By PAT HICKEY, The Montreal Gazette
http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/
May 5, 2010 3:02 AM
A random decision by the officials left the Canadiens without two of their best penalty-killers during the power play that produced the Pittsburgh Penguins' winning goal last night.
Hal Gill was in the penalty box when a melee broke out at the end of the second period. When order was restored, Josh Gorges and the Penguins' Kris Letang went off together. And Gorges and Gill had a rinkside seat when Evgeni Malkin scored the game's first goal at 1:16 of the third period.
"The ref said he was going to take either me or (Roman Hamrlik), and he picked me," Gorges said. "He didn't want to put two defencemen in the box and that was a fair assessment. I'm not sure why it was me. Everyone was in there, grabbing everyone, but that's his call and so be it."
MONTREAL- MAY 4: Sidney Crosby(notes) #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates the third period goal by Evgeni Malkin(notes) #71 (not pictured) in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre on May 4, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Penguins defeated the Canadiens 2-0 taking a 2-1 lead in the series. (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)Gorges might have gotten the nod because he attracted a crowd after he became involved with Penguins star Sidney Crosby.
"There were a couple of seconds left in the period and he fell and was yelling at something," Gorges said.
"I couldn't tell what he was saying. I just stopped and was waiting for him to get up, but we didn't really say anything and then this melee broke out.
"He gave me a little chop on the foot, but that's hockey, it happens all the time.
"Next thing I know, it was a melee, but I don't know who started it. I think (the Penguins) thought I was going after him because they moved in there pretty quick."
Gorges said it was unfortunate that the Canadiens had two of their best penalty-killers in the box.
"That wasn't what we wanted, but I thought the guys who were out there, P.K. (Subban) and Hammer did a great job," Gorges said. "P.K. had a great diving play in front that prevented a sure goal and we had a couple of good clears. There was just a miscue out front and they're the kind of team that takes advantage of mistakes."
The mistake was a failure to clear the puck, which led to a shot from the point by Evgeni Malkin.
"We got caught in a situation where guys had to stay out there too long and were tired," head coach Jacques Martin said.
Malkin's shot beat goaltender Jaroslav Halak on the short side. There were four players battling in front of the crease, but Halak took responsibility for the goal.
"I saw it at the last minute and I should have stopped it," the goaltender said.
Said Michael Cammalleri: "It was a little bit of chess match and they got the one goal and we didn't."
Added Brian Gionta: "We had some good opportunities in the third, but (Marc-André) Fleury made some big saves. That's playoff hockey."
Fleury made 18 saves for the shutout and had to be at his best in the third period. Pittsburgh head coach Dan Bylsma said the shutout should answer those critics who say Fleury isn't a pressure goaltender.
"There have been questions numerous times and he showed tonight with his performance in a big-game situation," Bylsma said. "(It's a) tough place to play and he came out big. He came out big after there was a time, when he didn't get a lot of work in the game and he had to come out big in the right moment, on a pretty big penalty kill against the guys that have been scoring some goals. It was a pretty big performance from him tonight."
First star: Evgeni Malkin scored the game-winner and had seven shots on goal.
Second star: Marc-André Fleury had a strong third period to preserve his shutout.
Third star: Brian Gionta had seven of the Canadiens' 18 shots on goal.
Key number: 3. Number of shots the Canadiens have allowed Sidney Crosby in this series.
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