Something had to give, with the Montreal Canadiens 9-0-2 on Saturday nights and the visiting New York Rangers a perfect 7-0 in the back halves of back-to-back games. Coming off a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday, the Rangers could not rebound with the Habs dealing them their first loss, 5-4, under those same circumstances.
Montreal outpaced New York in the frantic affair, which saw the Habs’ Michel Therrien coach his 800th game, two players return from injury, one ejection and what seemed like zero saves made between Henrik Lundqvist and Carey Price.
First Period
Right off the bat, the two teams were off to the races. Habs forward Philip Danault got one past Rangers goalie Antti Raanta, who started in place of Lundqvist. Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault challenged the call, with Andrew Shaw ultimately being judged as having interfered with the New York netminder on the play.
Shaw, who had missed the previous 14 games with concussion symptoms, was not done negatively impacting his team, though. He got called for interference just past the halfway mark of the period, with Brandon Pirri officially opening up the scoring on the ensuing Rangers power play.
Shaw also victimized Rangers forward Jesper Fast with a late hit with just over three minutes to go in the frame. That led to his ejection and a five-minute Rangers power play that, fortunately for the Habs, the Rangers did not score on.
Shaw penalty pic.twitter.com/HqcWLSLDEq
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 15, 2017
Second Period
Montreal got actual positive contributions from their other returnee to action, Alex Galchenyuk. The Habs forward redirected a Mark Barberio shot from the point early in the second, beating Lundqvist who relieved Raanta, who had left due to a lower-body injury.
Galchenyuk is back in business. Tie game. pic.twitter.com/kMraMn4qGv
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 15, 2017
The Rangers retook the lead when Kevin Hayes attempted the famous Peter Forsberg deke on Price. It worked, in the sense that Price got caught going the wrong way. It didn’t in the sense that was arguably only because Hayes’ skate got caught in Price’s pads, which dragged him out of position. Rick Nash cleaned up the garbage in front of the net, and, despite Michel Therrien challenging the goal due to goaltender interference, it stood up.
Ruled a good goal:https://t.co/Ikqj3TMc9N
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 15, 2017
Brian Flynn tied the game up at two a minute and a half later. However, J.T. Miller put the Rangers up again, scoring shorthanded off a feed from Hayes, with defenseman Nick Holden off for slashing.
Third Period
The difference in this game came in the form of a one-minute stretch halfway through the final period, during which the Habs scored three times. First, Alexei Emelin beat Lundqvist with a wrist shot off a face-off. Then Max Pacioretty scored five-hole on a breakaway. Finally, Paul Byron notched the eventual game-winning goal on a broken play that ended with the puck going in off Rangers blueliner Adam Clendening.
The Rangers got one of those back with five minutes to go when Derek Stepan tipped in a shot from the point. They had a golden opportunity to tie the game soon thereafter when the team’s leading goal-scorer, Michael Grabner, got in alone on Price, but the Habs netminder flashed his glove to stand tall for what seemed like the first time all game… for both goalies.
Scoring Summary
FIRST PERIOD
NYR – Brandon Pirri (7) assisted by Ryan McDonagh and Derek Stepan
SECOND PERIOD
MTL – Alex Galchenyuk (10) assisted by Mark Barberio and Max Pacioretty
NYR – Rick Nash (14) assisted by Kevin Hayes and Pavel Buchnevich
MTL – Brian Flynn (6) assisted by Philip Danault and Jeff Petry
NYR – J.T. Miller (14) assisted by Kevin Hayes
THIRD PERIOD
MTL – Alexei Emelin (2) assisted by Paul Byron and Philip Danault
MTL – Max Pacioretty (20) assisted by Zach Redmond
MTL – Paul Byron (13) assisted by Philip Danault and Alexei Emelin
NYR – Derek Stepan (10) assisted by Mats Zuccarello and Nick Holden
THW Three Stars
First: Philip Danault (3 assists)
Second: Kevin Hayes (2 assists)
Third: Max Pacioretty (1 goal, 1 assist)
NEXT UP
Montreal Canadiens at Detroit Red Wings
Joe Louis Arena – 3:00 p.m. EST on Monday, January 16
Broadcast channels – FS-D, SNE, RDS
2016-17 Season Series:
November 12: Canadiens 5 – Red Wings 0
November 26: Canadiens 2 – Red Wings 1 (OT)
NEXT UP
New York Rangers vs. Dallas Stars
Madison Square Garden – 7:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 17
Broadcast channels – SN, SN1, TVAS, MSG, FS-SW+
2016-17 Season Series: First Matchup of the Season
