Canadiens edge the Senators, Flames rally against the Canucks, plus the latest on the Jets and Oilers in your NHL Canadian Corner.
Canadiens forward Brian Flynn scores the winning goal against the Senators.
MONTREAL GAZETTE/OTTAWA SUN: Brian Flynn scored the game winner and collected two assists in a wild second period to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 4-3 series-opening win over the Ottawa Senators. Six goals were scored in the second period, with the Habs collecting all four of theirs in that frame. Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban was ejected from the game for a nasty slash on Senators forward Mark Stone, who left and returned to the game twice.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It didn’t take long for the emotions to boil over between these two clubs, with Subban’s slash on Stone being the catalyst. Subban deserved the five-minute major and game misconduct. The Senators believe he should be suspended, with coach Dave Cameron suggesting one of the Canadiens best players could receive similar treatment if Subban didn’t receive supplemental discipline. Reports last night speculate Subban won’t be suspended, but Cameron’s comments could result in his getting a warning from the league. The situation will certainly stoke the fires for Game Two on Friday.
CALGARY HERALD/THE PROVINCE: Third-period goals from David Jones and Kris Russell lifted the Calgary Flames to a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in Game One of their opening-round series. Bo Horvat scored for the Canucks, who dominated the Flames in stretches during this game but could get more than one goal past Flames netminder Jonas Hiller. Earlier in the day, the Flames announced the signing of top prospect goalie and NCAA tournament MVP Jon Gillies to an NHL contract.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Two rookies – the Canucks’ Horvat and Calgary’s Sam Bennett – acquitted themselves well in their first-ever NHL playoff game. Both made key contributions and played with a poise that overshadowed their lack of postseason experience.
WINNIPEG FREE PRESS: Forward Mathieu Perreault (lower-body injury) remains questionable for the Jets’ series opener against the Anaheim Ducks. Defenseman Tobias Enstrom skipped practice yesterday but is expected to play in Game One.
EDMONTON SUN: Oilers medical staff say injuries to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov will prevent them from participating in the upcoming World Championships.
I get thats its an emotional game and all the rest, but Cameron has to be smarter than that in game 1, suggesting that his team should take things in to their own hands and risk getting suspended if Subban doesnt get suspended? seems Bush league to me, not sure thats the comment you want to make if something gets out of hand later in the series.
I think a lot of people missed his point that if you don’t suspend him, then other teams will just take the five-minute penalty and get the other guys best player off the ice and win that way. It’s sort of like hits from behind, kneeing, head shots and others…you want those kind of stupid plays out of the game that intentionally or not will likely injure other team’s best players and what P.K did is exactly that: a stupid play that could potentially injure a very good player for no hockey related reason. A two handed come from behind slash on exposed unprotected area is dirty any way you look at it and needs to get out of the game the same way cheap blindside head shots need to be. I don’t think P.K’s intent was to injure Stone to the point of a giving him a fracture of some sort but the thinking or as Don Cherry would say, “respect” needs to change in players and them thinking it’s ok to slash like that should never be thought as an acceptable play.
do you realize how many slashes harder than that happen a game?? so many times slashes to the legs thighs happen all the time pk got 5 and a game that’s enough! as far as the supposed fracture stone has a microfracture why would the sens come out and tell everyone that in the playoffs if it wasn’t an attempt to get pk suspended? its done Cameron screwed up with his rant after the game Ottawa does anything stupid and they will be suspended
Jello I guess what you’re saying is that a dirty play is ok in your books as long as it’s done by someone on your team? I don’t get what you don’t understand, not that I care, about coming up behind a player giving him a two hander across his exposed or not wrists, ankles, head, neck, whatever…
it happens every game and twice as much in the playoffs! geez
@Ron Moore
I completely agree with you. I’ve played hockey (rollerhockey) and I’ve had several situtions where our team felt that the refs weren’t doing their jobs and we took matters in our own hands. The league should have sent a statement that this type of play won’t be tolerated.
Could be right, but not sure that the NHL or the media would be looking at it that way or reading that much between the lines if something happened. I dont doubt that Cameron didnt really mean it as a threat, I just think its probably best in game 1 of a series that you lost a close game in to just leave it alone answer questions sure but dont create more drama….get ready for the next one.
The problem is the strike by Subban was a targeted strike at an unprotected area. In my opinion, it was a deliberate attempt to injure. Subban may not have been trying to break his wrist, but I’m sure McSorely wasn’t trying to knock Brashear unconscious either.
Hopefully we get a little better reffing in the next game they lost control of this one! Subban shouldn’t be suspended stone dove around like he was shot I like stone but that was a bit much
Ehhh I think thats the type of game thats great to watch…playoff hockey is best when its a little chippy and a little out of hand, dont want refs deciding games. That was a fun one to watch. Should be a great series if it continues that way.
after one game the game plans have been figured out and it’s all about execution at this point. Vancouver is targeting the Flames big 4 on defense and have Edler & Tanev against Calgary’s top line, Calgary on the other hand has targeted Weber & Sbisa and have decided they’re gonna block every shot and take away Weber’s shot on the powerplay. as far as the execution goes Weber made a key mistake that led to the Flames first goal but in the Flames eagerness to block every shot they tipped one past their own goalie. the Flames game is all about getting the first goal and holding on and when they didn’t they had to open up, that doesn’t suit their personnel and it’s not a recipe for success long term. to allow the Sedins time to set up on the powerplay is flirting with disaster. the Flames made rookie mistakes and took needless penalties that could’ve cost them the game. Hiller’s style of knocking down the puck instead of catching it has the Canucks shooting for rebounds and that could pay some dividends. Lack played well but got caught deep in his net on both goals. Calgary may have gotten a goal from targeting Weber but the Canucks got several big hits on the Flames key dmen and just one injury would be devastating to Calgary.
From what I watched in one game, Edmonton made a huge mistake taking Draisaitl over Bennett. Calgary is set for the future with Monahan and Bennett as their centres.
Good game last night (Sens – Habs). IMO, a bit dirty by Subban as you could see him try to get at Stone a few times prior to the slash. I would give him a 1 game suspension as it was a clear hack (two handed) that we don’t see on a regular basis. As much as Subban is a good player, I still find that he needs more maturing. It’s frustrating to see things like that.
Either way, Habs barely won. Definitely NOT a convincing win and I expect the Sens to be ready to bring it for game 2. Can’t wait for Sunday… I’ll be right there watching them battle it out.
missing subban and patches and the habs still win the game?? the sens are in trouble if they cant win with patches and subban out! subban should not be suspended stone played the refs like a fiddle a classless act by stone
No question jello, those western league graduates are known to be divers. Certainly never see a Hab’s player pull something like that. Probably faking the alleged fracture as well…
ranzier… go look up microfracture! and if it was so bad why was stone trying to fight at the end of the game?? such an embellishment its not funny now murray is saying pk threatened stone! lmao its playoff hockey every scuffle there is a threat
and ranzier what is with the ” western league” comment are you saying certain cultures are divers?? a little prejudice aren’t u??
@jello
Please read the following from NHL website. Please note the “… and ligament damage…” portion:
Ottawa Senators forward Mark Stone sustained a microfracture and ligament damage to his right wrist in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round series against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday and his availability for the remainder of the series is unknown, Senators general manager Bryan Murray said Thursday.
jd… I don’t know if you don’t follow hockey that much but teams will say anything in the playoffs to get an edge I wont believe anything till I see he is not playing Friday night!
Right! So this is why Subban got fined twice for DIVING and Stone didn’t. Neil is back in the picture… the itty bitty Habs will start getting scared once the Sens start throwing bodies around.
It should be a one-game suspension, just because PK was so obviously targeting the rookie scoring machine and caused injury as a result.
Of course intimidation is an important part of playoff hockey, including intimidation of the other team’s stars where possible, but a two-handed from-behind hack on a scorer’s wrist is too obvious to be acceptable.
The league won’t suspend him, but the karma might be the killer. (Then again, it might not.)
so if theres a penalty called and the player is injured the penalized player should be suspended ……. hmmmmmm interesting
kulikov of florida got penalized for his hit on pacs and he left the game and has yet to return yet no suspension pt 1
gryba on eller hit got penalized but no suspension and eller didn’t play the rest of the playoffs …pt 2
and yet stone was so injured he could scuffle it up at the end of the game interesting
and that tough guy Macarthur (16) was all tough at the end of the game and go at someone from behind
im betting neil or pageau takes a run at price on Friday nite
News Flash
Melynck is starting an investigation into if the slash was on purpose or not …….lol
I’m sure you gentlemen will be equally gracious and accepting if or when a Montreal player gets injured on a deliberate action. Just like you were two years ago when Eller got caught with his head down. Just remember your words.
ranzier…. that was a blatant headshot!! cmon lmao
Small correction… Gryba hit on Eller… Gryba was suspended if my memory serves me right. He had a 2-game suspension.
This bickering and whining is hilariously dumb. That meanie PK did it on purpose. He wanted to risk getting suspended by breaking the wrist of Stone. If he actually intended to injure him like that it would not make sense as the Habs could also be losing one of their best players if a suspension came from it. Then you have the coach say suspend him or one of my guys is going to do it to their guys. (If anything like that does happen both that player and Cameron should both be suspended for a premeditated attack)then you follow it up with the GM stating that Stone was threatened by PK. Everytime there is a scrum or close play contact between players they jabber back and forth and say crap about taking each other out. You think they are asking “How’s the family?” out there?
The Sens and their fans are going to be in for a rude awakening if they are getting this upset already.
At least its entertaining.
Honestly, hockey is hockey and sports are sports. It can get rough and emotions run high. So, I don;t agree with coming out and saying Stone was threatened… it happens all the time.
My issue is still the principle of slashing a guy like that. These guys are pros and make lots of money because of what they can do with their hand-eye coordination… I have a hard time understanding that PK didn’t realize how hard, where and who he was slashing. Either way, hope Stone can play as close to the 100% as possible, if he can play.
For those that say Stone faked it… we’ll see tonight if he plays or not and, if he does… number of minutes and number of shifts.
I’ve played hockey for the most part of my life and played at very competitive levels so, let me tell you that a slash like the one from Subban can be very damaging. Don’t be fooled because a two handed whack like that doesn’t come around every game. As a player, you know you shouldn’t do that…. but hey.. Subban knows he shouldn’t dive… he also knows that NHL players don’t like him too much… I wonder why? Players don;t like Neil either but not for the same reason…