The Montreal Canadiens “British Columbia Connection” took it to the rival Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday night, getting a 4-3 overtime victory to kick off the 2009-10 NHL Season.
Goaltender Carey Price stopped 43 pucks and had close to 92 in his direction through the night.
“They’re a team that throws a lot of pucks on net,” Price said. “It was good to feel the puck early on.”
His roommate, defenceman Josh Gorges, came in big in the clutch.
First, the Kelowna native filled in for an injured Andrei Markov on the power-play, firing a shot from the point that would be cashed in by Glen Metropolit.
Then, he instinctively followed Mike Cammalleri’s one on three rush and fired in the rebound past Vesa Toskala in overtime.
“It’s about time,” joked Price on Gorges’ first ever game-winning goal. “I’m happy for him. He deserves it.”
Price also made a humorous comment that he and Gorges didn’t do their traditional post-game celebration, in part to Gorges being mobbed by the rest of his team.
“He’s too cool to talk to me now,” he said.
“I didn’t get the puck,” Gorges said on his game-winning goal. “I’m gonna have to go find it now.”
Gorges also helped his goalie, blocking five shots.
Travis Moen, though a native of Saskatchewan, played his Junior hockey in Kelowna alongside Gorges and is also married to a cousin of one of their former Jr. teammates.
Moen, went to the net and scored the Canadiens’ second goal of the night. He also showed his physical side, mixing it up with Jay Rosehill and former Hab Mike Komisarek.
Next stop, less a Russian: The Canadiens will head off to Buffalo for game two against the Sabres. They will travel without defenceman Andrei Markov, who suffered a cut foot and will be treated and evaluated first.
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