Oct 07 Canadiens Game 1 Live Blog

In terms of opening ceremonies, Toronto can't beat Montreal....from the music, to the kids circling the Habs zone flag in hand, to the fire on ice presentation, Montreal knows how to throw a party. Not to mention the cost-cutting measures of having the crowd sing the national anthem.

In terms of reception, interesting to see the boos that came with the introduction of Luke Schenn, Mike Komesarek, and Grabovski

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Period 1 begins....

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Lars Eller and Andrei Kostitsyn combine for a scoring chance on his first shift for the Canadiens

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Carey Price with the big save, and loses his stick in the process

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Boyd-Pyatt-Moen also looked very impressive on the fore-check on their first shift

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Leafs strike first. Someone left Tim Brent (who?) wide open, and he makes it 1-0 Leafs. Assisted by new Captain Dion Phaneuf.

Pleks, Eller, Kostitsyn, Picard and O'Byrne were on the ice

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Another defensive laspse, this time by Hal Gill, which allows Kessel to go one on one with Price, and Kessel wins. 2-0 Leafs.

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Leafs and Habs fans may have found something in common...."Carey" chants have erupted

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Eller creates a 2nd scoring chance which was not capitalized on.

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Lapierre and Darche worked hard to clear the lane, and Boyd capitalizes for the Habs first goal! Make it 2-1 Leafs

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Canadiens are playing some wide open sloppy hockey, which has now resulted in them taking a penalty. Lars Eller in the box for Hooking

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Lapierre had a strong PK, and the Canadiens have killed the penalty with Price flopping on the puck to kill the time.

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Canadiens are attacking! I like this version of the Canadiens so far. They could have been down by 2 goals last season, and you wouldn't have known it from their style of play

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Jacques Martin is getting great play from his 3rd and 4th lines, but Darche got a little 2 aggressive and now has a penalty for tripping

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Pyatt shows his speed and his effectiveness on the PK, and gets the puck in the offensive zone with a challenging shot on Giguere.

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End of Period 1 -

Toronto 2 - Montreal 1

Leafs outshoot the Canadiens 12-7

Standouts in Period 1 for the Habs: Lapierre, Eller (despite the penalty), Boyd.

Sub outs for the Habs in Period 1: O'Byrne, Gill.

Spacek did show a big improvement so far from his play in the preseason

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Round 2 Begins...Leafs have less than 60 seconds on PP

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Boyd blocked a shot...but looks hurt...but still on the ice, so he must be fine. PK is over. Leafs 0-2 on the PP

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Subban takes his first big hit this season.

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Seems to be a slower pace this period. Lapierre did have a nice hard body check. He led the team last year, and looks like he wants to continue this year

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Phaneuf trips up Boyd, who received a great stretch pass from Subban! Habs go on their 1st PP

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PK runs past the puck trying to keep it in the offensive zone, and almost allows a shorthanded 2-1 which was nullified.

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Lapierre tried the same move that he scored against against the Penguins, but lost the puck, and now the Leafs get a too many men penalty. Will this trend continue again this year???

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Spacek did a great job manning the point. opened up several scoring opportinuties, including Pleks hitting a post, but Habs unable to make it count. Still 40 seconds left

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Price using his head, and makes a save. He thinks he hears boos...

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Everytime PK touches the puck, you expect something offensive to happen...

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WOW! Eller almost scores from his knees! And now Luke Schenn now gives the Canadiens their 3rd straight power play

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Leafs seem to know how critical this PK is for them, and have kept the Canadiens out of their zone for most of it.

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That PP was so ugly, Martin may waive off the next one

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Gill is starting this season like he did last season. I wonder if he has the flu....

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Boyd-Pyatt-Moen again create another scoring opportunity!

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Oh what the Darche?! He makes a mental mistake by flipping the puck into the stands, which allows Toronto to go on the power play to end the period

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Price with a nice save at the end of the period. Was barely tested in this frame.

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End of Period 2-

Toronto 2 - Montreal 1

Canadiens outshoot the Leafs 10-5.

Standouts in Period 1 for the Habs: Boyd, Eller, PK Subban

Sub outs for the Habs in Period 1: Gill, Darche

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Period 3 begins...

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Gionta showing why he is capting, creating a scoring chance using Darche as a screen only seconds into the 3rd period

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Macarther completely undressed Spacek and puts it puts Price for their 3rd goal of the game. Assisted by Kulemin and Grabovski

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Boyd responds with a partial break, but is stopped by Giguere

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Lapierre is one the ice, and contributes in front to allow Halpern to get the rebound and score the Canadiens 2nd of the game!! Lapierre and Pouliot get the assists. Leafs 3, Habs 2

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PK Subban does off for tripping. Apparently if you body check a Leaf in Toronto and he falls, that's considered tripping...with 12 minutes left and the Habs down by 1, not a great penalty

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Eller almost tied the game, had it not been for the heads up poke check by Giguere.

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Canadiens are playing like this is the 5th period. Allowed the Leafs to control the puck for over 30 seconds with a delayed penalty against them. less than 4 minutes left, and the Leafs will go on the man advantage.Chippy play by Gomez and Gionta during that sequence as well.

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With Pyatt in the box, Pleks shows no quit and gets a scoring chance. Gionta helps out as well and follows up with one of his own. Solid play from both these players tonight.

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Price had to make the 2nd huge save right at the end of the power play against Kessel to keep them in the game

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Giguere absolutely robs Gionta and makes a nice save on PK Subban at the buzzer.

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Final Score:

Toronto 3 - Montreal 2

SOG: Montreal 28 - Toronto 24

My 3 Stand Outs:

1 - Dustin Boyd

2 - Lars Eller

3 - Maxime Lapierre

My 3 Sub  Outs

1 - Hal Gil

2 - Mathieu Darche

3 - Ryan O'Byrne

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