Game Fifteen: Habs v. Coyotes

- If the Habs were hoping to get a break from facing "hot" netminders, tonight is probably not the matchup they were hoping for. Mike Smith has a .943 save percentage in his last five starts. Ut-oh.

First Period:

- Both teams' offense struggling to get out of first gear early on.

- First Phoenix chance, first goal. The "checking" line fails to cover its assignment, and Price is left high and dry.

- No Cammilleri, no Kostytsin, and perish that I dare mention, no Gomez, and the offense simply doesn't have enoughhorsepower tonight. Gonna need some big breaks and bounces to stay in this game.

- Pretty good kill there, Habs actually had better chances.

- Ugh, Plekanec with nasty tumble into the boards. The Habs can ill afford to lose their best forward. Been down on the ice for two minutes. Now struggling to get up. Ugh.

- Plekanec helped off the ice. Hate to admit it but sure would have been nice if Gomez had returned tonight.

- Trigger fast whistle by ref costs Habs a goal. Did I mention something about breaks needing to go our way?

- Habs really working shot from point looking for deflection or juicy rebound.

- Plekanec has not returned to the bench. One assumes he's done for the night.

-Good news: since Phoenix' goal, Habs have largely controlled play. Bad news: they trail on the board and now have four top line forwards out from injury.

Second Period:

- Plekanec back on the bench. What a huge relief that is.

- Gionta steps up to the plate and tucks one behind Smith. Given how much the Canadiens have controlled the game since Phoenix' first goal, something had to give.

- Am I the only one who thinks that Emelin has a terribly weak shot?

- Scramble in front of the net, Spacek makes some amens by playing the man and preventing a goal.

- Eller called for holding. Watched the reply, don't see anything. Weak. Very weak.

- If Darche wasn't a sub-par skater he probably has a clear-cut shorthanded breakaway. Not that he'd have the slightest clue what to do with it.

- Habs 2 fer on the PK. Solid. Very solid. Coyotes unable to maintain any pressure on special teams ... so far.

- Subban nearly scores on a 75 foot slapper. While I wouldn't recommend this strategy to get him scoring, he does need to shoot more often. Preferably from 30 feet.

- Lotsa Snowbirds from Quebec in the crowd tonight. Same as usual for any Habs game in Phoenix. Or Tampa. Or Miami.

- Win or lose, Habs are really playing an excellent road game. Hard to see how they lose this as long as they stick to the gameplan.

- Price with two consecutive excellent reaction saves off deflected shots from the point. Not sure how he (or anyone) does that.

- Coyotes have been rope-a-doping since the third minute of the first period. Now finally seemingly awakening from their slumber.

- Moen! On a beautiful cross-ice pass from Gionta. Habs (deservedly) have the lead.

- Solid period. Habs really playing a near perfect road game. One more period of the same should bring them home safely.

Third Period:

- Fourth line blues strike again. All five collapse around Price thereby allowing howitzer shot from Yandle from the point and resultant rebound is easily batted into the net. Stuff like that will drive coaches crazy.

- Phoenix have easily been the faster, harder working, harder checking team this period. Habs might be lucky to escape with a point.

- Nice shift by the Plekanec line, generating some chances and momentum. 4 minutes left.

- How much would I be aging myself by disclosing that I watched Dave Tippet play many a game in Junior hockey?

- Meh. A point (at least), but slightly disappointed that it's come to OT. Really had control over the game but failed to respond to Phoenix' third period charge.

Overtime:

- The extra period has not been kind this season. Will it continue?

- Still think Subban is wayyyy overdue for a big goal.

- Oh Weber. Clank off the crossbar from a prime spot in the slot. Agonizing.

- Not Subban but his partner Gorges with a bullet just under the crossbar! We'll take the two thank you, and see you Saturday night against what promises to be a tough opponent in Nashville.