Pucks often had a magnet-like attraction to Jaroslav Halak's glove in Game 6 against the Capitals.
(The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz)
Related info
-
VIDEO: Game highlights
-
Game photo gallery
-
VIDEO: Habs postgame comments
- Become a fan on Facebook
Before this series started, Bruce Boudreau noted that he and his Capitals squad didn’t know much about Jaroslav Halak, having only faced Carey Price in the regular season.
These days, they’re surely wishing they hadn’t gotten to know him.
Halak was exceptional on Monday night, stopping 53 shots to propel the Canadiens to a 4-1 win over Alex Ovechkin and Co. and force a seventh and deciding game on Wednesday night in Washington.
Michael Cammalleri scored twice and Maxim Lapierre netted the other for Montreal, which snapped a six-game home playoff losing streak with the victory.
Eric Fehr, on the visitor’s 52nd shot, was the only man in white to beat Halak. His whale of a night entered him into the team’s record book for most saves in regulation in a playoff game in franchise history.
“I would say another day at the office. That’s what I would say,” offered Halak when asked to ‘write the story’ for the media and describe his unbelievable performance.
His teammates, meanwhile, had no problem providing the words.
“That was the best performance by a goalie that I’ve ever been a part of,” recalled Josh Gorges, not without his own merit on this night. “There may have been other performances that have rivalled that but none that I’ve been a part of. He was spectacular tonight.
“He won that game for us tonight. He was amazing.”
Halak sets the tone early, Canadiens seize their opportunities
It began with several big saves in the opening five minutes, an early insight into what a long night it would be for the NHL’s top offence in the regular season. And when Cammalleri – who has opened the Habs’ scoring four times in six games – fired a pair past Semyon Varlamov less than two minutes apart, it eased the pressure, if only slightly, on Halak.
But that didn’t stop him from clogging up the highlight reel.
“Sometimes a goalie makes 50-odd saves in a game and it’s always a great effort but tonight it was one better than the next,” said Cammalleri. “It seemed he was so sound positionally but he also made reaction-type saves. You can’t ask for more than that.”
Halak was in a zone all night long, his ‘easiest’ period coming in the middle frame when the Capitals tossed a paltry 14 shots his way. And even when the Canadiens ran into penalty trouble, there was the Slovak stopper doing what he does best.
Penalty kill comes up big...again
“He’s our biggest killer; he was huge. His glove was working, he made a lot of huge saves for us and made us look good out there,” said Hal Gill, who along with Gorges and Tomas Plekanec snuffed the Capitals on the power play once again, including a 5-on-3 for 1:15 in which Washington failed to record a single shot.
While Halak delivered the goods with his team shorthanded, he was quick to point out the stellar work of the tireless penalty killers in front of him.
“I think our guys did a great job because they didn't have many shots on me, they blocked so many shots,” he noted. “Hal Gill on the left side did an amazing job there and he gave them no chance to pass it or shoot it. He was like a second goalie out there.”
He wasn't the only one. While the goaltender delivered on his end in with solid control of his rebounds – be it by redirection or smothering the puck – his teammates were never too far away to lend a helping hand, disposing of any loose change before Washington could get a stick on it.
And now, a team viewed by many to be on the outside rather quickly is making others take notice and take them more seriously. The first star of the game, Halak enjoyed the end result but wasn’t about to get too caught up in the glow.
“It’s a great feeling, especially in the playoffs when no one even gave us a chance to win. We stuck to the game plan and we played hard and it paid off at the end. It feels great, but there's another game ahead of us and we have to get ready.”
Ready for another day at the office. Someone will be shutting out the lights for the season when that one is over. Whom, you ask?
The answer comes Wednesday night.
Get some insight on the other side with Capitals Examiner Michael Hoffman.
Click "Subscribe" to get new article alerts delivered right to your inbox!
Quotes from broadcast, print and online media were used in this report.
Comments