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Habs, Flyers win to keep hopes alive
Source: Agencies |
May 12, 2010, Wednesday
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THE Montreal Canadiens extended their magical playoff run with a 4-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday to force a decisive Game 7 with the defending Stanley Cup champions.
It marks the second straight series the upstart Canadiens have forced a seventh game, and this time no one is dismissing their chances since they eliminated the top seeds Washington Capitals in the opening round.
"It's one game to see who moves onto the Eastern Conference final," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "Everyone in the building will understand what's at stake. You're either moving on or going home."
Game 7 will be played tomorrow in Pittsburgh.
In Boston, Michael Leighton came off the bench after Brian Boucher was injured and made 14 saves to complete the combined shutout, leading Philadelphia over the Bruins and helping the Flyers avoid elimination in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals.
Boucher left after injuring his knee at the bottom of a pileup in the crease at 4:35 of the second period. Leighton, who had been the starter before he was injured on March 16, made his first career playoff appearance and finished off the first combined shutout in the Flyers' postseason history.
No Canadian team has won a National Hockey League championship since 1993 when the Canadiens lifted the last of their record 24 Stanley Cups; and few experts had pegged them to be in the hunt this spring after they limped into the postseason.
The underdog and undersized Canadiens had been expected to fall in four games in the first round but fought back from a 1-3 series deficit to stun the Capitals. Now they have pushed the Stanley Cup champions to the brink.
"What an opportunity now, Game 7 here we come," said Michael Cammalleri, who paced the Canadiens attack with a pair of goals to push his playoff total to a league-best 11.
Second goal
Cammalleri scored his second goal of the game midway through the second period and Jaroslav Spacek put Montreal ahead 2:30 later.
Maxim Lapierre also scored 11:03 into the third to give Montreal a 4-2 lead.
Bill Guerin deflected Sergei Gonchar's slap shot from the right point past Jaroslav Halak with 1:24 remaining to draw Pittsburgh within one. But the Canadiens held on.
Halak stopped 34 shots for the eighth-seeded Canadiens.
In Boston, Simon Gagne, who scored in overtime to win Game 4, netted two goals, Ville Leino had a goal and an assist, and Scott Hartnell also scored to help the Flyers force the series back to Philadelphia for a sixth game tomorrow. If they win, it's back to Boston for Game 7.
The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders are the only NHL teams to come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.
It marks the second straight series the upstart Canadiens have forced a seventh game, and this time no one is dismissing their chances since they eliminated the top seeds Washington Capitals in the opening round.
"It's one game to see who moves onto the Eastern Conference final," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "Everyone in the building will understand what's at stake. You're either moving on or going home."
Game 7 will be played tomorrow in Pittsburgh.
In Boston, Michael Leighton came off the bench after Brian Boucher was injured and made 14 saves to complete the combined shutout, leading Philadelphia over the Bruins and helping the Flyers avoid elimination in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semifinals.
Boucher left after injuring his knee at the bottom of a pileup in the crease at 4:35 of the second period. Leighton, who had been the starter before he was injured on March 16, made his first career playoff appearance and finished off the first combined shutout in the Flyers' postseason history.
No Canadian team has won a National Hockey League championship since 1993 when the Canadiens lifted the last of their record 24 Stanley Cups; and few experts had pegged them to be in the hunt this spring after they limped into the postseason.
The underdog and undersized Canadiens had been expected to fall in four games in the first round but fought back from a 1-3 series deficit to stun the Capitals. Now they have pushed the Stanley Cup champions to the brink.
"What an opportunity now, Game 7 here we come," said Michael Cammalleri, who paced the Canadiens attack with a pair of goals to push his playoff total to a league-best 11.
Second goal
Cammalleri scored his second goal of the game midway through the second period and Jaroslav Spacek put Montreal ahead 2:30 later.
Maxim Lapierre also scored 11:03 into the third to give Montreal a 4-2 lead.
Bill Guerin deflected Sergei Gonchar's slap shot from the right point past Jaroslav Halak with 1:24 remaining to draw Pittsburgh within one. But the Canadiens held on.
Halak stopped 34 shots for the eighth-seeded Canadiens.
In Boston, Simon Gagne, who scored in overtime to win Game 4, netted two goals, Ville Leino had a goal and an assist, and Scott Hartnell also scored to help the Flyers force the series back to Philadelphia for a sixth game tomorrow. If they win, it's back to Boston for Game 7.
The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs and the 1975 New York Islanders are the only NHL teams to come back from a 0-3 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series.
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