A game that featured the two best goaltenders in the world finished with neither of them in their respective nets.
New York’s Henrik Lundqvist came into the game leading every statistical category among NHL goaltenders, but allowed five goals and was pulled in the third period.
Montreal’s Carey Price aggravated a lower-body injury that recently kept him out of nine games, when he slid across the crease midway through the second period. He gave up a power-play goal to Rick Nash shortly after and finished the frame, but did not return to the game at the start of the third period.
In fact, Price wasn’t even on the bench for the third. The Canadiens scored three goals to secure a 5-1 win and regain control of top spot in the NHL.
Here’s what we learned:
The rest was good for Mike Condon
Condon, who was 5-2-2 in Price’s recent absence, looked weary in his last three starts for Montreal. Forgive him; he had never been a starting goaltender at any level of hockey before making his NHL debut this season.
Price’s three consecutive starts since returning might have afforded Condon the physical and mental rest necessary to once again work wonders as Montreal’s starter.
Granted, the Canadiens spotted him a three-goal lead with two goals in the first 1:29 of the third period, but Condon looked refreshed in pushing aside 11 shots he faced.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien confirmed after the game that Condon would start Friday night in New Jersey, cautioning that with the team playing back-to-back Friday and Saturday he’s sticking with his original plan.
Speaking of filling in for the injured…
Canadiens right winger Devante Smith-Pelly, skating in Brendan Gallagher’s now-vacated spot, tripled his goal output on the season with two goals on Lundqvist.
Both of Smith-Pelly’s goals came from the blue paint, where Gallagher makes his living. And he had a chance to flash that toothless smile without sacrificing his head.
Galchenyuk heating up
On Sunday, Sven Andrighetto became the seventh player this season to skate on the right of centre Alex Galchenyuk and left winger Lars Eller in a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders.
Therrien referred to it as the line’s best performance of the season.
Andrighetto got Montreal on the board Wednesday against the Rangers and Galchenyuk followed with a goal and an assist for his 14th and 15th points in the 23rd game of the season.
That’s goals in two straight games for Galchenyuk, who also won 57 per cent of his faceoffs against the Rangers.
It’s worth noting that in his first full season at centre, Galchenyuk is second on the Canadiens with 52.5 per cent faceoff efficiency. We won’t ignore that he takes the majority of his draws in the offensive zone, where the opposing centre is now forced to put his stick down first, but that barely detracts from this impressive feat.
New York immaculate at home this season
The process is one thing, as the Rangers have been far from impressive in possession metrics (28th in Corsi For percentage) while riding Lundqvist’s stellar play.
But the results are another.
The Rangers came into the game having won nine straight at home, owning the NHL’s best record at 16-3-2 thanks to a miniscule and league-leading 1.72 goals-against average. Two of the four regulation losses they’ve suffered this season have been delivered by the Canadiens.
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault referred to the 3-0 loss on October 15 in Montreal as “a lesson.”
Wednesday’s 5-1 loss at Madison Square Garden probably didn’t sit too well with Vigneault.
The Rangers gave it away
They literally gave it away.
New York was credited with 18 giveaways to Montreal’s three. That’s not a recipe for winning hockey; it’s typically a recipe for losing by a wide margin.
Bonus note
Montreal’s Alexander Semin left the game in the third period with a lower-body injury, becoming the seventh Canadiens player to suffer one (if you count Price twice) since October 29.
