TORONTO— Claude Julien wanted to see more will and determination from his Montreal Canadiens, and they showed it to him at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night.
Their reward? A stirring, come-from-behind 4-3 win to take a 2-1 series lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It was Brendan Gallagher, clearly labouring enough to miss Wednesday’s morning skate, gutting his way through some pain and discomfort from an undisclosed injury to his right leg (ankle?) to play 24 shifts and 17:47. It was Shea Weber bearing down on a rebound opportunity to open the scoring for the Canadiens. It was Jonathan Drouin going to the net for a goal, and Paul Byron wrapping one in and taking an extra shot just make sure it crossed the line.
Carey Price stretching across his crease to steal a second goal away from Jason Zucker. These Canadiens would be back in Montreal by now if not for his heroics.
The 32-year-old goaltender came into Game 3 having stopped 74 of 78 Penguins shots—so many of them Grade-A chances—and he was brilliant once again, with 34 saves.
His teammates? Well, things were touch-and-go for a while there. Weber’s goal came at 4:57 of the first period, or a little less than three minutes before the Canadiens came out of their game plan and allowed the first of three unanswered goals.
The Penguins, who came into the game one-for-12 on the power play, found a way to beat Price on successive power plays Ben Chiarot and Weber offered them. It was Patric Hornqvist scoring the first one, and Zucker following with another 59 seconds later.
Penguins forward Teddy Blueger beat Victor Mete to a rebound and made it 3-1 in the sixth minute of the second period. In the 13th minute his linemate, Chris Tanev, threw a devastating hit on Jake Evans and knocked him out cold and out of the game.
Gut punch to the Canadiens.
Gut check.
That the Canadiens collected themselves and clawed their way back says much about their character. No one gave them a chance of winning this series and suddenly they’re a game away from eliminating a Penguins team that was 15 points better in the standings when the NHL season came to a screeching halt due to the novel coronavirus. A Penguins team that is better than them in nearly every facet of the game.
But that’s the thing about the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s a test of will, and less so one of skill.
The Canadiens had the will in this game and that kept them in it. They showed great determination in shutting it down after Jeff Petry scored the winner—and from a terrible angle on Penguins goaltender Matt Murray—at 5:33 of the third period. They killed a penalty with 3:32 remaining, and they kept Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin out of the goal column.
Now the Canadiens are suddenly in the driver’s seat.
Game 4 goes Friday at 4 p.m. ET.
