The New Jersey Devils had the Montreal Canadiens right where they wanted them, but they let them off the proverbial canvas.
With 5:56 left in the second period and the Devils holding a 2-0 lead, forward Jacob Josefson snapped the team’s 22nd shot on goal. One minute and 13 seconds later, a seemingly innocuous play ended with Montreal’s Sven Andrighetto squeezing a goal past goaltender Cory Schneider.
From that point on, the Canadiens outshot the Devils 15-5, scoring the tying goal with 8:46 remaining in the third period and holding on to win it in the shootout.
It’s hockey parlance: ‘good teams always find a way to win.’ Through 24 games the Canadiens have found a way 18 times, giving them a two-point cushion on the next-best Dallas Stars in the NHL standings.
Here’s what we learned from this game.
Schneider deserved better
You could tell that Schneider was engaged from the start of this game. And with saves like this one, he certainly deserved a better fate on the night.
Schneider made two unbelievable saves in overtime to keep the Devils alive, none better than one on forward Max Pacioretty from right on the doorstep of his crease with just seconds remaining.
He forced Pacioretty wide in the shootout, did the same to Lars Eller, and didn’t allow David Desharnais to embarrass him by beating him with a slapshot.
But…
Alex Galchenyuk would not be denied
Before Galchenyuk scored a masterful goal in the shootout, he was the one who tied the game in the third period on a magnificent breakaway goal.
His sense of timing is impeccable.
Since Brendan Gallagher injured his hand last Sunday against the New York Islanders, Galchenyuk scored the game-winning goal in that game before compiling goals in games against the New York Rangers and Devils.
He wasn’t credited with an assist on his team’s first goal, but it was him who won a battle along the boards in the offensive zone to free the puck up for Eller, who set up Andrighetto.
About Andrighetto…
In three games since being called up from the St. John’s IceCaps, Andrighetto has scored two goals and a shootout winner.
For the time being, he’s resolved a season-long problem by becoming the seventh player to play on the right of Galchenyuk—the first to show any kind of consistency there.
The Canadiens could have gone to 2013 first-rounder Michael McCarron, who has sparkled for St. John’s in his first season. Or they could have called on Charles Hudon, who finished second in points among rookies in the AHL last season.
Instead, they called Andrighetto, fresh off a two-goal performance.
Good call.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien turns the blender on
Therrien, who’s never been shy in the past to mix up his lines, has been remarkably patient this season.
With the exception of the changes on Galchenyuk’s right, and having to deal with injuries to centre Torrey Mitchell, right-wingers Devante Smith-Pelly, Alex Semin, Gallagher and defenceman Alexei Emelin at different times, Therrien has barely tinkered with his lineup.
But, on Friday, Therrien sensed the tide turning towards the end of the second period and made some changes to ignite the spark in the third.
One of those changes proved to be a stroke of genius.
Josefson took a penalty with 12:07 left in the third, and after the Canadiens spent all two minutes of their power play in the offensive zone Therrien doubled down on the chemistry Galchenyuk, Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec had shown as a unit.
One minute and 21 seconds after the penalty had expired; Galchenyuk was back on the right of Pacioretty and Plekanec, instead of in his usual spot at centre on the second line. Pacioretty sent Galchenyuk on the breakaway for the tying goal.
Mike Condon came up with the goods
Condon was 7-2-2 (5-2-2 in starter Carey Price’s absence), but he had allowed 11 goals in his last four starts.
The questions started flying. Had Condon come back down to earth? Was he tired? Was he exposed?
After Price aggravated the injury in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over the Rangers, Condon stepped in and stopped all 11 shots he faced.
The 2-0 deficit against New Jersey didn’t faze him. He made some huge saves throughout the game and came up huge in the shootout stopping former Canadien Mike Cammalleri and sniper Patrik Elias to preserve the win.