Boston Bruins' Patrice Bergeron congratulates David Krejci on a goal against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series, Monday, April 18, 2011, in Montreal. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)
After killing off a too many men on ice penalty, Patrice Bergeron set up David Krejci for a nice one-timer and made it 1-0 Bruins. It was Krejci's 1st goal of the playoffs. Later in the first period, Nathan Horton scored his 1st playoff goal to make it 2-0 Bruins. Horton, from behind the net, threw the puck out in front of the net and it crossed the goal line before the Montreal defenseman could get to it.
Near the end of the first period, Montreal's Benoit Pouliot charged at Johnny Boychuk, left his feet and elbowed Boychuk right in the head. Andrew Ference challenged the bigger Pouliot and they dropped the gloves. Ference had a cut on his cheek after the fight. Good to see Ference do that. Watch the fight here. There's a possibility that Pouliot could be suspended for that cheap hit as it was a hit to the head of Boychuk.
In the second period, Rich Peverley scored his 1st ever playoff goal to make it 3-0 on a bad turnover by Carey Price. Price tried to shoot it up the ice but it deflected off Mark Recchi and Peverley had an open net. Montreal would later score and make it a 3-1 Bruins lead. Andrei Kostitsyn used his speed to get around Zdeno Chara, shot it and the puck went through Tim Thomas' five-hole.
It was all Montreal in the third period. Tomas Plekanec scored to make it 3-2 on a shot that Thomas needs to save, especially during the playoffs. Another five-hole goal given up by Thomas. The Bruins would hold on and Chris Kelly would score an empty-net goal to make it 4-2, but Montreal kept putting the pressure on the Bruins.
Tim Thomas played in net and made 34 saves on 36 shots.
Montreal led the game in shots 36-24. The Bruins led the game in faceoff wins 27-22 and hits 28-27.
Notes from the game
Only in Montreal does the public address announcer have to tell the home fans that you're team has American players on their roster so they don't boo the American National Anthem as they have in the past. That's just sad.
The Bruins had three 3-on-1's and I don't think they got a shot on goal from any of them.
Montreal's Roman Hamrlik gets five stars for his dive in the third period after he went to hit a Bruin. The dive seemed to get Jack Edwards really hot. Then Carey Price tried to dive too but the refs weren't buying it (finally).
Patrice Bergeron had a strong game, recording 2 assists, was +3, went 10-7 in faceoffs.
Mark Recchi also had 2 assits and was a +2.
Onto the next one
The series is now 2-1 Montreal. Game 4 is on Thursday in Montreal at 7pm ET.
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