“We like Paulie on that line because…he’s a good checker.” – Michel Therrien on Paul Byron playing right wing on the Habs top line.
- At least there is no doubt which Montreal trio is #1
- How’s the “chemistry” coming along between Alex Galchenyuk & Max Pacioretty?
- This was Galchenyuk at his playmaking best. It was a beauty of a pass he made to Alexei Emelin whose rebound was swatted home by Byron to give Montreal a 2-0 lead. Galchenyuk also started the play that led to the winning goal when he again passed it to Emelin but it was his slick, no look pass to Pacioretty that resulted in the goal. And to think there were observers suggesting Galchenyuk can’t play centre because “he’s not an effective playmaker”.
- Give Pacioretty credit. With the spotlight on after the overblown kerfuffle (“He didn’t know they had been mathematically eliminated!!! Tsk! Tsk!) he had his first two goal game since February 27th.
- Byron is my choice for the Jacques Beauchamp trophy (unsung hero). Forget Mike Condon. He’s winning the Molson Cup and is the Habs rightful nominee for the Masterton trophy.
- It’s been awhile since a couple of Montreal players (Galchenyuk, Pacioretty) finished a game +3.
- The hit by Emelin on Dylan Larkin was not close to major penalty status. Zebras again overreact to a star player going down. This was not exactly a Raffi Torres head hunting moment. Thankfully (especially for the Flyers and Bruins) the integrity of the game remained intact as the Habs didn’t fold after Detroit scored two power play goals to tie it up. If the four on ice officials are going to huddle to discuss a play they’re not certain about shouldn’t they get it right – instead of guessing?
- What set Mike Brown off to take a well earned double minor on Niklas Kronwall which led to Detroit’s third straight power play goal and the lead? Sean Campbell nailed it on the TSN 690 broadcast – Brown wanted Kronwall to fight, just as Justin Abdelkader forced Emelin to do (kind of) following the hit on Larkin. Who’s the hard hitting defenseman on Detroit who doesn’t fight?
- Pierre McGuire insisted before the game that Detroit would/should start Jimmy Howard in goal because Peter Mrazek’s game has fallen apart.
- Greg Pateryn made up for his two lousy nights at home in Detroit.
- Nathan Beaulieu looked like an NHL defenseman again.
- Now I know who Joel Hanley is. What I’d like to know is who was the last Habs player – or any player for that matter – to begin his NHL career with five points in his first five games.
- Condon played one of his best games of the season.
- After Sven Andrighetto scored a rare Montreal power play goal in the third period to tie the game at three, fans in the Bell Centre were treated to the opening of “In The Ghetto” by Elvis (written by Mac Davis). Good one.
- It was great to see – and hear – Andre Oullette belt out the anthems for the first time in 10 years. I’ll assume he’s back drinking Molson products, or not drinking at all.
- Galchenyuk was schooled in the face off circle (1 for 12!). But so were his more experienced teammates Torrey Mitchell (27%) and Tomas Plekanec (37%). Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have done this before.
- I’m going to miss those guys. Especially Datsyuk.
- Plekanec’s effort on Anthony Mantha’s game tying goal in the second when the Detroit rookie beat three goaltenders – Condon, Beaulieu and Philip Daneault – was strikingly soft.
- The post game quote on Byron is Michel Therrien in a nutshell. He believes two elite offensive players need to be protected by a checker. He’s not alone in that theory and it’s not like he’s got Guy Lafleur on the bench to round out the top line. But there you have it.
- Where’s P.K. Subban and what is he doing?
