The second game between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens did not possess the drama of the first, but it was just as exciting and physical. Alex Galchenyuk scored in overtime to lift the Canadiens to a 2-0 series lead.
Montreal’s atmosphere was tense right before the game. P.K. Subban did not receive a suspension for his slash on Mark Stone. This led many to wonder if Senators’ head coach Dave Cameron’s threat of violence without a suspension would come true.
The Bell Centre exploded when Max Pacioretty’s name lit up on the scoreboard. He finally returned after missing 12 games due to a concussion. P.K. Subban took the ice, but the only knives thrown at him came out of the eyes of the Senators. Would the threats come to life?
Thankfully, no. But the game was one of the more physical games of the entire season. Bodies smashed against the boards. Sticks flailed around. The aggressive nature that makes hockey so entertaining made this game. Both teams fought hard, but Clarke MacArthur scored with two minutes left in the first to lift the Senators 1-0 and carry momentum into intermission.
This is how the first game started. The Bell Centre remained loud, but there was a hesitation within the crowd. The Senators craved revenge. They wanted nothing more than to win.
But the Senators did not exploit the momentum. MacArthur boarded Brian Flynn too hard and received a penalty. It was an opportunity for the Canadiens and of course it was Pacioretty who scored the power play goal to tie the game.
And of course it was P.K. Subban who scored at 16:30 to put the Canadiens up 2-1. This was not an ordinary goal, though. This goal was a rocket at 87 miles per hour. Watch the Vine. He hit the puck so hard that goalie Andrew Hammond flinched. The goalie, who is used to pucks flying at him, flinched at this puck.
https://vine.co/v/ezHOa1JwnBl
Holy cow. The fact that Subban scored the goal probably explains the loud noise in the Bell Centre that lasted until the whistle blew to end the period. The Canadiens almost danced off the ice. Unfortunately for them, the Senators were not finished. They successfully killed two penalties when Canadien Alexei Emelin interfered with MacArthur and sent to the sin bin for two minutes. The Senators grabbed the opportunity and tied the game 3-3.
Overtime. Yes, there is nothing like playoff hockey, but overtime playoff hockey? Untouchable. Overtime playoff hockey between two teams who hate each other? Priceless.
The Canadiens roared out of the dressing room on fire and wasted no time barreling their way into the Senators’ zone. It was easy to tell they wanted the win more. It only took about four minutes for Galchenyuk to fire the puck past Hammond to give the Canadiens a 2-0 series lead.
The series heads to Ottawa for Game 3. The Bell Centre was loud and no doubt distracted the Senators. With the whole city ticked over Subban’s non-suspension it does not take a genius to know what awaits the Canadiens at the Canadian Tire Centre.
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