B’s Dominate Habs, Lose Game One 2-0
Friday, April 15, 2011
It’s hard to say this morning whether Bruins fans should be encouraged or discouraged by what happened last night at Boston’s TD Garden.
Clearly the result is not something that pleases any Bruins fan. Montreal won 2-0. But what about the way the game was played?
Despite an early defensive lapse which led to a Brian Gionta goal just 2:44 into the first period, the Bruins pretty much dominated play in game 1 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal round series with Montreal. The problem is that they failed to win the game and, thus, have surrendered home ice advantage in the series for the time being.
After Gionta, the former Boston College standout, lit the lamp early in the first for the Habs, the B’s started swarming the offensive zone with 4 straight quality shifts. But Carey Price and Montreal withstood the onslaught and took their 1-goal lead into the first intermission.
Even though the Bruins carried play in the first period (shots were even 8-8), they really dominated the second period, particularly the final 10 minutes. Even with Montreal closing out the period on a power play, the B’s outshot the Habs 18-6 in the second. But Price kept all 18 shots out of the Montreal goal keeping it a 1-0 game heading into the third period.
The play was much more even on both ends of the ice in the third period but it was Gionta who would put the game away with his second goal of the game at 16:42 of the final period putting Boston in close to a must-win situation for Saturday’s game 2.
NOTES:
-Montreal defenseman P.K. Subban drew the ire of the Garden crown late in the first when he took a dive in front of the ref to draw a hooking call on David Krejci. Replay clearly showed that Subban flopped on the play and should have been called for taking a dive. The Canadiens are known for taking dives to draw penalties but it worked for them in this particular case.
-While Boston dominated play in the second period, they didn’t do a good enough job of getting bodies in front of Montreal goaltender Carey Price. Price was able to see the puck clearly allowing him to make the saves when needed. Price finished the game stopping all 31 Bruins shots he faced for the shutout.
-Call me old fashioned but can the NHL go back to allowing the home team to wear the white jerseys and the road team the dark sweaters? The league made the change a few years ago having the home team wear the dark jerseys at home. It’s something that this hockey fan has never been able to warm up to.
-Game 2 of the series will be played Saturday night at 7pm at the TD Garden. It will be televised locally on NESN and nationally on Versus.
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