The Kids Are Alright: Habs embarrass Pens 5-3

They didn’t score any goals, but the fourth line call-ups for the Montreal Canadiens fit in just nicely, as they helped their team defeat the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins 5-3 Saturday afternoon.

The line of David Desharnais, Brock Trotter and Ryan White, called up Friday from the Hamilton Bulldogs, logged an average of ten minuts of ice time against what seemed to be an underachieving Pittsburgh team. The Penguins had beaten Montreal with a combined score of 12-4 in their last two victorious meetings.

With injuries mounting up yet again for the Canadiens, and a group of youngsters on the fourth line, the veterans needed to step up. They did just that, with three-point games from Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta.

Montreal opened the scoring when Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury was tripped up by Mathieu Darche behind the goal, leaving an open net for Plekanec at 29 seconds.

Fleury argued that there should have been a penalty on the play. It was picked up between periods, on Hockey Night in Canada, referee Steve Kozari admitted to Penguins coach Dan Bylsma that they just didn’t see it that way.

The Penguins replied, 33 seconds later, when Pascal Dupuis jumped on a Jaraoslav Halak rebound to tie the game at one.

At 9:38 of the second period, shortly after a third consecutive and successful Canadiens penalty kill, Gionta raced in on a breakaway, beating Fleury to put the Canadiens back in the lead.

Scott Gomez added a power play goal for Montreal just 43 seconds later. Veteran Bill Guerin put in a weak shot past Halak, with 6:03 left in the second period, to keep his team within one.

In the third, Trotter came very close to scoring his first career NHL goal on a shot that went under Fleury and off the goal post.

Darche’s shot moments later at 7:15 was more accurate, putting the Canadiens ahead by two and chasing Fleury from the game. Gionta added his second goal of the afternoon three and a half minutes later.

The Penguins number one netminder was then pulled by Blysma for Brent Johnson, as he will will likely start Sunday against Washington, weather permitting.

Fleury didn’t take it well though, slamming his stick against the tunnel wall leading to the Penguins dressing room.

Things got a little rough as White and Guerin mixed things up for five-minute majors, with the veteran getting an instigator call and a ten-minute misconduct. White could get further charges of elder abuse, details to come.

Virtually unheard from all afternoon, Penguins All-Star Evgeni Malkin made it interesting. After serving an instigating minor to Brooks Orpik, and his team still shorthanded, the Russian star broke form the penalty box for a breakaway to beat Halak.

With 3:16 to play and killing off a disastrous 5-on-3 power play for the Canadiens, the defending champs still had time to make this a game.

Malkin however, felt otherwise as he took a foolish roughing minor is response to a tap from the Canadiens Roman Hamrlik, killing his team’s chances for the comeback.

The Canadiens have now won three straight and get right back into it Sunday afternoon against the Boston Bruins.

It was a relatively easy night for Halak, who faced just 21 pucks from the Penguins after back-to-back 45-save appearances.

Three Stars: 1. Brian Gionta 2. Mathieu Darche 3. David Desharnais

How good were they?:

Ryan White 9:50 TOI (57 seconds on the penalty kill) 5 PIM, 4 hits (most by a Canadiens player)

David Desharnais: 11:41 TOI (3:06 on the PP), +1 Just one shot on goal, but had three that were blocked.

Brock Trotter: 11:07 TOI (2:13 on the PP), 5 shots (led both teams) and drew penalties

“It was unbelievable playing here in Montreal for the first time,” Trotter said. “All year we created some offense in Hamilton, we tried to do what we’re good at. We didn’t get one ourselves, but I think we created some offense for the team.”

“They brought a lot of energy”, said Canadiens coach Jacques Martin. “They played hard, and they were rewarded.”

Pouliot on IR: It looks like the Hamilton call-ups could be around a bit longer as Canadiens forward Benoit Pouliot has been put on short-term IR by the Canadiens. In twenty games since being acquired from the Wild, he has 11 goals and 3 assists. Pouliot would not be eligible to return until Friday’s game against Philadelphia.

Weber sent down: The Canadiens have sent back defenceman Yannick Weber to the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Game photos: Graham Hughes (AP/The Canadian Press)

Montreal Canadiens Training Camp: Day Two

Fans crowd the Brossard training centre for the second day of training camp Photo: Montreal Gazette

The Montreal area set a record for sick days from work, and truant officers were seeking out absent students as the Canadiens’ Brossard practice facility was filled again with fans for day two of training camp.

The fans were treated to a second two-period scrimmage in as many days, with today’s game featuring camp Teams A and C.

Habs hopeful Brock Trotter got Team A in an early lead with two goals on Curtis Sandford, and nearly had a hat-trick had it not been for a big stop by Sandford.

“I made good on the opportunity,” the 22-year-old forward said. “I took advantage of it last year, all the same I’m gonna try to keep rolling with that into  this season as well.”

“It's nice to see the progression from him,” noted head coach Jacques Martin on how the youngsters improvement during the second half of last season, in the AHL, is still carrying forward.

Team C would rally back in the second period. Josh Gorges would blast one from the point past Jason Missiaen, and was followed quickly by Tomas Plekanec.

“I liked it,” Gorges said, after the scrimmage, on playing on the point with Hal Gill. “He keeps the game real simple, but he communicates really well.”

Mathieu Darche would beat Missiaen. on a penalty shot, to put the C squad in the lead.

 Darche beats Missiaen  - Photo: Montreal Gazette

Glen Metropolit squared it up at three apiece, with a shot past Cedrick Desjardins, but Brian Gionta won it for Team C with 17 seconds left to play.

“It feels good to get out there and be a little competitive,” Gionta said.

Gionta played with Plekanec and Travis Moen, for the second consecutive day, and is not disappointed at not being reunited, straight away, with former teammate Scott Gomez.

“That never played into my decision for coming here,” he said. “I wanted to come here to be part of a wining team, and such a storied franchise.”

Ryan O’Byrne, who will have to fight for the final defenceman slot with the Canadiens, played an aggressive game. The 6’3” blueliner laid out some big hits on Matt D’Agostini and Gregory Stewart.

“Stewie’s one of by best friends,” O’Byrne said. “That’s the way it goes. There’s no friends out here anymore. That happened a little too much last year. There was too much hesitation and that’s no longer the case.”

O’Byrne is also aware of the prospect defensemen (Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban) that are looking to make a splash, at the camp, and that his roll is a physical one over flash. “My job is to make it hard for the opposing forwards,” he said. “This year I’m fighting for a spot.”

O’Byrne spent a lot of time focusing on his game, studied game tape, added muscle mass (eight lbs) and took boxing lessons in the off-season.

He knows to put last season’s upsets behind him and look forward.

“I lost confidence at times last year, I got it back and I lost it,” he said.

“Last year is behind me. It is what it is and that’s why I had a great summer. (I) just focused on being positive and keeping that confidence at all times.”

Two players, that are practicing with the team at camp, have yet to see scrimmage action. Both Kyle Chipchura and Sergei Kostitsyn had off-season shoulder surgery and are awaiting doctor’s clearance to play in the inter-squad scrimmages.

 Travis Moen and Paul Mara battle in out in Monday’s scrimmage – Photo: Montreal Gazette

Off to a confident start? : Goaltender Carey Price is off to a good start in the first two sessions of inter-squad scrimmages, allowing just 1 goal in 40 minutes.

Camp resumes again Tuesday from 10am to 1pm, with another intersquad game (B vs. C) at 11am.