[thepuck 2018-12-13] Canes 4 @ Habs 6

For being the only consistently good player in a losing cause last game, Deslauriers is scratched for Peca. Reilly also steps in for Schlemko.

Danault(8)-Tatar(6)-Gallagher(9)
Domi(2)-Drouin(4)-Shaw(9)
Kotkaniemi(6)-Byron(4)-Lehkonen(7)
Chaput(5)-Agostino(8)-Peca(10)
Kulak(2)-Weber(5)
Reilly(4)-Petry(5)
Benn(6)-Juulsen(10)
Price(3)-Niemi(-)
PP(4)-PK(7)

Scratches: Hudon, Deslauriers, Schlemko, Armia(IRL)

Kersus' 3 Stars: Peca, Juulsen, Gallagher/Shaw(tie)

1st
Domi's line starts. Kotkaniemi hooks a Cane down and goes to the box to feel shame. Habs have been dominant so far. Canes get a delay of game penalty and the most notable event of this Habs PP was the Canes shorthanded tow-on-one rush which was the best scoring opportunity of the game thus far. Byron takes a stick in the face and goes into the boards hard – leaves for the dressing room. No call. He returns shortly thereafter but doesn't go on to play his normal brand of opportunist hockey.

Hab of the period: Mike Reilly

2nd
Benn takes a wee hook, holds the stick and then embellishes a fall down. He gets caught and goes to the box embarrassing his whole team and the sport. Weber gets skated around and the Canes go up 1-0. Svechkinov steps up in the crease and slams his forearms into Price with the Ref watching and leaning on the goalpost. No call. Habs are heavily outshooting the Canes.

Domi embellishes however the call goes his way. Karma, er, Byron gets his stick caught up in a Cane player's legs. Four-on-four. Later the Canes get another penalty. Price rushes to the bench, the extra man comes on, we're deep in the Canes zone with everyone ready, except Drouin who just stands there while the puck slips in front of him and the play's called down.

Weber sends in a nice low shot that Byron easily tips but the save is made. Shaw dives across to knock the puck away and somehow the refs think a Cane tripped him. Price turns over the puck on a bad pass and luckily the Canes miss the net. Peca and Petry score, 1-2. Habs are still doubling the Canes in shots.

If you watch, Shaw plays the Centre position for Domi and even takes quite a few draws. Domi and Drouin both float with Domi seeking the break-out and Drouin either trying to do a Gretzky or just lost.

Hab of the period: Matthew Peca

3rd
Petry gives up a goal. Gallagher answers back. Lehkonen drives from the opposite side as Gallagher's goal, scoring and even taking the late hit! Price gives up an easy goal. Shaw replies on a play he started taking the pass from Weber on the rush.

Domi leaves his man wide open and covers no one. Juulsen goes down, gets slashed and then a Cane looks at him in a vulnerable position spearing him in the crotch. No call. Maybe the puck was in his jock.

Domi tries to protect the lead by flipping the puck up into the neutral zone to a Canes player instead of any number of solid plays. That Cane makes stuff happen and they rush in beating Kulak and Price for a goal.

Price has yet another turnover but the Canes miss the net. With 2:14 left, the Canes pull the goalie. Petry bounces the puck off the boards and into the empty net. Gallagher almost gets another ampty netter.

Hab of the period: Gallagher

Notes

Watch the replays – many goals were scored by a guy skating across the crease without any interference by the defencemen – that's hard on a goalie.

Weber didn't look good. He hasn't for a few games. He started off with a bang but either he's aggravated something or he's still working back up to 100%.

Petry had seven shots on goal.