Penalties again proved to be a costly as the Montreal Canadiens benefited from a controversial and questionable penalty called early in the overtime, to bring to an end a strong game waged by the Boston Bruins.
For the most part the Bruins deserved a better fate on Saturday night, they had taken the play to the Canadiens for most of the second game of the Eastern conference quarterfinal, only yet another spectacular game from Carey Price kept them from taking an early and commanding lead on the Habs.
Montreal had four consecutive power plays from the third period into overtime, finally connecting when Alex Kovalev fired in the winning goal just two minutes into the first overtime period. Montreal had received a man advantage when Jeremy Reich was assessed a two minute penalty for tripping, a call that he, the Bruins and Don Cherry all had problems with. With Cherry going so far as to suggest that it was a series killer of a goal for the Bruins.
Head coach Claude Julien, suggested that the referee Mike Leggo was swayed by the overheated Montreal crowd, which roared with displeasure when Reich's stick reached out and tapped Andrei Markov. But Julien needs to quickly turn around Saturday's disappointment into determination for Game three on Sunday, he wasn’t quite as ready to cede the series to Montreal as may others seem to have done, but he was less than impressed with the state of officiating so far in the series, though he has to be careful not to make it a crutch for the Bruins.
Should Boston return to the ice on Sunday with the same intensity as Saturday’s game, a few bounces may go their way. It would surely be a deserved bit of karma for a hard working team that did not receive a result they most likely deserved.
Saturday they let an impressive performance from Tim Thomas get away from them, they played a more physical game and did not allow the Canadiens to dictate the play, now if they could get the officials to maybe let a few breaks go their way, perhaps they can hold the copywriters off on their hockey obit for this season for a few games yet…
For the most part the Bruins deserved a better fate on Saturday night, they had taken the play to the Canadiens for most of the second game of the Eastern conference quarterfinal, only yet another spectacular game from Carey Price kept them from taking an early and commanding lead on the Habs.
Montreal had four consecutive power plays from the third period into overtime, finally connecting when Alex Kovalev fired in the winning goal just two minutes into the first overtime period. Montreal had received a man advantage when Jeremy Reich was assessed a two minute penalty for tripping, a call that he, the Bruins and Don Cherry all had problems with. With Cherry going so far as to suggest that it was a series killer of a goal for the Bruins.
Head coach Claude Julien, suggested that the referee Mike Leggo was swayed by the overheated Montreal crowd, which roared with displeasure when Reich's stick reached out and tapped Andrei Markov. But Julien needs to quickly turn around Saturday's disappointment into determination for Game three on Sunday, he wasn’t quite as ready to cede the series to Montreal as may others seem to have done, but he was less than impressed with the state of officiating so far in the series, though he has to be careful not to make it a crutch for the Bruins.
Should Boston return to the ice on Sunday with the same intensity as Saturday’s game, a few bounces may go their way. It would surely be a deserved bit of karma for a hard working team that did not receive a result they most likely deserved.
Saturday they let an impressive performance from Tim Thomas get away from them, they played a more physical game and did not allow the Canadiens to dictate the play, now if they could get the officials to maybe let a few breaks go their way, perhaps they can hold the copywriters off on their hockey obit for this season for a few games yet…
National Post-- Kovalev, Habs defeat Bruins in overtime
Globe and Mail-- Kovalev bails out Canadiens
CBC Sports-- Kovalev rescues Habs in OT
Boston Herald-- B’s spirited effort not enough
Boston Globe-- Kovalev wins it in overtime for Montreal
Boston Globe-- This rink gives you chills
Montreal Gazette-- Habs win in OT
Montreal Gazette-- Julien keeps an even keel
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NHL.com-- Stat Pack
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