after an icing by Montreal. The ice is getting chunky as both teams are beginning to just throw shots on from all angles hoping for a bounce in front. Price looks confident and will be hard to beat if the Bruins want to come back,
15:00 The TD Garden lit up minutes ago when Chara didn't hear a whistle and destroyed a Montreal forward against the boards. as for the actual play The Bruins are pressuring the offensive zone and almost finished a goal by Iginla Who hit the side of the net. Boston is dominating in all three phases and looks ready to break through.
17:20 The third period starts with some a solid penalty kill by the Bruins not allowing any shots nevermind chances. As good as the PK was the Bruins havn't made any headway on offense besides a blueline shot from Boychuk. The Canadiens still look faster but the Bruins are starting to look crisp on offense.
End Second Period: With a David Krejci Penalty recorded with 45 seconds left in the second some of the energy has left the crowd but all the sudden it's anyones game entering the third. Montreal controlled play for most of the second but a hard push by the Bruins shows they are not giving up. Shots are 22-14 in Boston's favor as well as hits 30-28 and faceoffs 29-21. The third period likely will have loads of energy as whoever wins the third wins the game.
2:02 GOAL!!!!Right when the Bruins really needed a goal to pull it back to one, some great effort by the Bruins to keep the puck in the zone allowed for a Krug shot from the high slot that was deflected in by Jerome Iginla right in front of Price. The crowd has new life as the Canadiens wait for the end of the second period to kill the buzz in the TD Garden.
3:55 Another penalty here as Max Pacioretty grabbed the stick of Dougie Hamilton in the Boston zone.
5:36 After the interference on Lars Ellers an ineffective powerplay by the Bruins sums up the teams efficiency on the night. One good chance came early on the penalty on a puck thrown in front but the Canadiens are shutting down the Bruins by clogging the area in front of the net and blocking everything.
8:12 Perhaps just in time an interference call is made against Montreal. The Bruins desperately need a goal here.
9:38 Goal!!! on a strange play in which three Bruins players wiffed on a clear leading to an easy two on one goal was scored by Montreal's Max Pacioretty as the Bruins continue to struggle with basic plays.
10:09 Montreal has answered back getting a wide open shot from Brian Gionta on the left side forcing Rask to make a huge save slifing to his right.Boston's defensive communiation has been poor allowing multiple shots that Rask needed to make good saves on.Shots are 11-16 in favor of Boston.
14:06 All of the sudden the Bruins are alive a quarter of the way through the third leading to a two on one that Bergeron was unable to convert on as Price covered the five hole. Krug has made a huge impact carrying the puck into the zone. Montreal barely has touched the puck so far but did generate a quick fast break leading to a shot right in front answered by Tuukka Rask's pads
17:50 The second period is underway beginning with a terrible Brad Marchand unsportsmanlike penalty for spraying Carey Price. The officiating is getting hammered by fans, Julien and analyst yet the game proceeds.Despite Subban looking treatening nothing was actually achieved on the Montreal power play. Perhaps the biggest play was a defleccted shot off Chara who was limping afterwards.Play is stopped directly after the penalty is over after Marchand again can't beat Price from close hitting him in the chest.
End 1st Period : No surprise here as Brad Marchand missed another opportunity late in the 1st period. After a turnover right in front by a Montreal defender Marchand fired a shot towards the near top corner but it only found glass as Marchand continues to struggle.That makes it four straight periods without a goal for Boston. The story of the first period is how tense the Bruins look. One would think the top team in the league would come out strong but they are playing hesitant defense and passing up open shots. Montreal simply is taking advantage of sloppy play by Boston, if nothing changes this will be an easy victory.
2:37 Correction on the first goal it was scored by Dale Weise despite the incorrect first call live. The Bruins have stepped up getting shots from Eriksson as the third line continues to play well. Montreal however still looks set to score everytime into the Boston third of the ice. The lone chance almost came off of a Rask miscue as he bobbled a cleared puck that he was able to dive and cover.
5:47 After a small scrum between Chara and Gallagher the speed of Montreal has really shown through in this game. Montreal continues to win the race to the puck forcing a Zdeno Chara holding penalty. With another two minutes down a man the Bruins look like they hardly came to play. The Bruins are outshooting the Canadiens 6-5 but Montreal looks threatening everytime in the offensive zone.
7:00 Iginla Gained the Bruins first chance with eight minutes left as he got a solid odd angle shot on Price sending it into his left pad. Answered a minute later by the Canadiens getting a couple tips in on Tuukka Rask who scampered to make the save. the Bruins gaining some pressure but still need to tighten up on defense an area Montreal isn't struggling with already with several shots.
9:45 At the ten minute commercial break the game has settles into a stalemate based more in chippy fights and mistakes than qualiy hockey. Fans are left with a quick flash of Montreal's Gallagher flexing his muscles a bit as he bumps Bruins alternate captain Patrice Bergeron after the whistle. both teams remain knotted at three shots.
10:43 After Zdeno Chara and Max Pacioretty get holding calls as their legs become tangled making it an open is 4v4 opportunity.
11:41 The Brruins are able to escape the penalty with only one real opportunity for Montreal on a scrum in front once again caused by Briere. Already a hand full of questionable non calls as the officials look afraid to make calls, however the Bruins got their first opportunity on a slap shot from the left wing circle. bodies flying everywhere early in this one.
13:42 Scrapper Brad Marchand will be going to the box here after colliding with Price for a two minute penalty just when things seemed like they couldn't get any worse for the Bruins. The call was questionable as Marchand was actually cross checked into the goalie. Great chance here for Montreal.
14:04 The Canadiens are winning almost every loose puck to start this game as the Bruins cannot get any posession nevermind an opportunity. Chara and Lucic have made some big hits but thats about the only positive so far for the Bruins.
17:42 GOAL by Daniel Briere. Just as I said before the Bruins are being overplayed and get beaten to the front of the net as Montreal's Danny Briere scores early as the Bruins crowd already seems frustrated with their teams play. Young defenseman Matt Bartkowski missed the pass in front missing an opportunity to stop the goal.
17:45 The Boston crowd continues to chant but Montreal is outplaying the Bruins to start this game getting several solid shots from distance to start the game along with some possession.in the Bruins zone.
Game Start With home town favorite Rene Rancourt's anthems over the puck is about to drop with no changes in the linup.The Bruins win the faceoff and immediately take it into the Canadien's zone forcing an icing. in front of a defening Boston Bruins crowd.
7:04p.m.: What I assume is only a few minutes before the game includes a look at the Boston skyline with promise of an actual game. Only a set of commercials, two National Anthems and a short sound bit from P.K. Subban seperates the fans from what could be the next great chapter in the Bruins-Habs Rivalry. P.s. Milan Lucic says "we need to trust our instincts"
7:00p.m.: after a depressing and then riviting intro on how the Bruins dropped game six but won the Stanley Cup over Vancouver coverage has finally begun. The analyst is quoting all the H.O.F players in each organization but all the excitement is outweighing the talk.
6:57p.m.: Neither side has made major changes in the linups during the series leaving the question of if their team falls behind early will Claude Julien or Michel Therrien shake up the lines to attempt to make an impact? I personally doubt any major changes but coverage of the game is about to begin! lets go playoffs!
6:47p.m..: Early game prediction? Bruins score a shorthander in the second on route to a 4-2 vicory with the fourth coming on an empty netter.
6:40p.m.: With the game schedule or 7:00pm eastern time its upsetting that NHL coverage doesn't even become televised until right at seven. Not only is the game going to start late but the pregame coverage will only be five minutes.
6:30p.m.: Also interesting is the lack of consistancy by any one player between these two teams. The Bruins only have three players with a +/- above 3 in the series and one of those players is the goalless Brad Marchand. As for the Canadiens not a single player has a better plus minus than +2. even Subban and Vanek who are -1
6:23p.m.: One of the most underrated stats this series has been blocked shots by the Montreal Canadiens. Players like Zdeno Chara and Johnny Boychuk love to send in shots from the blue line, but the Canadiens are second in the post season in blocked shots including four players in the top 20 for blocked shots. Alexei Emelin (5th), Mike Weaver (T11th), Andrei Markov (13th) and Josh Gorges (19th). Montreal's willingness to block shots makes it hard to get the puck in front.
6:15p.m.: Almost comically both teams seem to think that they have been scorned this series. Boston's Claude Julien feels victimized as his team has been "made out to be the bad guys" while Montreal's Michel Therrien believes that “I thought they (The Boston Bruins) got away with a lot of things, as far as we’re concerned'. Both teams can't be victims here.
6:07p.m.: With game 7 right around the corner between two of the most famed franchises in the NHL I turn the TV to SportsCenter for coverage and what do I get? the Miami Heat coverage for the 15th time today. One of the many reasons I can't look SportsCenter anymore. On a brighter note the Bruins have won four of their last five game sevens boding well for the game tonight.
5:55p.m.: Interestingly so the Montreal Canadiens' fans will be filling into an arena tonight excited for game 7 but not in Boston,instead 20,000 Canadiens fans will be filing into the Bell Arena in Montreal to look the game on the jumbotron within the stadium. Thats pretty amazing dedication, plus occording to reports the ticket sales will all be going to charity.
5:50p.m. : Almost an hour away from game 7, it's unreal to think that this is the 107th meeting in the playoffs since 1924 between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens. Hard to think of another rivalry that matches this one in sheer game time against each other during the playoffs.
5:40p.m.: Im a home teamer so I want to take a shot at Canadiens for the trash throwing at the end of game 6 in Montreal, but at the same time the Bruins fans have been bombarding Subban with racist tweets. Im not going to talk about what fan base has been worse, but both have been attrocious reminding me of the"Chicago stronger" signs from last post season. I want my team to win as bad as any other fan and will probably go mad if the Bruins lose but fans need to respect the players as humans.
5:30p.m.: Back to the Bruins, will David Krejci or Brad Marchand score a goal today or will their horrific goal droughts in the playoffs contiunue. Marchand hasn't scored in 19 post season games and Krejci carries one of his own despite both players getting prime opportunities especially Marchand who missed two open nets already this series. With other players like Lucic and Iginla not exactly scoring either Boston can hardly afford to have the continued failure of top line players.
5:16p.m.: The only thing that brings more joy than game 7 playoff hockey is the sound bit of Michel Therrien coach of the Canadiens ranting about the Bruins' attempt to "influence the referees".His heavy breathing is remenicent of the old school rants he had like so https://www.youtube.com/look?v=agL3NHgb8Rk
5:10p.m. Speaking of stats taking a quick run through of the top players in the post season only one player of both the Canadiens and Bruins is top 10 in goals or assists, and thats Subban with eight assist ranking him seventh in assists in the playoffs. The next closest player? Boston's Torey Krug who is tied 11th. Stange to see the top team in the league during the regular seaon with no top performer in the posst season.
5:09p.m.: Montreal has been a perfect example of what urgency can do to a team this post season upping their season average of 2.55 goals per game to 3.3 in the playoffs. Playoff hockey is something else... especially when you have a scorer like Subban on the roster.
4:56 p.m.:Another big question going around who will decide the game the players or the refs. It's a statistical fact that in game sevens referees call almost half as many penalties but in this series with 14 penalties in game 6 and only three in game 4 its impossible to predict what will happen tonight. it is important to note however that tonights referees are the same referees that have been verbally attacke by Claude Julien this series and who also gave him a bench penalty in game 6.
4:45 p.m. : With just two hours to go before the Bruins- Canadiens game 7 battle talk continues throughout the media of who has the upperhand. The most prevelent arguement? Who can be relied on more Tuukka Rask or Carey Price? Both goalies are terriffic but the edge has to go to Price after looking game 6.