The Game 4 OT loss snapped a few streaks. The Montréal Canadiens entered Game 4 with a 4-0 overtime record. The Habs had won every home games with fans in the stands: 4-0 vs. 0-2 without fans before Game 4.
The Canadiens significantly outshot Las Vegas in Game 4 where the reverse was true in Game 3. The team has won 5 of the last 6 games on the road in the Stanley Cup playoffs with Game 5 back in the United States tonight.
Carey Price has been incredible in goal, especially on the power play. The Canadiens set a new playoff record with 11 games without allowing a power-play goal. The Habs have stopped 26 consecutive power-play opportunities.
Oh boy...
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 19, 2021
This is DEFINITELY a Dang-It 😬 #ItsOn pic.twitter.com/z3ckOqEEta
Montréal was in a good position after Game 3 thanks to this last-minute mistake. Josh Anderson had gone 12 straight games without a goal before scoring the tying and then winning goal in overtime in Game 3.
#GoalCaufield, playoff edition. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/xjRSZsX9Yb
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 15, 2021
Cole Caufield was a goal machine at the end of the regular season and an assist machine in the playoffs. Scoring a playoff goal is a big deal and Caufield got his first playoff goal in Game 1. Unlike some of his key NHL points, this was not a game winner. Hockey teaches us that momentum is crucial. Scoring means Caufield doesn't have to worry about not scoring.
Caufield scored in Game 1 and Game 3, lost Game 1 but won Game 3. His 5-game point streak ended Sunday night.
We should give an award to the best Canadian NHL team each season
2021 Stanley Cup notebook: Montreal set to play Las Vegas in Stanley Cup semifinals
Paul Byron assisted on the OT winner in Game 3 and scored the only goal in Game 4. His points have been few and those points have been significant in the playoffs.
Tyler Toffoli had a 8-game point streak in playoffs through Game 2. Jeff Petry missed Game 1. Petry made a big difference in his return in Game 2.
"Playoff hockey" usually involves cheap shots directed at players on Canadian teams, penalties that aren't called. Brayden McNabb looked like he was aiming at the head of David Suzuki with a cheap hit in Game 3. Somehow that was not worth a penalty. Corey Perry took a cheap shot and a bloody nose in Game 3 but we knew the refs weren't going to call that.
Shea Weber defended the hit on McNabb and was nailed for a penalty. The referees can call penalties; they choose not to do so.
It’s time for a reset. Call the rule book, a penalty in the first minute of the first period is a penalty in the last minute of the third or overtime. Expecting officials to “manage” the game doesn’t work. Call the penalties…the players will adjust.
— Gord Miller 🏳️🌈 (@GMillerTSN) June 21, 2021
NHL fans seem to love that the rules are different when hockey reaches the playoffs. We sharply disagree. The finesse disappears and the rough stuff becomes rougher.
Craig Simpson was as upset as we've heard in Game 4. Simpson questioned the consistency of the referee logic as to what was a penalty. Imagine if Glenn Healy had a mic in this series.
2021 Stanley Cup notebook: Montreal sweeps Winnipeg to head to Stanley Cup semifinals
2021 Stanley Cup notebook: Montreal advances to play Winnipeg
The Canadiens have been without their head coach Dominique Ducharme, who tested positive before Game 3. Assistant coach Luke Richardson is serving as the interim coach with help from fellow assistants Alex Burrows and goalie coach Sean Burke.
Richardson had served as a head coach at the professional level for the AHL Binghamton Senators from 2012-2016.
2021 Stanley Cup notebook: Toronto-Montreal reaches Game 7
2021 Stanley Cup notebook: Winnipeg Jets pull off the sweep
The Bell Centre limit was raised to 3,500 fans. The limit is about 20% of the capacity of the space in Las Vegas.
The fans have been loud enough in booing Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty used to be a star in La Belle Province.
2021 NHL Stanley Cup playoffs preview for Canadian teams
NHL notebook: Waiting to start the Stanley Cup chase in Canada
Are English Canadians still following the Montréal Canadiens? The numbers have been comparable to the Habs-Jets series: Game 4 pulled in 2,487,000 viewers on CBC and Rogers Sportsnet.
Game 1: 2,300,000
Game 2: 2,499,000
Game 3: 2,875,000
Game 4: 3,029,000
TVA Sports numbers
Game 1: 990,000
Game 2: 1,060,000
Game 3: 1,372,000
Game 4: 1,292,000
TVA Sports should not be confused with TVA, Quebec's largest private broadcaster. TVA Sports is a rival of RDS, similar to Sportsnet vs. TSN.
Game 5 tonight will not be on CBC thanks to the Indspire Awards.
Montréal and Las Vegas have a shared sports history … in the CFL.
The Las Vegas Posse were part of the CFL American expansion. The Posse played a single season, going 5-13 in 1994.
A significant highlight was Dennis K.C. Parks aka Greg Bartholomew attempting O Canada with melodic references to O Christmas Tree.
The Montréal Alouettes and Montréal Concordes served their runs in the CFL long before 1994. The Baltimore Stallions became the new Montréal Alouettes.
The other major connection was a rookie Las Vegas quarterback named Anthony Calvillo, who became football's all-time leading passer in yards (still the CFL all-time leader in passing yards). Calvillo played for Montréal from 1998-2013 after the season in Las Vegas and 3 years in Hamilton.
Speaking of anthems, NBCSN has finally figured out how to show playoff anthems on television. Lynnae Meyers sang O Canada in Las Vegas: the English language version. The Canadiens have been rotating people with Marc Hervieux singing Game 3 at the Bell Centre. Do miss Ginette Reno singing O Canada.
2021 Stanley Cup playoffs scoreboard
Anson Carter said the North division wasn't good enough. Then Carter said the North division wasn't tough enough. We disagreed with the first statement; the second statement is likely true with a caveat.
CanadianCrossing.com NHL coverage
We got a pleasant treat with a CBC rebroadcast of Game 3 and Game 4 on the NHL Network matinee schedule. The game, overtime included, was condensed into a 2-hour block so some content was lost.
The Never Stop and Blame It on Rio documentaries are Olympics related. The 2021 Indspire Awards airs tonight on CBC and CBC Gem. Players Own Voice is a CBC podcast hosted by Anastasia Bucsis.
There was a visual only reference to On the Road to Tokyo in the 3rd period of Game 3.
Montréal Game 3: Never Stop/CBC Sports (2nd); 2021 Indspire Awards (3rd)
Montréal Game 4: Tokyo Olympics (1st); Blame It on Rio/CBC Sports; Players Own Voice (2nd)
Twitter captures: @sportsnet; @CanadiensMTL; @gmillertsn
photo credit: NHL
video credit: CFL
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