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“It’s just two guys competing out there. Both guys caring about what they’re doing and feeling passionate about what they’re doing,” Price said. “It’s just part of the game. I thought the guys in front of me were the guys that were giving them the gears.”
Crosby’s teammate, Evgeni Malkin, had a series to forget. One lone assist in four games with no goals to show for it. A -3 as well, if you’re into plus/minus. Who would’ve thought that he would’ve been held in check by the Habs, including work from Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki?
Guentzel had three points in the first two games but was erased in Games 3 and 4. Zucker scored twice in the series, but his production wasn’t sufficient.
The Penguins’ top-six forwards were supposed to be better than the Canadiens’ own and they didn’t play well enough to win.
Montreal’s defending was lights out in Game 4, stopping plays in their own zone before clearing the puck. One highlight in particular for me: Nick Suzuki stealing the puck from Penguins defenceman Kris Letang while the latter handled the puck in the offensive zone. Suzuki then sped up ice and tried a shot on net.
Unrelated: I wondered if Pittsburgh’s fortunes would have been different had they started Tristan Jarry in Game 1 of this series?
The more I think about it, I think the Habs would have beaten them anyway.
