Game Seventy-Seven: Habs vs. Bolts

THIRD PERIOD:

- Lars Eller gets nabbed for hooking .... behind the goal. That's about as terrible a penalty as you could possibly take.

- More powerplays for Tampa, largely because the Habs can't keep pace with the Lightening's speedy forwards. You just know Tampa is going to take advantage.

- Price has been ridiculous tonight. If Habs get even a single point, it will have been robbery.

- Thompson with poor judgment boarding Markov and putting his team down a man.

- Oh man. Terrible turnover at the blue line courtesy a poor blind pass by Desharnais springs Johnson on a break. 2-1.

- Atrociuos. Emelin called for tripping trying to pick his stick up off the ice. The officiating has been ... wretched.

- Markov hasn't been seen since getting boarded from behind. 

- Andrei is back, and is now on the ice. Whew.

- Did Emelin think that slash would actually prevent a goal?? More poor judgment.

- Murray with a terrible elbow to the head of Kosyka. Stretcher out. Murray is going to get suspended for that.

- Oh well. A forgettable night for the Habs who were clearly overmatched by a speedier, more skilled Tampa team. Good news is, the Habs officially clinched tonight. We'll take it.

SECOND PERIOD:

- Joining in a bit late, I see Pacioretty with a poor zone turnover and a very fine save by Price. Carey playing great, as per usual.

- Just like the games first goal, Habs seemingly able to swarm the crease, thereby illustrating one of Tampa's key weaknesses - their physically softish defense.

- Terrible tripping call on Bouillon by the usual suspect, Chris Lee. You just know Tampa is going to score. 

- Yup, there we go, Callahan as a result of poor skating by Emelin. Tampa's powerplay continues to hum which bodes well for their first round in the playoffs.

- it's the Chris Lee show. Apparently the officials are getting an in-person review by the League tonight. Just keep making terrible calls, Chris. Keep being bad.

- Man, this Tampa powerplay ain't easy to play against. So much speed, Habs defenders just too slow to keep pace.

- Was the first period this lopsided in favor of the Lightening? Surely it couldn't have.

- Doug Murray. What and where the hell were you doing? Price with two unbelievable saves to bail out his ridiculously incompetent defenseman.

- Oh man, how was that not goaltender interference? And it's waived off. Thankfully the right call was made.

- Very fast-paced period, largely controlled by Tampa, with Carey Price making some pretty remarkable and spectacular saves. Habs just unable to keep pace with this Lightening team, and are very lucky not to be down a goal with 20 minutes to play. 

GAMEDAY NEWS 'N' NOTES:

Bolts practice this morning, here were their lines:

1. Brown/Stamkos/Purcell;
2. Palat/Filppula/Callahan;
3. Killorn/Johnson/Kucherov;
4, Malone/Thompson/Panik

Other stuff ..

- Rene Bourque, if you can actually believe this, is publicly complaining that he doesn't get enough ice time. RENE, ACTUALLY FINISH OFF A PLAY FOR ONCE AND MAYBE YOU WON'T GET DEMOTED TO THE PRESS BOX.

Just ... good grief, already.

We'll keep posting stuff as the day drags on.


MONDAY NEWS 'N' NOTES:

- Alexei Emelin, who's been (finally) playing some good hockey the past week, is back in Montreal attending to a personal matter. He's expected to rejoin the team in team for Tuesday night's game against Tampa.

Habs Forward Practice Lines this morning:

1: Pacioretty/Desharnais/Vanek,
2: Galchenyuk/Plekanec/Gallagher,
3: Eller/Brière/Gionta,
4: Bourque/White/Bournival

- Thomas Plekanec is back with the team, and will start tomorrow against Tampa.

More in a bit.