Wilde Horses

Dustin Tokarski showed not only the ability to make saves, he also showed the equally important ability to handle the world watching him and the accompanying anxiety.

I am always fascinated by how some players are overcome by nerves and anxiety in the big moment and some get excited and want the world watching.

After the game two loss, Tokarski was in the room after having lost but he was so calm about it.

He admitted he thought he should have had the Nash goal. He also said he had nerves but good nerves because he was excited.

When someone has won World Junior gold then you know that someone has learned how to handle high pressure moments.

That was his first NHL one and he was excellent. No chance on the goals and he made a tonne of great stops.

Martin St Louis especially with the side of the net sure goals that Tokarski kept robbing him of.

Peter Budaj for the great joy he showed after the Habs won as he found Tokarski and congratulated him.

Budaj thought this was his moment to get in net and shine.

The disappointment he felt must have been so severe but there he was being such a high quality human being. What a team player.

It's really heartwarming how supportive they are to each other, and I don't mean just the Habs but team athletes in general who really go to the wall for each other.

David Desharnais just keeps on surprising.

How this player had 1 point in 19 games has to be one of the greatest hockey mysteries I have ever seen against the backdrop of what he has done in the playoffs and the rest of the regular season.

Have you ever seen a player so bad and then so good?

Desharnais had a zone entry that was just so spectacular as he backed four guys off and had a chance on net.

Desharnais competes hard and is a true number one centre in the final four for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

I did not see that coming.

Max Pacioretty had a small sample size in the playoffs and it didn't look good on him because didn't do much in the first 12 games of his playoff life.

However that is why you have to remain patient when you evaluate as media, coaches and GMs.

As Pacioretty gains in experience, he gains an understanding what it takes to win in the playoffs.

Next year will be even better because of the lessons this year that he has learned.

Pacioretty is so impressive now. He took the heat early in the Bruins series. He stood up and answered the call.

Now no one questions that he can play in the playoffs.

Brendan Gallagher is a hated player.

The opposition hate him for sure, but it is the refs who hate him even more.

Gallagher is never going to get a call.

He better get ready for a long and prosperous career of being angry at the refs because they aren't going to help his cause. Ever.

One exchange he got flat out hacked and retaliated then got hacked again.

He was the only player called.

The reason he doesn't get a call is he is doing his job in front of the net and in the corners but at the end of the battle, he tends to be a bit dramatic.

Great effort always though. Just a heart and soul playoff performer.

Going to be a great line with Pacioretty and Desharnais for years to come.

Daniel Briere was the player who gave the overtime speech after the third period.

I am told by Mike Weaver that it was a very funny speech but I couldn't get Weaver nor Briere to tell me why it was funny.

Briere with the 2-1 goal that looked like the winner.

Briere has been a good playoff performer as advertised but he can't get much ice time despite his timely goals.

Therrien should revisit how much he uses this player.

Wilde Goats

Alexei Emelin had a rough night and that was before the tying goal in the last minute went off his skate and in.

Emelin just can't keep up with the speed of the Rangers.

That is a problem with not only foot speed but also decision-making speed.

Emelin doesn't always have good nights to be honest.

Let me add too I think this player, used to shorter seasons his whole Russian life, is exhausted by the length of an NHL season.

Tomas Plekanec is not having the best time of it recently either.

Back in the day when he called himself a little girl it seemed he didn't hang in there physically when the going got tough.

This year, Plekanec is struggling at times for a different reason.

He doesn't seem to have that Selke form going.

He's on the ice for a lot of goals against.

He gets a lot of tough line matches and defensive zone starts so it can't be easy, but it is unusual for Plekanec to be the worst on the team in plus minus.

Wilde Cards

Brandon Prust laid out a big hit and he may be suspended for it.

However that hit kept everyone's head up for the evening.

Prust was very late with the hit and the league will likely look at it.

The rag dolling of Dorsett helped the cause too.

When you're in the other barn and you can do what Prust did, you win space for the rest of your mates.

Can't be a horse though despite all of his good because that was a dirty hit.

A great hit. An important hit. But a dirty hit.

Michel Therrien has had an amazing playoffs.

He has devised game plans that have led the Habs to success when none was expected.

He has maintained his composure. He has handled the media well.

Therrien deserves a tonne of kudos.

However I have to mention his lack of faith in his rookie players.

Beaulieu was a solid defender in game three but then had one bad shift and boom gone for the night.

Beaulieu had 28 seconds worth of hockey in the third.

Others played way worse than Beaulieu back there.

The Rangers played their best game of the series in game 3 and they lost it.

The Habs played their best in game two and lost it.

Hockey is about goaltending and a rookie in game three was better than King Henrik.

Justice usually prevails after enough time passes.

The Habs didn't deserve to lose game two.

They didn't deserve to win game 3.

But the series does deserve to be 2-1 Rangers after three and that's where we are.

Game 4 begins 8:00 Sunday night.

The Habs still showing resiliency and character.

Good group of guys. The kind of guys Marc Bergevin believes in and wants for times like these.