Friday, April 18, 2008

Price Hands Bruins The Game Winner


Is "the Price right" or do we really need a "Price check"?

A pair of rookie mistakes in the third period cost the Canadiens a chance to wrap up their first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.

With the game tied 1-1 in the third period, Carey price, who had been stellar up to this point in the series, handed the Bruins the lead when he tried to play the puck to a teammate only to have it intercepted by a Boston player and Glen Metropolit batted the puck into an open net for a 2-1 Boston lead.

Moments after the goal, Sergei Kostitsyn took an undisciplined penalty in the offensive zone.
Zdeno Chara scored the Bruins' second power-play goal of the game 5:49 into the third period for a 3-1 Boston lead and the Bruins coasted the rest of the way for a 5-1 win and narrowed the Canadiens' lead in the series to 3-2 and force Game 6 Saturday night in Boston.

Marco Sturm added Boston's fourth goal while shorthanded at the 15:13 mark of the final frame and Vladimir Sobotka made Price look silly with a shot from a bad angle that Price misplayed at 17:48.

Phil Kessel, who was a healthy scratch for the last three games for the Bruins, scored on the power play 7:45 into the second period when he grabbed his own rebound and beat Price between the legs.

Things had started well for the Canadiens, who grabbed a 1-0 lead on a nifty goal by Alex Kovalev 9:47 into the opening period.

Kovalev, who had lost his helmet and had his golden mane flowing like Guy Lafleur decades ago, got the goal on a backhand shot that eluded Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas between the legs.
Patrice Brisebois and Roman Hamrlik got the assists on the goal. It was a fourth point in the postseason for both Brisebois and Kovalev, who are tied for the team scoring lead.

I don't believe Price will faulter as he did tonight in the future, and I still believe in my pre-series prediction of Habs in 6... "Jesus Price" will bounce back, he's done so in the AHL before as a young goalie even for that league.

Habs will win it 4-2 in Beantown...series over...hopefully.

With files from Habsinsideout.com

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