HABS Playoff Drive!

The people's choice, eh

 canadiens.com

May 2, 2008, 1:42 PM EDT

MONTREAL --  This isn't the first time the Habs have found themselves as the last Canadian NHL team standing in the spring and a recent poll suggests the country likes it that way.

According to a Canadian Press Harris/Decima poll, 40 percent of Canadians consider the Habs to be Canada's Team. The Toronto Maple Leafs sit second at 24 percent with the Flames, Oilers, Canucks and Senators checking in at only five percent.

There's no denying the Canadiens' playoff run is helping their countrywide appeal. Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed feel the Canadiens have earned the right to be thought of as Canada's team. The Habs' current popularity dwarfs that of last year's Senators, who were anointed Canada's team by only 24 percent of fans despite Ottawa's run all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

The Habs' youth movement hasn't gone unnoticed either. Fifty-one percent of Canadians polled believe that Montreal will win more games than the Leafs over the next decade, while only 21 percent thought the contrary. Belief in the Canadiens' promising future is even more obvious among avid hockey fans, with 71 percent preferring the Habs' 10-year outlook over that of the Leafs of tomorrow.

As the Canadiens look to battle back and eliminate the Flyers, they can take comfort in not being alone in this fight. An entire country is behind them.

Manny Almela is a writer for canadiens.com

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -After letting a two-game series lead slip away in the first round of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Flyers did their utmost to avoid the same fate and close out their second-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.

Scottie Upshall scored with 3:04 remaining in the third period and Philadelphia advanced to the Eastern Conference final with a 6-4 win over Montreal on Saturday night.

FLYERS WIN SERIES 4-1

Game 1:  Canadiens 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

Game Highlights  |    Photo Gallery 

Game 2:  Flyers 4, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights  |    Photo Gallery

Game 3:  Flyers 3, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights  |    Photo Gallery

Game 4:  Flyers 4, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights  |    Photo Gallery

Game 5:  Flyers 6, Canadiens 4

Game Highlights  |    Photo Gallery

More Semifinal Series East: (1) Canadiens vs. (6) Flyers East: (2) Penguins vs. (5) Rangers West: (1) Red Wings vs. (6) Avalanche West: (2) Sharks vs. (6) Stars

Upshall deflected Jeff Carter's shot past Carey Price to give the Flyers their second and final lead of the game as Philadelphia won the conference semifinal in five games.

"It was a great feeling," Upshall said. "A tie game with three minutes left, it's anybody's game, it's one shot, it's one bounce. (Carter) made a great shot on net. I was in the lane to see the puck and I thought I could get a stick on it and redirect it, and to get a big goal like that is pretty uplifting for your spirits."

The Flyers are the second team to reach the conference finals after the Presidents' Trophy-winning Detroit Red Wings got there in the West by sweeping the Colorado Avalanche.

Philadelphia will face the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins-New York Rangers series. The Penguins lead 3-1 and Game 5 is Sunday in Pittsburgh.

R.J. Umberger had two goals and an assist to finish the five-game series with eight goals and one assist after he had a goal and an assist in seven games against Washington.

"Well, maybe someday I'll tell my grandkids or something like that, that would be fun," Umberger said. "I'm just going to take a moment, enjoy it but stay focused. There's plenty of time after it's over to celebrate it and enjoy it, but right now we have one thing on our minds."

Martin Biron stopped 31 shots for the Flyers, whose last appearance in the East final was in 2004 when they lost to Tampa Bay.

The Flyers' win also assured the first all-U.S. Stanley Cup final since 2003 and extended Canada's title drought to 15 years. Montreal was the last Canadian team to win it all in 1993.

Philadelphia finished the 2006-07 season last overall in the NHL with 56 points, the lowest total in team history.

"That's unbelievable. You don't expect something like that," Umberger said of the turnaround. "I think our team was better than where we finished last year but at the same time the guys that were here last year really focused in the summer and came into the season right, and the organization did an incredible job retooling our team and giving us a chance to compete this year."

Mike Richards and Scott Hartnell scored as Philadelphia got three second-period goals to take a 4-3 lead. Mike Knuble scored into an empty net with 50 seconds left.

Andrei Kostitsyn scored at 2:13 of the third to draw Montreal even at 4.

Kostitsyn took Tomas Plekanec's drop pass and used Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen as a screen to put a wrist shot past Biron.

Price returned to the Montreal net after he was replaced in Game 4 by Jaroslav Halak. The 20-year-old rookie made 32 saves, including a huge left pad save to stop Daniel Briere's shot on a breakaway with 8:19 remaining.

Guillaume Latendresse drove a slap shot off the right post during a Canadiens power play before Upshall's winner.

"They took advantage of their chances," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said. "This was probably the worst game that we played defensively. The other four games I thought we gave them not even 20 shots so we must have done something well in our zone, but every time they shot the puck at the net it hit something or it went into a hole that wasn't too big. They got the breaks and they took advantage of it. You've got to give them credit for that."

Philadelphia scored three times in the second, beginning with Richards' goal at 14:02 which drew the Flyers within 3-2.

Richards got credit for his fourth goal of the playoffs when he put up his left hand as Umberger's shot sailed past him and Price. A video review upheld the goal.

"I tried to catch it and luckily my hand-eye is terrible," Richards said. "It went right off my shoulder and then I turned around for the rebound and it went in the net. That was the break we needed, I think."

Umberger scored his second goal of the game at 15:44 to tie it at 3 and Hartnell's third goal of the playoffs at 17:00 gave the Flyers their first lead of the game at 4-3.

Montreal got its first lead of the series - other than Tom Kostopoulos' overtime winner in Game 1 - when Plekanec scored on a power play at 4:29.

Plekanec got between Flyers defensemen Derian Hatcher and Braydon Coburn to tip Patrice Brisebois' shot from the right point past Biron.

Umberger tied it with a second-effort goal at 10:20 as he swiped his own rebound past Price after he shot on a 2-on-1.

Alex Kovalev got credit for his fifth goal of the playoffs as he restored the Canadiens' lead at 11:28 when Maxim Lapierre's wraparound shot went in off Kovalev's skate.

Notes: Briere and Biron both went over to shake hands with Carbonneau and his coaching staff after shaking hands with the Montreal players. Briere had been booed throughout the Flyers' five games at the Bell Centre - including two in the regular season - after he spurned the Canadiens' free-agent contract offer to sign with Philadelphia. "It was a lot of class on his part, coming onto the ice and waiting for me to come over," Briere said. ... The Canadiens' players raised their sticks as they drew a standing ovation from the crowd following the game.

Associated Press  

Looks like the wait is back on for another Canadian team to hoist the Stanley Cup....last team to do so was Montreal back in 1993.....if they do not win it in the next 2 years, it will be the first decade inthe history of the NHL where Montreal hasn't won a cup!!! We all pray this tragedy doersn;t come to pass! Great season guys....better luck next year! Go Habs Go!  

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) - The time has come for Guy Carbonneau's lucky tie to make another appearance.

The Montreal Canadiens are 3-0 when their coach has worn the wildly colorful silk Hermes tie his wife Line gave him as a birthday present in March.

"It's coming out of the closet," Carbonneau said following the team's afternoon practice Friday.

Carbonneau first wore it March 24 when Montreal clinched a playoff spot with a win over Ottawa, and two more times in the first round against Boston, the series opener and the decisive seventh game.

The undefeated tie will be around Carbonneau's neck and Carey Price will be in net when Montreal takes the ice Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers at the Bell Centre.

Price was replaced for the third period of Game 4 by Jaroslav Halak, who made his first career playoff start Wednesday, a 3-2 loss in Philadelphia.

The 20-year-old rookie said Carbonneau told him after that game that he would return Saturday.

"I need to try and get a good go out there," Price said. "It's pretty important right now. (Henrik) Lundqvist did it with New York. I think we all need to play our best or else we'll be playing golf."

Asked about rumors that he was playing with a left hand injury, Price joked that he had "three broken fingers on each hand" as he held up both hands for inspection.

Carbonneau had insisted during a conference call Wednesday that Price was not injured.

"He's been our guy and he deserves a second shot," Carbonneau said. "I think the last couple of days he had the time to kind of cool down and refocus and get ready for another long stretch."

The Canadiens face a 3-1 deficit in their Eastern Conference semifinal and have yet to hold a lead in the series aside from Tom Kostopoulos' overtime goal in the series opener.

"Gosh I'd like to find out," Carbonneau said as he anticipated a question about playing with a lead. "Ask everybody in the sport, in hockey, especially when you don't have the lead, you have to kind of force the play a little bit more, you have to put players into a different situation so you do spend a little bit more energy and sometimes you have to overplay some of the players."

Alex Kovalev, the Canadiens' regular-season scoring leader, has one assist in the past three games since he scored twice in the series opener.

"He's played a lot of hockey for us," Carbonneau said. "He's been really good since Day 1. You know, like everybody I'm sure that he feels the length of the season but I know he has more in himself and I think he took a good day (Thursday) to rest and we'll rest him again (Saturday) morning and I'm sure he'll be ready to go for the next bunch of games."

Carbonneau will move Kovalev off Saku Koivu's line in a bid to shake up the offense that has been stymied by Flyers goalie Martin Biron.

Kovalev will be reunited with regular-season linemates Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn, whose younger brother Sergei will rejoin Koivu and Chris Higgins.

"I think if you look at the last four games Biron has been on top of his game," Carbonneau said. "Sometimes he didn't see the puck but he was there to make the save and I always say better lucky than good sometimes, and right now he's really good and we have to find a way to get through him."

Koivu and Kovalev are among a group of eight players on the Canadiens who were part of the last NHL team to overcome a 3-1 playoff series deficit.

Montreal came back with three straight wins against Boston in 2004 to win their first round series.

"Obviously we just can't keep playing the same way, playing well and losing," Carbonneau said. "We can't afford to lose now so we have to find a way to win games. The fact that some of the guys on our team have been there will help in a way."

The Canadiens and the Flyers each enjoyed 3-1 series leads in the first round and both lost their next two games to face Game 7.

Montreal beat Boston at home and Philadelphia won in Washington.

Obviously, both teams have experience with their current situation.

"Everyone is going to have pressure tomorrow, both teams," Carbonneau said. "They are certainly going to want to end it and avoid making the same mistake they did against Washington. For our part, we've got our backs against the wall and it's now up to us to find a way to win."

Associated Press 

Go Habs Go!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Benching goalie Carey Price couldn't spark Montreal. Now Danny Briere and the Flyers are one win from ending the Canadiens' season.

Briere scored the winner on a rebound with 3:38 left to lift Philadelphia to a 4-2 win over the Canadiens on Wednesday night and a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Flyers, the worst team in the NHL last season, can eliminate the top-seeded Canadiens in Game 5 on Saturday night in Montreal.

The Canadiens gave Philadelphia a scare when Tomas Plekanec and Saku Koviu tied the score at 2-all on goals 37 seconds apart late in the third period.

Briere's eighth goal of the postseason was enough to send to Flyers to Montreal with a chance to win the series.

R.J. Umberger scored into an empty net in the final seconds, his second goal of the game.

Martin Biron was strong again in goal for the Flyers except for that one minute in the third period and had 36 saves. While the Canadiens can't settle on a No. 1 goaltender, Biron proved again he's capable of carrying the Flyers into May - and possibly beyond.

The Canadiens, though, gave him a scare late in the game. Plekanec spoiled the shutout with a deflection into the net and Koivu knocked in a rebound that tied the score and silenced the rowdy crowd.

Briere saved them again, this time on the power play.

He found an opening in the corner against Jaroslav Halak and slid the rebound past the rookie for the winner.

The Flyers want to avoid a repeat of their first-round series against Washington, when they took a 3-1 lead and didn't clinch until a Game 7 overtime victory.

Coach Guy Carbonneau hoped a goalie switch would get the Canadiens going in this series. He benched Price and started Halak for the first time. It didn't work.

The 20-year-old Price has an .853 save percentage in the last three games, but was outstanding in the regular season and in a first-round victory over Boston.

The Canadiens sent pending free-agent Cristobal Huet to Washington at the trade deadline for a draft pick, trusting Price to become the No. 1 goalie.

Price was pulled after he allowed three goals in the first two periods of Philadelphia's 3-2 Game 3 victory. Halak, who played the third period in Game 3, hadn't started since March 29 at Toronto.

No Montreal goalie has stopped Umberger. He scored in all four games of this series, and has a point in six straight games dating to the first round against Washington. Not a bad stat line for a wing who started the postseason on the fourth line.

Umberger had some help in the second period from Briere, the Flyers' leading postseason goal scorer. Briere fed Umberger a sharp, cross-ice pass to the left circle and he beat Halak on the short side to make it 1-0 early in the second. Umberger has six goals this series.

Scott Hartnell made it 2-0 early in the third when he pounded home Vaclav Prospal's shot that bounced off the post. Prospal set up the goal when he intercepted Bryan Smolinki's pass in front of Philadelphia's bench.

The Flyers have scored the first two goals of the game all four games of the series.

The Flyers took two shots in the first two minutes of the game, then barely got near Halak. The Flyers put little pressure on him, taking only seven shots in the opening period. He did knock away their best attempt when he stopped Jeff Carter on a short-handed breakaway attempt about six minutes into the first.

Biron snared Andrei Markov's shot with 17 seconds left on a Montreal power play, the first of several tough saves he made over the next two periods.

Notes: Flyers F Mike Knuble was in the lineup for the first time since injuring a hamstring in Game 5 against the Capitals. The Flyers scratched F Steve Downie. ... Former Flyers G Ron Hextall sent a videotaped message of support. ... Canadiens D Patrice Brisebois played after missing two games with a leg injury.

Associated Press

Stay Safe.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

But hey...sometimes, the bounces go your way and sometimes they don't....the series ain't over yet! But what a nail biter this one is turning out to be (more so than the Bruins series)....lets hope the Canadiens can rebound in game 4 and split the series otherwise it shifts back to Montreal and we'd be in a BIG hole! The next game is CRUCIAL!

Go Habs Go!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

too bad...sounded like the Habs really put everything on the net in the 3rd...

Doha, I'm coming! Ducks in Doha from 12th - 18th of May :)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Derian Hatcher was like all the other Flyers fans who watched the last 15 minutes on TV. He did it in the locker room, feeling sick, stressed and helpless as the lead nearly slipped away.

Unlike the other orange-clad diehards, Hatcher could have prevented the frayed nerves Monday night.

When Philadelphia held on for the victory, Hatcher could thank Martin Biron that the defenseman's late ejection didn't cost them the series lead.

FLYERS LEAD SERIES 2-1

Game 1: Canadiens 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 2: Flyers 4, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3: Flyers 3, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 4: April 30 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

Game 5: May 3 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 6: May 4 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 7: May 6 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*if necessary

Biron stopped 32 shots and the Flyers scored three goals in the second period to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2, taking a 2-1 lead in their second-round series.

"Marty has been terrific. He's been our best player in this series," coach John Stevens said. "We probably felt going in that he would have to be."

Biron lost his shutout - and the Flyers nearly wasted a three-goal lead - when Hatcher was ejected in the third period and Montreal capitalized on the lengthy power play.

Hatcher drove his right arm into the center of defenseman Francis Bouillon's back and slammed him into the glass. Bouillon, who wears a visor, was cut near the corner of his right eye.

Hatcher was whistled for 5 minutes for boarding and a game misconduct, ending his night. That was all the opportunity Montreal needed to make its first serious run at Biron. It was nearly enough to tie the score.

"Your first reaction is you just hope the team can get through it," Hatcher said.

Tomas Plekanec quickly scored a power-play goal off a scrum in front of the net to make it 3-1. The goal was reviewed, but the replay showed the puck was over the line before the net became dislodged.

Saku Koivu was stopped on a breakaway by Biron's poke check in the first period, but he scored on the power play in the third to pull Montreal to 3-2.

"It got a little scary on the power play," Biron said.

Hatcher felt awful.

"Watching the last 15 minutes was a lot more draining than actually playing the game," Hatcher said. "I feel mentally exhausted right now."

The Flyers killed the rest of the penalty and Biron quickly reverted to the form of the first two periods, when he stopped shots in all kinds of ways. He made 17 of his saves in the third period while the Flyers took a measly two shots on goal.

No wonder he was serenaded again from the stands: "Mar-ty! "Mar-ty!" "Mar-ty!"

That's a sound the Flyers want to hear all the way to the Stanley Cup.

"It's fun when they chant your name," Biron said. "They challenge the guys to play better."

The Canadiens outshot Philadelphia 34-12.

"It seems that we're being tested right now," Koivu said. "I don't think we played as well tonight as we did in the second game, but still we were able to put a lot of pucks on net and create a lot of chances. That's a positive thing, but at the same time when you outshoot your opponent, you're hoping to get the win."

Mike Richards, R.J. Umberger and Scottie Upshall all scored goals on the first six shots of the second against 20-year-old Carey Price.

Price never made it to the end, yanked at the start of the third period for Jaroslav Halak. Price will get another shot in Game 4 on Wednesday in Philadelphia.

"Cary has proven in the past that he can bounce back and come back really strong," said Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau. "I know he can come back and play really strong."

After a scoreless first period, the Flyers made the most of their limited shots in the second.

Upshall fired a wrister past Price 7:04 into the period and another sold-out crowd roared in approval. One fan pressed a sign that read "The Price Is Wrong" against the glass.

Richards made it 2-0 when his short-handed goal bounced off Price's glove. Lasse Kukkonen was in the penalty box for holding the stick, putting the Flyers a man down. Who else but Richards would give them a lift? He scored five short-handed goals in the regular season, which led the Flyers and was tied for third in the NHL. Richards picked off the puck to score the unassisted goal.

Then the Flyers got what turned out to be a needed goal.

Jeff Carter poked the puck off Price, and Umberger, who briefly left in the third period after a collision, one-timed the rebound for the Flyers second goal in 3:07.

Umberger was fine when he skated on the ice for being chosen first star of the game.

The series turned testy in Game 2 when Tom Kostopoulos threw a blindside punch at Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen. Stevens called the punch "cheap" and Richards labeled it "gutless."

Carbonneau said Timonen deserved the hit because he smirked at the Canadiens after a Flyers goal.

The first blows in this one came late in the first period, when Flyers forward Steve Downie tripped Price, who had strayed out from the crease, from behind with his stick. Downie was briefly pinned against the boards by two Canadiens and soon players from both teams came flying down to the corner and got involved in the skirmish.

The Flyers crowd, which booed "O Canada," started chanting "U.S.A!" "U.S.A!"

Biron, a Canadian native, said the boos bothered him just as much as when the Montreal fans booed the "Star Spangled Banner."

"I don't like it, but you can't control 20,000 people," he said.

There were several other minor tussles, then Hatcher's slam in the third.

Associated Press

Stay sade all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -R.J. Umberger helped give Philadelphia another playoff lead, and Martin Biron came through as the Flyers finally held on to one for a crucial road win.

Umberger scored twice, Biron made 34 saves and Philadelphia beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-2 on Saturday night to even the second-round series at a game apiece.

Jeff Carter and Daniel Briere also scored to help the Flyers rebound after they blew 2-0 and 3-2 leads Thursday night in a 4-3 overtime loss.

SERIES TIED, 1-1

Game 1:  Canadiens 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Flyers 4, Canadiens 2

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  April 28 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

Game 4:  April 30 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 5:  May 3 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET)  CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 6:  May 4 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET)  CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 7:  May 6 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET)  CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*if necessary

More Semifinal Series East: (1) Canadiens vs. (6) Flyers East: (2) Penguins vs. (5) Rangers West: (1) Red Wings vs. (6) Avalanche West: (2) Sharks vs. (6) Stars

"Marty was a huge part of that," Carter said. "He was unreal tonight, again, and made the big saves when we needed them. It's a good win for us. As a team on the road, going for home ice advantage is your main focus."

Saku Koivu and Andrei Markov scored their first goals of the playoffs for Montreal. Carey Price made 19 saves.

Umberger opened the scoring 5:53 in with his third goal of the playoffs.

After Markov scored 1:26 into the third to draw Montreal to 3-2, Umberger sealed the win with his second goal of the game with 2:21 remaining, shooting into a wide open right side after he batted the puck out of Price's glove.

"I was just crashing the net and it went in," Umberger said. "I'll take it."

For his part, Price wasn't happy about Umberger's tactic.

"It was a little bit of interference but it was a little bit of a hockey play, too," Price said. "I was going for the puck and he gives my glove a whack and I don't get the puck and he gets it."

Game 3 is Monday night in Philadelphia.

Briere, booed throughout the first two games at the Bell Centre, got his seventh goal of the playoffs 13:33 into the second to restore the Flyers' two-goal lead after Koivu scored on a power play late in the first.

Briere cut across the goalmouth and put a backhand under Price's pad and off the left post and over the goal line. Briere has been a constant target of Canadiens fans through Philadelphia's four games in Montreal this season - including two regular- season games - after he passed up the Canadiens' offer to sign as a free agent with the Flyers.

"We let them back in the game a little bit but I liked the way we didn't just sit back this time when they tried to come back in the game," Briere said. "We attacked and found a way to get that two-goal lead again."

Price was beaten on shots over his left shoulder twice in the first half of the opening period as Umberger and Carter scored goals 2:46 apart to give Philadelphia a 2-0 lead 8:39 in.

Umberger took a drop pass from Jim Dowd in the right corner and used Koivu as a screen when he put a wrist shot over Price's shoulder into the top right corner of the net for his third goal.

Carter made it 2-0 with his fourth goal, a power-play effort at 8:39 as he beat Price with a shot from the right side.

"The first one I didn't get a good peek at it and the second one, Carter made a good shot," Price said. "I think he only had a puck-sized part of the net there and he hit it."

Koivu scored a power-play goal at 16:18 to cut the lead to 2-1 shortly after the Canadiens enjoyed a lengthy two-man advantage.

The Montreal captain reached around from behind the net to tuck the puck inside the right post, setting off a wild celebration by the crowd of 21,273.

Notes: Canadiens D Ryan O'Byrne was in the lineup for the third time in Montreal's ninth playoff game. D Patrice Brisebois did not dress because of a leg injury.

Associated Press

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -Tom Kostopoulos scored 48 seconds into overtime to give the Montreal Canadiens a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night in the opening game of their second-round series.

Kostopoulos put his own rebound past Martin Biron shortly after a faceoff in Philadelphia's zone for his third goal of the playoffs.

Alex Kovalev drew Montreal even with 28.6 seconds remaining in regulation, scoring a power-play goal off a faceoff with goalie Carey Price pulled for an extra attacker. Flyers center Jeff Carter's stick broke as he lost the faceoff to Saku Koivu, and Kovalev beat Biron with a shot into the top right corner.

CANADIENS LEAD SERIES, 1-0

Game 1: Canadiens 4, Flyers 3 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 2: April 26 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

Game 3: April 28 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

Game 4: April 30 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 5: May 3 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 6: May 4 @ Philadelphia

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*Game 7: May 6 @ Montreal

7:00 p.m. (ET) CBC, VERSUS, RDS

*if necessary

More Semifinal Series

East: (1) Canadiens vs. (6) Flyers

East: (2) Penguins vs. (5) Rangers

West: (1) Red Wings vs. (6) Avalanche

West: (2) Sharks vs. (6) Stars

The Flyers continue to have problems

protecting leads. Philadelphia also blew two-goal leads in Games 1 and

6 of its first-round series against Washington, and lost both games.

Joffrey Lupul scored a power-play goal 19 seconds into the third to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

Lupul,

who scored Philadelphia's series-winning goal in overtime Tuesday night

in Washington, got his second of the playoffs - after a brief video

review - when the puck came out of Price's glove and hit Lupul's hand

before going into the net off the Flyers forward's skate.

Canadiens

coach Guy Carbonneau kept Price on the bench for a sixth attacker as

Montreal began a power play in the Flyers' zone with 1:09 remaining

after Philadelphia's Mike Richards was sent off for kneeing Kovalev.

The strategy ultimately paid off as Kovalev scored his third of the playoffs to send the game to overtime.

R.J. Umberger and Jim Dowd scored in the first to give Philadelphia a 2-0 lead.

Andrei Kostitsyn

and Kovalev tied it at 2 when they scored in the second for Montreal,

which won all four meetings between the two teams during the regular

season.

Price stopped 30 shots in the first playoff meeting

between the teams in 19 years, the fifth Montreal-Philadelphia series

overall.

Biron also made 30 saves.

Kostitsyn, who failed

to score on a penalty shot 6:32 into the second, made the most of a

second chance when he took a pass from his younger brother, Sergei, and

put a shot over Biron's right arm for his fourth goal of the playoffs

at 9:44.

Kovalev tied it with a short-handed goal at 16:03 that necessitated a lengthy video review.

Referee

Don Van Massenhoven ultimately pointed to the faceoff circle to the

delight of the sellout crowd of 21,273 after replays supported the

on-ice call that Kovalev's stick had made contact with the puck below

the level of the crossbar off a rebound of Tomas Plekanec's shot.

Biron raced from his crease to argue with Van Massenhoven near the blue line, to no avail.

The game had more than its share of odd goals, beginning with Philadelphia's first at 13:15.

Umberger got credit for his second goal of the playoffs when Montreal defenseman Patrice Brisebois deflected the Flyers forward's centering pass intended for Patrick Thoresen into the right side of the net.

Dowd,

who played for Montreal late in the 2003-04 season, made it a 2-0 lead

with his first goal of the playoffs when he drove a one-timer from the

slot past Price at 16:49.

Notes: Flyers D Jaroslav Modry

was not in the lineup for a third straight game and will return to the

Czech Republic on Saturday to attend the burial of his father, who died

last week after a seven-month battle with colon cancer. ...

Philadelphia and Montreal met in the playoffs twice in the 1970s, and

two more times in the 1980s. The Canadiens won a semifinal in 1973 and

swept the Flyers in the 1976 finals. Philadelphia won a conference

final against Montreal in 1987 and lost another in 1989. ... Dowd has

eight career playoff goals.

Associated Press

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL - There is a sense of deja vu as the Montreal Canadiens get set to start their second-round NHL Eastern Conference playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the opening round, they faced a Boston club they had beaten 11 times in a row, including all eight meetings this season, but were extended to seven games as the hard-working Bruins gave them a much tougher test than expected.

They beat the Flyers in all their four meetings this season, outscoring them 15-6, and again will take to the Bell Centre ice as the favourites on Thursday night (7 p.m. ET).

Forward Christopher Higgins said Montreal won't go into this one thinking it will be easy.

"It was only four games and they were so spread out," Higgins said Wednesday as the Canadiens returned to practice after a day off. "We might have just caught them at difficult stages of the season.

"They're a good team and they have good forwards. And with what happened the last series, I don't think we'll take anyone lightly from now on."

With a good bounce or a break, the Bruins may have upset top-seeded Montreal, but the Canadiens came up with their best game of the playoffs to date in Game 7 on Monday night, a 5-0 win in which rookie goalie Carey Price recorded his second shutout of the post-season.

In that game, coach Guy Carbonneau looked to have found winning line combinations as he shifted star winger Alex Kovalev onto a line with the speedy Higgins and captain Saku Koivu, and had Kovalev's usual centre Tomas Plekanec between brothers Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn.

For the first time in the series, the Canadiens played a game built on speed and quick puck movement that worked so well in the regular season.

"One lesson we learned against the Bruins was that when we play our game, when we use our speed, the scoring chances are there," said Carbonneau, who plans no lineup changes for the series opener.

"Hopefully, we'll do that right from the start against the Flyers."

Kovalev was the only Canadien who did not skate on Wednesday, but Carbonneau said he was just taking a rest day and will be in the lineup for Game 1.

Based on the regular season, the bigger Flyers will try to bang the Canadiens and crowd the net for goals, while Montreal will try to use their speed and skill to get behind the slower Philadelphia defence and get rubber on goaltender Martin Biron.

But the Flyers showed in their seven-game win over Washington that they can score as well, starting with their top line of Daniel Briere, Vaclav Prospal and Scott Hartnell. Briere leads all playoff scorers with 11 points, while Prospal has nine. They will miss winger Mike Knuble, who is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.

The Bell Centre fans booed Briere every time he touched the puck this season after the Gatineau, Que., native refused an offer from the Canadiens, instead signing as a free agent with Philadelphia last summer. He had only two assists in their four meetings.

But the Boston series showed the mostly young Canadiens that things can be very different in the playoffs, when intensity picks up and everyone finishes their checks.

"In a way, it was a good lesson," said Koivu. "Now we know what to expect and nothing's going to surprise us.

"Just by watching Philadelphia in the first round, we know it's going to be a physical battle and nothing will come easy."

An advantage for Montreal is that the Flyers did not end their series until Tuesday night - a 3-2 win on Joffrey Lupul's goal 6:06 into overtime. It will be Philadelphia's third game in four nights, while Montreal will have had two days without a game.

Whatever jitters Price may have had about playing in the post-season look to have vanished.

After keeping reporters waiting a few minutes in the dressing room, he stepped in and said with a straight face "my leg is broken."

He was joking, of course.

But he is expected to be the centre of attention for Flyers forwards who like to bump and distract opposing goalies.

In Game 7 against Washington, a goal was scored after a Capitals defenceman was sent crashing into his own goalie Cristobal Huet.

"Every round it gets worse," said Price with a shrug. "The traffic is just a log jam in front of the net.

"That's how goals are going to be scored - a lot of pushing and shoving. A lot of garbage around the net."

Carbonneau expects that after the Philadelphia goal, the officials will have been told to be on the lookout for goaltender interference and does not expect it to be a huge problem.

What no one knows is if there will be any more trouble on Montreal streets if the Canadiens win. After ousting Boston, there was a mini-riot downtown in which several stores were vandalized and 16 police cars damaged.

"Our understanding is that it wasn't our fans doing that," said Higgins. "We liked the celebration.

"Other than the people who were destroying property, it was a lot of fun to be around. If they would stop that it would be better for evreybody. Be excited, but don't destroy the city. It's a beautiful city."

And it also the only Canadian city left in the playoffs after Ottawa went out in four games to Pittsburgh and Calgary lost in Game 7 to San Jose.

"It means that a lot of people are going to be watching us," Carbonneau said with a smile. "It's unfortunate because in Canada, hockey is a religion.

"All the teams in Canada have success at the gate. They're a big part of the NHL and it's unfortunate that just one team will keep going. But I'm just happy it's us."

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Its looking like the Flyers and not the Rangers in Round 2.

Either way, my prediction is still Montreal in 6. I'll keep posting updates....first game is tonight!

Go HABS Go!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Habs in 6 is my prediction!

With the elimination of the Flames, the Montreal Canadiens is the only Canadian team left (sorry for the typos ).

Stay safe guys!

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Actually, I was rooting for the Ducks :( But the Habs have a good chance of beating the Rangers...but I think it will be a 4-2

Doha, I'm coming! Ducks in Doha from 12th - 18th of May :)

Unbeleivable, A HABS fan on this forum!!!

Wasn't expecting to find a another dedicated canadiEn supporter or hockey fans here!!

Whaddaya reckon for the second round. I'm thinkin over the Rangers in 4. Maybe 5 if we decide to claim it on home ice

Go Streit, make us Swiss proud :)

MONTREAL (AP) -Carey Price got his second shutout and Andrei Kostitsyn scored twice to lead the Montreal Canadiens to a 5-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Monday night in the deciding game of their first-round playoff series.

Price stopped 25 shots overall, including 11 shots in the opening

period. He got his first playoff shutout in a 1-0 win in Game 4.

Mike Komisarek

opened the scoring 3:31 in amid one of the first of countless roars

from the raucous Bell Centre crowd over the course of the evening.

The Canadiens took control of the game in the second, outshooting the

Bruins 17-6 while building a three-goal lead on a superb goal by Mark Streit midway through the period and Kostitsyn's second goal of the series at 15:13.

Kostitsyn punctuated the win with his second of the game, a power-play goal with 2:02 remaining in the third. Sergei Kostitsyn scored with 7.3 seconds remaining.

Top-seeded Montreal will face Philadelphia in the second round, if the

Flyers win their Eastern Conference quarterfinal against Washington.

Otherwise, the Canadiens will face the New York Rangers.

Tim Thomas

stopped 30 shots for Boston, which fell short in its bid to overcome

both 2-0 and 3-1 series deficits for the first time in team history.

Bruins coach Claude Julien was behind the Canadiens' bench in 2004 when

Montreal won three straight to overcome a 3-1 deficit in a first-round

win over Boston.

Alex Kovalev assisted on Montreal's first two goals as coach Guy Carbonneau moved him to a line with Saku Koivu and Chris Higgins.

The move allowed rookie Sergei Kostitsyn to play on another line alongside his brother, Andrei, and center Tomas Plekanec as Carbonneau spread out the Canadiens' offense.

Komisarek got credit for his first career playoff goal as his point shot struck Bruins center Petteri Nokelainen's stick, causing a deflection that left Thomas no chance to recover and stop.

Streit made it a 2-0 lead 10:45 into the second as he slipped past Bruins captain Zdeno Chara

to finish off a sensational passing play. Kovalev passed the puck back

to Komisarek in the Canadiens' zone and waited on the right boards at

center ice for the return pass.

The high-scoring Russian fed a cross ice pass to Maxim Lapierre

as the Canadiens center entered the Bruins zone, and Lapierre dished

off to Streit, who pushed the puck past Chara before driving the net to

put a backhand between Thomas' pads for his first playoff goal.

Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn combined to increase the lead to three as Andrei beat Thomas at 15:13 for his second of the series, and first since Game 1.

Notes: Veteran Boston RW Glen Murray fell awkwardly into the boards after he was checked by Roman Hamrlik

in the first period. A Bruins team spokesman said prior to the second

period that Murray suffered a mid-torso injury and that he would not

return to the game. ... Carbonneau used the same lineup as he did in

Game 6. ... Montreal has never lost a series after leading 3-1.

Stay Safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

BOSTON (AP) -The underdog Bruins keep coming back - all the way back to a surprise seventh game against the Canadiens in Montreal.

Boston overcame three one-goal deficits Saturday night and won 5-4 on Marco Sturm's goal with 2:37 left. Now the Bruins need just one more win to take a series that they trailed 3-1.

"We've battled and battled and battled and got ourselves back in this position," goalie Tim Thomas said. "We still have more work to do."

The Bruins are 0-20 in series they trailed 3-1. They were given little chance to knock off the Canadiens even before the playoffs started. Boston rallied at the end of the season to earn the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Montreal had the best record and the No. 1 seed in the East.

SERIES TIED, 3-3

Game 1:  Montreal 4, Boston 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Montreal 3, Boston 2 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT)

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 4:  Montreal 1, Boston 0

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 5:  Boston 5, Montreal 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 6:  Boston 5, Montreal 4

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 7:  Monday April 21 @ Montreal

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

* if necessary

The Canadiens also were unbeaten in their eight regular-season games against the Bruins.

"People are going to pull out every stat that's insignificant and it's what we talked about going into the playoffs," Boston defenseman Aaron Ward said. "We have no pressure on us right now. We were not expected to be in this situation."

Neither was Montreal rookie goalie Carey Price.

He had allowed a total of five goals in the first four games, three of which were decided by one goal. Then he lost his touch and gave up four goals in the third period of the next two games - Boston's 5-1 win in Montreal and Saturday's victory.

"Our best player has to be our best player," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said when asked about Price's problems.

Sturm scored after Price stopped his first shot but failed to control the rebound. Sturm collected it, skated across the crease from left to right, and a sprawling Price couldn't get to the other side in time.

"We worked so hard just to try to grind it out in the end and it worked really well," Sturm said.

So the Bruins, who repeatedly harried the Canadiens in the neutral zone, still have a chance to win a playoff series for the first time in nine years and complete an improbable comeback. The Canadiens, suddenly, are close to extending their postseason problems to just three series victories in 14 seasons.

"They were just hungrier. They bore down on every chance they had," Price said after his second straight loss. "Just need to make sure it is not three in a row."

The Bruins took their first lead 4-3 with 4:15 left in the third period on Phil Kessel's second goal of the game. He also scored in Game 5 after being benched for three games because of defensive deficiencies.

"The way he's played the last two games has been unreal," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "If he wants to prove me wrong, I can take it."

The lead lasted just 11 seconds until Christopher Higgins scored his second of the game.

"We obviously should have won that game," Higgins said, "but we need to come with a little more focus on defensive details in the next game. ... Maybe we will be playing with a little more desperation considering the winner takes it."

Saku Koivu, who missed the last nine games with a broken bone in his left foot, set up the first goal when he won a faceoff. Higgins then got the puck away from defenseman Dennis Wideman and scored at 9:44 of the first period.

Kessel tied it with some nifty stickhandling. About 30 feet from the goal, he nudged the puck between the legs of Francis Bouillon, picked it up on the other side, and tied the game at 1:54 of the second.

Montreal took a 2-1 lead on a breakaway goal by Tomas Plekanec at 7:43 of the second just eight seconds after he left the penalty box.

But Boston's Vladimir Sobotka tied it 3:13 into the third period.

The Canadiens went ahead again on Bouillon's shot from the left point that deflected off the stick of Boston defenseman Shane Hnidy and past Thomas at 10:04 of the third period.

And the Bruins came back again to tie it at 3-3 just two minutes later when Milan Lucic redirected Ward's shot from the right point and into the net.

"The job's not done," Lucic said. "There's 60-plus minutes left against these guys."

The Canadiens know they must get better.

"It's going to be up to us to play the type of hockey we have played all year long," Bouillon said, "and play better defensively."

Notes: Ward returned after missing one game with a knee injury. ... In 2004, Julien led Montreal back from a 3-1 series deficit in the first round to beat Boston. ... The six goals in the third period were the most in a Bruins playoff game since the same teams combined for that many in 2002. ... The Canadiens will play a Game 7 for the 19th time but first after leading 3-1.

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -The Boston Bruins worked hard to get a break and Carey Price gave a big one right to them.

Glen Metropolit scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period after Price caused a reckless turnover and Boston went on to beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-1 Thursday night to avoid elimination in their first-round series.

ord=Math.random()*10000000000000000; document.write('

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CANADIENS LEAD SERIES, 3-2

Game 1:  Montreal 4, Boston 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Montreal 3, Boston 2 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT)

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 4:  Montreal 1, Boston 0

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 5:  Boston 5, Montreal 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 6:  April 19 @ Boston

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

*Game 7:  April21 @ Montreal

TBD, CBC, RDS

* if necessary

Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots for the Bruins, who now trail the Eastern Conference quarterfinal 3-2.

"That's the kind of team we are," Metropolit said. "We're not a flashy bunch of guys."

Price gloved a puck at the side of his net and dropped it in front of him, but Petteri Nokelainen got his stick on it before Montreal's Maxim Lapierre and Metropolit batted the puck into an open net 3:31 into the third to put the Bruins up 2-1.

Zdeno Chara scored Boston's second power-play goal of the game at 5:49.

Marco Sturm increased the lead to 4-1 with a short-handed goal at 15:13 when he drove a slap shot past Price into the top right corner and Vladimir Sobotka added an unassisted effort at 17:48.

Phil Kessel returned to the Bruins' lineup and tied it at 1 in the second with his first career playoff goal.

Montreal's Alex Kovalev

had a highlight reel goal midway through the first. Game 6 is Saturday

night in Boston, where the Bruins will try to extend their season again.

"We knew what we were facing," Chara said.

Kovalev

lost his helmet early in the play that led to his goal when he was

checked by Chara in front of the Bruins' bench. The high-scoring

Russian came away with the puck with his blond locks flowing freely as

he gained the Bruins' zone before passing back to defenseman Roman Hamrlik.

Kovalev cut back towards the net and caught Patrice Brisebois' point shot out of midair and dropped it to his feet as he continued across the slot before putting a backhand past Thomas.

Kessel

returned to the lineup and got his first career playoff goal on a power

play 7:45 into the second. A healthy scratch in the previous three

games, Kessel beat Price with a shot from the left side 20 seconds

after Hamrlik was sent off for holding.

Boston got a lucky break in the dying seconds of the period that nearly led to a goal.

Price tried to clear a loose puck by pushing it forward but it caromed off Bruins center David Krejci and back towards the net, striking the right post before dropping into the goalmouth behind the Montreal goalie.

Price spun around and swatted the puck away with his stick before Milan Lucic could reach it.

Notes: Bruins D Aaron Ward didn't play because of a knee injury. ... C Kyle Chipchura, RW Matt D'Agostini and G Yann Danis were among six players Montreal recalled from Hamilton of the AHL earlier in the day, along with F Brock Trotter and Ds Mathieu Carle and Pavel Valentenko. F Ben Maxwell also joined the Canadiens from Kootenay of the WHL.

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

BOSTON (AP) -The Bruins are learning the hard way what the Canadiens knew four months ago: 20-year-old goalie Carey Price would be outstanding in the playoffs.

The rookie posted his first playoff shutout, 17-year-veteran Patrice Brisebois scored late in the second period, and Montreal moved within one win of advancing in the best-of-seven series with a 1-0 victory over Boston on Tuesday night.

Price is 15-4 since general manager Bob Gainey traded goalie Cristobal Huet to Washington on Feb. 26. And he's allowed just seven goals in his last seven games.

CANADIENS LEAD SERIES, 3-1

Game 1:  Montreal 4, Boston 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Montreal 3, Boston 2 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT)

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 4:  Montreal 1, Boston 0

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 5:  April 17 @ Montreal

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

*Game 6:  April 19 @ Boston

TBD, CBC, RDS

*Game 7:  April21 @ Montreal

TBD, CBC, RDS

* if necessary

"He's been playing really well since December," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said. "I think from that point on, Bob knew he would come through in the playoffs. He's been everything we expected and keeps getting better."

The Canadiens, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, lead the first-round series 3-1 and can wrap it up at home Thursday night.

The teams played evenly for much of the hard-hitting, fast-paced game until Brisebois scored on a power play with 42 seconds left in the second period.

Then Carey continued doing what he had done throughout the series: shut down Boston's mediocre offense, which managed 27 shots but just one in the last seven minutes.

"I couldn't even write down on paper the effort the guys put in defensively in the last 10 minutes," Price said.

They were helped by a Bruins team that made too many passes and failed to connect on a lot of them.

"We were all around the net," said Marc Savard, whose overtime goal won Game 3 in Boston. "The rebounds were there, but we just couldn't put them in."

Carey, trying to become the third rookie goalie to lead the Canadiens to a Stanley Cup, following Ken Dryden and Patrick Roy, stopped two solid bids in the second period before Brisebois scored.

At 10:55 he got in front of Glen Murray's point-blank shot. And 6 minutes later, he stopped a shot by Glen Metropolit from the top of the crease as the Bruins swarmed around the net.

"He's a great goalie," Metropolit said. "He's poised. He did well tonight getting to the rebounds and pushing them out to the side."

The Canadiens, who have trailed just once in winning 10 of 11 games against the Bruins this season, went ahead midway through a power play after Andrew Ference was sent off for tripping.

"It was just kind of a bunch-up in front of the net and I guess (Alex Kovalev) went down, so what can you do?" Ference said. "But, also, you have to score to win a hockey game."

Andre Kostitsyn skated behind the Boston net and fed the puck just in front of the crease. It was deflected out to Brisebois, who beat goalie Tim Thomas.

"I don't think I heard a louder celebration on the bench all year," Mike Komisarek said. "To have a veteran presence who has been a great leader in the locker room is pretty special."

The previous two games had gone into overtime - a 3-2 win by the Canadiens and a 2-1 win by the Bruins - but Boston couldn't make it three in a row.

Price has allowed just five goals in the four games, while the Canadiens have scored nine to continue their season-long dominance of Boston. They never trailed in winning all eight of the regular-season matchups and the first two playoff games, starting with a 4-1 loss in Montreal in which the Bruins were held to just 18 shots.

"He's in a zone," Carbonneau said. "He's really strong mentally."

After losing the first two games, the Bruins returned for their first home playoff game since 2004, when they were eliminated by the Canadiens and current Boston coach Claude Julien.

The Bruins took their first lead against Montreal this season on a goal by Milan Lucic 6 1/2 minutes into Game 3. That lasted until 4:26 of the second when Tom Kostopoulos tied it. Marc Savard's goal won it in overtime.

Now the Bruins, in the playoffs for just the fourth time since 1999, are one loss away from being eliminated in the first round for the third straight time.

"We feel like we deserve better," Metropolit said.

Notes:Phil Kessel, Boston's third-leading goal scorer in the regular season, was a healthy scratch for the third straight game. ... Right wing Michael Ryder did not play for the first time in the series as Montreal used seven defensemen and used another defenseman, Mark Streit, at forward. ... Players from Boston College's NCAA championship team, wearing their jerseys, took the ice to be introduced during a timeout 13 minutes into the game.

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

BOSTON (AP) -The Boston Bruins didn't just take a lead over the Montreal Canadians for the first time all season.

They held the lead at the end of the game.

Marc Savard came off the bench on a delayed penalty to score with 9:25 gone in overtime Sunday night and the Boston Bruins beat the Montreal Canadiens for the first time this season, winning 2-1 in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series.

"We got the monkey off our back after 13 losses," said Bruins coach Claude Julien, who wasn't with the team when Montreal started its 13-game winning streak against Boston more than a year ago. "The game was a lot like last night's, but this time Lady Luck was smiling upon us."

CANADIENS LEAD SERIES, 2-1

Game 1:  Montreal 4, Boston 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Montreal 3, Boston 2 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  Boston 2, Montreal 1 (OT)

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 4:  April 15 @ Boston

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

Game 5:  April 17 @ Montreal

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

*Game 6:  April 19 @ Boston

TBD, CBC, RDS

*Game 7:  April21 @ Montreal

TBD, CBC, RDS

* if necessary

Tim Thomas made 27 saves for Boston, stopping several shots at close range in overtime. Carey Price stopped 29 shots for the Canadiens, who beat the Bruins in their last three tries last season, all eight in the regular season and the first two of their best-of-seven series.

"I knew at one point they were going to beat us," Canadiens coach Guy Carbonneau said. "We had a couple of really good chances in overtime, but Thomas played big."

Montreal continued its dominance in the overtime, testing Thomas continually before the Bruins caught a break when Bryan Smolinski was signaled for a penalty in Montreal's zone. As Thomas headed for the bench, Peter Schaefer controlled the puck and got it to Dennis Wideman.

Savard came off the bench, and Wideman found him in the middle for the open backhander.

"I came on as the extra skater," said Savard, who also assisted on Boston's other goal. "When Wideman picked it off, I yelled at the top of my lungs and luckily he saw me."

The Bruins have made the playoffs just three times since 1999, losing in the first round all three times. Two of those losses were to the Canadiens, their longtime Original Six rivals.

This year, the domination was even more complete: In losing all eight regular-season matchups, Boston didn't have the lead in a single game - for a single second. The streak continued when the Bruins managed just 18 shots in a 4-1 loss in Game 1.

Boston scored two third-period goals Saturday night to force overtime in Game 2. They lasted just 2:30 thanks to a controversial tripping penalty that led to Alex Kovalev's power-play goal, but at least they showed they wouldn't roll over against the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.

On Sunday, the Bruins did even more than that.

"We tried to build on an excellent game (Saturday) night," Thomas said. "We have a lot of guys laying it on the line."

In the first NHL playoff game in Boston since 2004, the Bruins took their first lead against Montreal this season 6 1/2 minutes in when Savard dug the puck out from the boards and passed it in front to Milan Lucic for some nice stickhandling and a shot past Price.

The Bruins showed some fight when Shane Hnidy pushed back against Guillaume Latendresse between the first and second periods. The brawl was repeated in the stands between the Boston fans and the large contingent that made the five-hour trip from Montreal to outshout the locals.

The Canadiens tied it at 4:26 of the second when Tom Kostopoulos, despite being wrestled to the ice in the slot, swept the puck past Thomas to make it 1-1.

Total time the Bruins have led the Canadiens in 2007-08: 17 minutes, 56 seconds. But they have two days to enjoy it before Game 4 in Boston on Tuesday.

Notes: Bruins F Phil Kessel was a healthy scratch for the second straight game. ... Wideman was back in the lineup in place of Andrew Alberts, who played Game 2. ... It was the 157th game in 31 playoff series between the two clubs, most in the NHL. ... The Bruins, who were 14th among the 16 playoff teams in scoring during the regular season, have managed only five goals in the first three games of the postseason.

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -Alex Kovalev's seventh shot of the game proved to be lucky for him and the Montreal Canadiens.

Kovalev scored a power-play goal 2:30 into overtime to give Montreal a 3-2 win over Boston on Saturday night and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. It was also the Canadiens' 13th consecutive victory over the Bruins.

CANADIENS LEAD SERIES, 2-0

Game 1:  Montreal 4, Boston 1

Game Highlights |  Photo Gallery

Game 2:  Montreal 3, Boston 2 (OT)

Game Highlights | Photo Gallery

Game 3:  April 13 @ Boston

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

Game 4:  April 15 @ Boston

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

*Game 5:  April 17 @ Montreal

7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS

*Game 6:  April 19 @ Boston

TBD, CBC, RDS

*Game 7:  April21 @ Montreal

TBD, CBC, RDS

* if necessary

The high-scoring Russian drove a slap shot past Tim Thomas from the left side as the Canadiens took advantage of consecutive penalties to Boston's Shawn Thornton and Jeremy Reich.

"It seems to me I had so many chances today and I couldn't get the puck in, and last game was the same thing, I missed an open net," said Kovalev, whose seven shots were a team high. "I'm glad it went in."

Thornton got a double-minor for high sticking with 2:17 left in the third when the Bruins forward's stick came up and struck Montreal's Tom Kostopoulos in the face, drawing blood and an automatic - and ill-timed - 4 minutes in penalties.

The Canadiens were unable to score on that advantage but broke through after Reich was sent off for tripping Andrei Markov with 12 seconds remaining in Thornton's second minor.

"We're a team that hasn't hidden behind anything this year and we're not going to start now," Bruins coach Claude Julien said. "We'll take the responsibility for our penalties and we'll move on. I guess the only thing that bothers me is the fact that (Reich) took a stick in the face but because we decide not to embellish, it doesn't pay off. I guess you have to embellish to get a call."

Including the two wins to open this series, Montreal has won 13 in a row dating to the 2006-07 season against Boston, which claimed just one point - a shootout loss - out of a possible 16 in losing eight regular-season games against the Canadiens this season.

"It's just a big relief," said Montreal goalie Carey Price, who stopped 37 shots.

Game 3 is Sunday night in Boston.

"This was definitely one of their best games, but it's going to be even harder to play against them in their home building," Kovalev said.

Roman Hamrlik scored late in the first and Canadiens rookie Sergei Kostitsyn scored his second goal in as many playoff games 1:30 into the middle period to put Montreal up 2-0.

The Bruins tied it at 2 midway through the third on David Krejci's first playoff goal after Peter Schaefer drew Boston within 2-1 earlier in the period.

Schaefer put a backhand past Price 3:58 into the third as Boston finally scored its first goal of the game despite firing 25 shots at Montreal's 20-year-old rookie in the first two periods.

Krejci tied it during a two-man advantage at 9:34 when he finished off a 5-on-3 passing play with Marc Savard and Marco Sturm and put a shot into a wide-open net from the left edge of the crease.

Julien left Phil Kessel out of the lineup as Vladimir Sobotka made his playoff debut.

"I think if you look back at the first game they just totally dominated us as far as grit was concerned and along the boards and all those areas that are crucial," Julien said. "We just decided to add some grit in our lineup and they responded well that way."

Bruins defenseman Andrew Alberts appeared in his first playoff game and figured prominently in Montreal's opening goal.

Despite a strong effort in the opening period, Boston went to the dressing room trailing 1-0 after Hamrlik drove a slap shot past Thomas from the left faceoff circle with 1:30 remaining in the first.

The scoring play began with Alberts - a healthy scratch Thursday - lining up Montreal's Steve Begin for a check in the Canadiens' zone. Alberts took the brunt of the collision and fell to the ice.

Savard dropped back as Montreal counterattacked and made a vain attempt to block Hamrlik's drive.

Kostitsyn, who scored 34 seconds into his playoff debut Thursday, increased the lead to two 1:30 into the second.

Notes: Price made a left pad save on Thornton's shot with just under 5 minutes left in the second and moments after Hamrlik drove a slap shot off the left post. ... Canadiens captain Saku Koivu is still recovering from a broken bone in his left foot and did not dress. D Francis Bouillon also remained sidelined by a right ankle injury.

Stay safe all. 

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

MONTREAL (AP) -The Kostitsyn brothers proved to be quite the opening act for the Montreal Canadiens, who carried their regular season dominance of the Boston Bruins into the playoffs.

Sergei and Andrei Kostitsyn scored 1:28 apart in the opening minutes of their playoff debuts, and Montreal defeated the Boston Bruins 4-1 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Thursday night.

Smolinski,

who debuted with Boston in the 1992-93 season, scored 5:26 into the

second to restore Montreal's two-goal lead at 3-1.

It was Smolinski's 23rd playoff goal in 112 playoff games, and his first with the Canadiens.

Kostopoulos scored his first playoff goal 7:24 into the third.

Montreal captain Saku Koivu did not play because of a broken bone in his left foot that sidelined him for the final four games of the season.

The East champions' blue line got a boost from the return of Mike Komisarek. The team's leader in hits and blocked shots, Komisarek missed the last seven games of the season because of a hip injury.

"It felt good," Komisarek said. "I felt better as the game went on."

The Canadiens got off to a fast start, taking a 2-0 lead to the delight of the sold-out Bell Centre crowd of 21,273.

Sergei Kostitsyn beat Thomas off an unfortunate rebound for the Bruins' goalie. Montreal defenseman Patrice Brisebois' shot from the right point struck Boston defenseman Aaron Ward's leg and Thomas made a pad save on the redirection but was unable to stop the younger Kostitsyn's shot off the rebound.

Kostitsyn's older brother, Andre, also got his first playoff goal quickly in his postseason debut. Linemate Tomas Plekanec set up the goal with a fine centering pass from the right side to Andre Kostitsyn, who beat Thomas with a shot from the slot.

The

Canadiens came close to making it a three-goal lead on their first

power play opportunity moments later, though it was Boston that struck

next despite being outshot 8-1 in the early going.

Associated Press

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

That means only 3 of th 6 Canadian teams made it to the post season

Good luck to the Senators, Flames and Canadians!

And we hope to see the Leafs, Oilers, and Canucks battling for the cup next season!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Our first round opponents will be the Boston Bruins.....we have a great rivalry with them!

Lifetime post season record vs the Bruins: 23 Wins and 7 Losses!

This season's record vs Boston: 8 games = 8 Wins!+0 losses+0 ties!

But then again, its a whole new season in the playoffs....here's hoping our streak continues vs Boston!

Go Habs Go!

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

Stay safe.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

 Not a pity post at all.  Wish I was home in a pub watching it!

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

Come on guys...I KNOW there are lots of Canadians on this site....even if you are not Hab Fans, you can congratulate a Canadian team for finishing 1st in the conference (as I have done in the past for the Sens!).

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?

 WOOHOO! GO habs Go Habs!

Visit www.qatarhappening.com

And this is without ANY superstars (ie no 50+ goal scorer on the team!). Impressive...yay!

On a side note....it is kinda sad when you have to post in your own Thread to keep it going....I guess that gives us insight into how many hockey fans are in Qatar! LOL

Stay safe all.

Perfection does not exist. The question therefore, is: what level of imperfection are we willing to settle for?