BOSTON – The disappointment for the Montreal Canadiens should not come in heading home from TD Garden with a 3-2 series deficit to the Boston Bruins, although that is obviously a serious issue.
No, the real disappointment here was the lack of aplomb the Habs showed during a 4-2 loss on Saturday night. This is a team that has exuded calm and poise throughout these playoffs, but they hadn’t yet faced a moment like this one: Pivotal game in a rocking road arena, facing the NHL’s top regular-season team, with a chance to move one win away from the Eastern Conference final.
They bobbled it away like someone trying to corral a bouncing tennis ball on a frozen lake. Surprisingly, Tomas Plekanec was the worst offender – the normally defensively-sound centre had a big hand in the first three goals against – but this was certainly not about one player or a couple bad decisions.
This was about the team game and there was no question which one was better. Boston imposed its will, and with it, brought a feeling of inevitability about what happens next.
At least the Canadiens now know where the standard is after seeing a full 60 minutes of Bruins hockey for the first time in this series. We’ll soon understand if that look behind the curtain has a positive or negative effect. The most fitting image was the sight of rock-solid winger Milan Lucic flexing his biceps on the Boston bench during the second period.
He was trying to send a message to P.K. Subban. "I think it’s self-explanatory," Lucic said.
There may also have been a bit of message-sending in the final minute when Shawn Thornton squirted Subban with water while the play was going on, although it was less clear what exactly that was about. Thornton didn’t speak with reporters while Subban correctly stated that it "would probably be on the news for the next three days" if he had done that to Thornton.
As much as that became a major talking point, it had absolutely no bearing on the game or the series. Thornton will be fined a nominal amount in the days ahead and that will be that.
Of absolute importance to Montreal is finding a way to dictate the terms of how Monday’s must-win Game 6 will be played. The team must use its speed and remain disciplined. A more sustained forecheck at even strength and a tougher night for Tuukka Rask will increase the odds of forcing a Game 7.
They must move on from what happened here.
"We just couldn’t establish (our game)," Habs captain Brian Gionta said Saturday night. "It was one of those games where we were on the wrong side of the puck all night. We weren’t moving the puck quickly enough."
With the intensity ramped up, referees Wes McCauley and Eric Furlatt also had to make their presence felt – an outcome that was inevitable as soon as Brad Marchand knocked Brendan Gallagher to the ice before the puck could even be dropped on the opening faceoff.
Six power plays would be handed out in the first period alone, one more than the previous two games combined. The thinking heading in was that a special teams game would likely favour Montreal. That wasn’t the case.
There was even a light moment after Saturday’s morning skate where Bruins coach Claude Julien praised the work of the referees and Canadiens coach Michel Therrien responded by breaking into laughter and saying "I’m sure he did." Earlier in the series, Julien complained of the "crap" his team had to put up with but he was singing from a different songbook here.
"I have no complaints about the refereeing," Julien said. "In this series, I think they’ve done a wonderful job letting both teams play so at the end of the night, for the most part, the better team has won."
Power-play goals 32 seconds apart early in the second period made the difference. Plekanec was sitting in the box on both occasions as part of the three minors he was assessed. First Reilly Smith tipped home a Patrice Bergeron shot at 1:04 and then Jarome Iginla was inexplicably left all alone in front and beat Carey Price between the legs.
That made it 3-0 and brought on more headaches for Plekanec. Rather than taking a hit in the first period, he needlessly iced the puck before losing the defensive zone faceoff. Seconds later, Carl Soderberg opened the scoring for Boston.
"I think everybody who knows and who has followed our team noticed that (we rediscovered our identity)," Julien said.
Boston’s third line has been a force during consecutive wins that changed the tone of this series. Depth may finally be winning out. Soderberg, Loui Eriksson and Matt Fraser created all kinds of chances and were responsible for both goals at even strength.
Therrien had been hoping to see more from his top offensive forwards in this game – he suggested they needed to up their intensity level – and at least got a goal from top-line winger Brendan Gallagher in the second period. He was knocked into the end boards moments before heading to the net and having a Plekanec shot go in off his leg on the power play.
That ended Rask’s shutout streak at 122 minutes six seconds.
Montreal then put together a solid third period, which only underscored how badly the scattered start hurt. Shortly after Eriksson scored to make it 4-1, Subban replied on a power play. That was the end of the scoring.
Of particular note was the fact that Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais continue to sport a zero in the goal column for this series. Speaking of those players, Therrien had said "perseverance can take you places" before watching Desharnais fail to get a shot off on a breakaway and Pacioretty miss an empty side.
It is now his entire team that needs to embrace the ideology of perseverance. Finding a way out of this jam against the Bruins will be like trying to escape a bear attack in a forest. Not beyond the realm of possibility, but…
"You back any animal into a corner, it’s going to be desperate," Price said. "We’re excited for the challenge."
Boston had made mincemeat of the Eastern Conference in recent years, winning eight of their last 10 playoff series. One more victory and the Habs will become their latest victim.