One thing you can set your watch to. No matter the season, the record, or time of year, a loss in Montreal will drive you crazy. Losing in Montreal makes you think thoughts that aren't rational. It drives you to your kitchen where you just start eating things because you're so jammed up. You take your dog for a real long walk after losses in Montreal. You probably lost some inhibitions.  If a girl rolls over in bed and wants to have sex the night of a loss in Montreal, you kick her onto the floor, take all the pillows downstairs, and sleep on the couch.  Maybe even divorce her. 

 

The hate for Montreal built all game, and then Kris Letang carried the anger of an entire fanbase toward PK Subban at the end of overtime. At that exact moment, you wished Letang threw Subban through the glass and then punched him in the face until Subban turned to slush.  Nothing like a game in Montreal.

 

Overall, the Pens were still able get a point, which is fine. After a winning streak, losses feel like valleys. Have to find the emotional even keel again.

 

Pens get a chance to rest up until Saturday, 2:00pm, against Winnipeg.

 

Cap after readmore:

 

 

 

The Pens got the first two powerplays of the game.  It was in the back of your mind that these early PP failures would come back to haunt the Pens somehow.

The first powerplay was a mess, and the first unit sat early. On the second powerplay about 5 minutes later, the Pens had a few chances but could not knock one past Price. Montreal was still getting unlimited chances.

They finally cashed in when Matt LeBlanc from "Friends" beat MAF on a breakaway. 1-0.

The two teams traded powerplays later on. James Neal got pissed at Tomas Plekanek's mock turtleneck and took a penalty. Pens killed it.

Scott Gomez took some bizarre penalty, but the Pens couldn't do anything with the chance. It was a frantic ending to the period. Craig Adams got called for a penalty. Pens would be shorthanded going into the third.  Frustration city.

MAF had one of the prettiest saves of the year on Erik Cole late in the second.  Can't find video of it.  Here's the pic:

Erik Cole sucks.

 

 

Fifth Ave Joe Vitale drove down the right side and threw a puck to the middle. The puck hit Dupes' skates. No kicking motion. 1-1.

Things evened out from there. Both goalies making big-time saves.

And then the Habs got a bounce. Lars Ulrich came down the wing, and even he didn't know what he was gonna do with the puck.  MAF thought it was gonna be a dump and was jumping out to get it.  Ulrich then flung it to the net; it hit the post then off of MAF's ass.

People saying that goal is vintage Fleury haven't really watched his career.  Sure, he has issues handling the puck, but nearly NHL goalie of all time has had to deal with a bizarre play like the one last night.  MAF doesn't routinely give up long shots.  It's a fluke.  It's the only way the Habs can stay in games anymore.

Saving MAF was the fact that the Pens got it right back. Kunitz-Malkin-Neal got things going. Malkin gets knocked down by Gill.  Again, last season, Malkin goes and crosschecks Gill.  Instead, Malkin gets up and goes behind the net.  Kunitz pushes it to him. Malkin throws the puck in front, finds Neal.

Snipe.  2-2.

Then it was back and forth again.  As usual, the Pens had to overcome being called for a late penalty. Great effort by Matt Cooke on the penalty kill.

By the time the penalty was over, it was try to get the point city.

To OT we go.

OT was a battle. Subban and Malkin went toe-to-toe on every shift they were out there. Letang had a huge chance, as did some idiot from Montreal.

Toward the end of OT was when an exclamation point was put on overtime.

First came this incident:

Not exactly sure that Malkin is talking to Letang here.  Looks like he's chirping the Habs bench and then turns his head for some reason in mid-sentence.

Then came the reason we're buying Letang jerseys:

The minute you see that white jersey go flying into the picture the blood pressure in your body reaches critical mass.

Gif of the play via Highheelsandhockey

Beautiful.

Balls in your mouth every time someone picked up the puck at center ice.  MAF and Price were taking care of business. 

Malkin did this:

 

 

NOTES:

• At least Montreal won't make the playoffs.
• Scott Gomez sucks.
• Vintage Montreal crowd last night.
• Good replays by Root Sports last night actually. Broke down a few things they usually miss.
• Ultimately when a Pens fan appears on "Intervention," he or she will talk about the trigger of drug addiction as a loss in Montreal.