It was a magnificent reception that the Canadiens recieved coming back to Montreal already 2-0 up in this series. Many would have expected the to have been 2-0 down rather than up, myself included.
The Bell Centre was awash with fans in the red and blue of Montreal and the atmosphere was spine tingling.
Zdeno Chara was back in the line up after missing game 2 through dehydration. It was a mistake by him only 1.08 in as he stepped over the boards for his 1st shift to find that there were too many men on the ice. This sent the Canadiens on an early powerplay but they were unable to capatalise.
A few seconds after that penalty ended the Bruins managed to get themselves infront for the 1st time in this series. Failure by Montreal to clear and Bergeron saucered a pass over to Krejci who one timed it past Price on the Bruins 1st shot. The goal timed at 3.11.
Just over 6 minutes in the Bruins had a fantastic chance to go 2 up with Campbell finding himself unchallenged on the doorstep of Price. The netminder pulled off a fantastic save first with his stick and then with his pad. He kept Montreal in this game for now and did this a few more times until the Canadiens got their 2nd powerplay at 7.27 Krejci picking up 2 for hooking.
The Canadiens didn't create much on the powerplay but it allowed them to ebb the threat that had started to build from the Bruins.
The Bruins got a chance on the powerplay with Gomez going to the box at 11.21 for interference. A minute into this the powerplay was wiped out with a Bergeron taking 2 minutes for interference as well.
Boston extended their lead through Horton at 14.38. Chara hitting a long range shot wide of the net and Horton picking it up and banking it in off the back of Price. Spacek swept the puck clear from the goalmouth but the puck had clearly crossed the line and the goal was good.
3 seconds from the end of the period Ference and Pouliot dropped the gloves and a good fight followed, with both players getting right hand shots in. The fight broke out with Ference taking exception to an attempted charge by Pouliot on a Boston team mate. Pouliot did pick up an extra 2 minutes for the charge which sent the Bruins into the 2nd on the powerplay. A minute or so earlier McQuaid had looked in trouble seemingly taking a knock to a knee after Gill bumped into him
Montreal played hard in the 1st period but Boston found some badly needed scoring.
An awful clearance from Price at the end of the penalty kill led to Boston taking a 3-0 only 2.02 into the 2nd. Price attempted to clear the puck down the ice but instead fired it into the skate of Recchi. The puck bounced into the path of Peverley and he tucked it into an open net.
Kostitsyn managed to get the Canadiens back into the game at 7.03.
Price made a brilliant save with his pads on Lucic at one and and the Canadiens broke down the other end, Kostitsyn pucking the puck 5 hole on Thomas with a back hand shot. Thomas should have made the save on the shot.
Both teams continued to play well, the Canadiens coming more into the game after getting a goal back but failing to take advantage of a powerplay towards the end of the period. Montreal finishing the second outshooting Boston 21 - 19 over 2 periods.
The 3rd period got off to a flying start with the Canadiens and especially Brian Gionta seeing 2 or 3 chances come and go. That start lead to the Candiens pulling the game back to 3-2 at 4.08 through Plekanec.
He made a spinorama move on the wing and through the puck towards the net, Thomas letting the puck sneak through his 5 hole for the 2nd time in the game.
Kostitsyn took a slashing penalty at 4.44 to give the Bruins a chance to settle down, silence the crowd and try and stop the Canadiens momentum.
Both teams continued to battle hard, Montreal shading the play but Boston still getting the odd period of pressure. Both teams seemed to want to add to what they had already, the Canadiens desperate for an equaliser infront of a lively home crowd and the Bruins wanting to get back to a 2 goal lead.
With under 3 minutes reamaining Thomas pulled off a fantastic save from Gomez who only seemed to have to put the puck into the net with it bobbling in the crease, Thomas getting his glove then body down onto the puck to stop the chance.
Boston needed to get into the lead in this game and thats exactly what they did. Getting a 3-0 jump meant Montreal would have to step up an battle to get back into this game. They certainly managed to do this and the crowd were absolutely fantastic in cheering their team on towards and equaliser.
Thomas had allowed 2 goals though his 5 hole to let Montreal back into the game but he pulled of some big saves on some tough shots when needed, not least on the dying minutes of the game. He pulled off saves from Kostitsyn, Darche and Gomez to keep them in the lead.
An empty net goal fom Kelly with 26 seconds left secured the Bruins win and boy did they need that. This match up begin to turn into a very entertaining series.
Thomas gets my man of the match. Made some great save that ultimately stopped Montreal getting 4 or 5, even though he should have done better on the 2 he conceeded.
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