Wilde Horses
- Lars Eller took a tongue lashing early from Therrien on the bench. Not sure why but it didn't hurt the kid that is for sure. Eller is a puck winner. I say it every February when no one cares about that skill. I say it because short memories are common. When the playoffs come, if you don't have puck winners when battles are the norm and the ice is closed off, then you don't have wins. He made an outstanding theft in the first and had two chances to finish. Couldn't score but he did get a Bishop head butt for his efforts.
- Brendan Gallagher was devastated after game three. My camera man Jason Clarke noted that he wanted to give Gallagher a big hug because he looked so upset. The kid breathes hockey. He can't stand failure. He can't stand losing. He's a heart and soul player. Some get you there and some get you through and some like Gallagher do both.
- PK Subban with some of his best decision making of these playoffs. He played within himself. He didn't take on a high risk. He just made smart hockey plays.
- Max Pacioretty wasn't ready for the summer. The shorthanded marker set the tone for the evening. He was flying and the shot was perfect. Pacioretty paid for points and he had three of them.
Montreal Canadiens left wing Max Pacioretty, centre, is congratulated by defenceman P.K. Subban, left, and centre Torrey Mitchell, right, after Pacioretty scored during the first period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa, Fla., Thursday, May 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
- Jeff Petry is so smart. He makes so many superb decisions. He slows the puck down on defence when he needs to. Impressive too at taking direction too clearly. Shoot for the net when it is there like the goal and shoot to miss the net to simply keep the puck down low when there is no lane to the goal.
- David Desharnais trying to recover and get his strength back scores a huge goal to chase Ben Bishop who is showing an unusual glove hand, and by unusual I mean strangely crappy.
Montreal Canadiens centre David Desharnais, foreground, is congratulated by teammates after he scored a goal during second period of Game 4 NHL second round playoff hockey action against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thursday, May 7, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
- Greg Pateryn is quietly, for what he was thrown into, doing a pretty good job. Pateryn levels some big hits and makes some good safe decisions. He has not been caught out much.
- Jacob De La Rose laid out some big hits. When that frame fills out as he works his way through the next three years it's going to be some pain for his opposition a lot of nights.
- Dale Weise passed me while I was sitting and scrolling Twitter before the game. I had my hand in my chin, a little bored looking. Weise says "Why so glum? We're gonna give you a great positive story to report in three hours." That's as pretty close to a win call as you're going to get. Played a strong game. Snake bitten around the net but sure getting a boat load of chances. Better than that, you gotta love it when a guy calls a win for you.
- Michel Therrien hasn't fallen off message. Sure the PP is lousy and I don't get why Desharnais takes so many important faceoffs but let's give this coach some credit. Therrien has not been a reason the team lost focus. He hasn't hurt his team with a damaging tirade. Even at three down before game four, Therrien gives a message to the media of pride in his players commitment. He did not give up on them and they in turn did not give up on him. This is what a good coach does. A good coach is of course a tactician but he is also someone who motivates and inspires. Therrien before game four impressed me tremendously by staying on message and having faith.
Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy (88), of Russia, reacts after giving up a goal to Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher during the second period of Game 4 of a second-round NHL Stanley Cup hockey playoff series in Tampa, Fla., Thursday, May 7, 2015. The Canadiens won 6-2.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Wilde Goats
- Tom Gilbert with a big error on Tampa's second goal. Johnson was never going to score from his angle. Price had him. Palat in front should not have been left alone. A bit harsh to put him or anyone in the Goat category. Hell of a game from everyone.
Wilde Cards
- I have been trying to make a point for a while that numbers that are unusual are unsustainable. The Habs hovered around nine to 10 per cent shooting in the season. That means the Habs got a goal about every 10 shots. Pretty close to what every team does with few exceptions. However in the playoffs after game two against Ottawa, the Habs had stretches of two per cent to three shooting - that's a goal every 40 to 50 shots. A goal every 50 shots is an unsustainable negative stat and this is why Therrien kept saying his Habs didn't have to change much and were the better team five on five. Good coaches don't have score vision. The result isn't always indicative of the game but the process if maintained is all that can be controlled. Six shots of 39 is 16 per cent. It is also not sustainable because it is too high. But if Montreal can find 10 per cent from here, there is every reason to believe the series can be long rather than short.Tweets by @BWildeCTV
A pair of Montreal Canadiens fans dance among a sea of Tampa Bay Lightning fans during second period of Game 4 NHL second round playoff hockey action between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens, Thursday, May 7, 2015, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
