Two goals from the power play.
A goal from Scott Gomez.
Tom Pyatt with a team-high six shots on goal.
Lars Eller playing late in the third period.
The list of unlikely things that went right for the Canadiens in this impressive 3-1 win in Boston over a hot, but tired, Bruins team certainly reads like an episode of the Twilight Zone.
But there is one constant that keeps coming back over and over again: Carey Price.
After his league-high 15th start of the year, Price has a .923 save percentage, a 2.19 goals against average, and he's allowed two or fewer goals in seven of his starts. He hasn't allowed more than three goals in regulation all year. He is the rock solid spine guiding this tremendous 10-5-1 start to the season for the Canadiens.
It can't be understated just how different Price is this season, and his consistency has been the biggest change.
But otherwise, what the Canadiens pulled off over the last two games in beating two of the league's better teams also showed a certain evolution of the team's winning formula.
Three of the five goals they scored over those two games came on the power play, and the penalty killing unit pitched a shutout on eight opportunities – four each for the Canucks and the Bruins.
The power play goal against Vancouver wasn't a thing of beauty, but the two against Boston most definitely were.
First, P.K. Subban scoring the first regular season goal of his career by drilling a one-timer off a bouncing pass, and then Brian Gionta batting one in out of midair on a play made possible by an incredible pass from Tomas Plekanec to Michael Cammalleri.
The Canadiens power play is now 3-for-9 over the last two games after going 3-for-47 over the first 14, and if this recent success is a sign of things to come then this team suddenly becomes extremely dangerous.
Because adding a potent, or even a competent power play to what has already been established – excellent goaltending backed up by strong team defence – would make the Canadiens a very difficult team to beat.
