|
 Parenteau may have scored the shootout winner, but to a man in
the Canadiens dressing room, everyone agreed the accolades belonged
to their goalkeeper after their 2-1 shootout win over the Calgary
Flames Tuesday night in the Scotiabank Saddledome.
It can't be argued after the gold-medal winning netminder for Team
Canada in 2014 made 37 saves through overtime and then stopped all
three shootout attempts.
"That's what he does. He's an exceptional goalie," Parenteau said.
"We've got to give him a break. We have to play better hockey.
Tonight we didn't play the way we wanted. We come out with two
points, but we've got to address a few of our weaknesses we had
tonight."
The Eastern Conference-leading Canadiens may sport an 8-2-0 record
to start the season, but their trip through Alberta was on the verge
of being another disaster. It would have been same old, same old for
Price.
 The netminder from British Columbia went into the game with matching
0-3-0 records and even uglier goals-against averages in road games
against the Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Price was on the bench when
the Habs faced the Oilers Monday night, a 3-0 loss, but did about
all you can to erase the past when up against a Flames team that put
him in a shooting gallery.
"This has been a tough place to get wins," Price said. "They play us
tough when we come to town. It took every ounce of effort to get
this one. We're just happy we pulled it off."
The Flames couldn't be happy, but couldn't be down in the dumps,
either. After all, the Canadiens are considered an Eastern
Conference power and the Flames are not expected to be anywhere
close to the playoffs when the regular season is in the books, but
they gave the visitors all they could possibly handle.
"You got to tip your hat to Price over there," said Flames
defenseman Mark Giordano, who opened the scoring early in the second
period. "He made the saves when they needed them. A few of us,
myself probably number one, had some really good looks down the
stretch and gotta find a way to bury one of those. It sucks to lose
in a shootout, always, but we can't be disappointed with that game."
That a Flames blue-liner scored should come as no surprise.
Calgary's defensemen have scored 10 of the team's 26 goals this
season.
But nobody could score the one to pull away.
[to top of second column] |
"I don't think I can ask for anything more from my guys," Flames
coach Bob Hartley said. "What a great game. I think our fans saw a
great goalie battle. We just couldn't capitalize on a couple of
scoring chances and that was the difference in the game."
His counterpart, and good friend, Michel Therrien agreed.
"Tonight's game was all about Carey Price," the Montreal coach said.
"He certainly deserved to win because of the way he performed. Carey
was outstanding. ... I thought we had a lack of energy."
Tom Gilbert scored the lone goal for the Habs late in the second
period.
Jonas Hiller made 18 saves through overtime for the Flames (5-4-2),
who have just one win in five home games this season.
NOTES: Flames RW David Jones suited up for just the second game this
season after missing the last eight games due to a lower-body
injury. He was also a healthy scratch in the first outing. Since
being acquired prior to last season, Jones has played just 50 games
for the Flames, missing 41 due to four different injuries. ... Even
with Jones returning to the lineup, the Flames didn't need to send
any players to the minors. LW Mason Raymond is out on a week-to-week
basis due to a shoulder injury. Raymond was off to the best start of
his career with five goals in the first 10 games. ... Canadiens
coach Michel Therrien started his coaching career thanks to Flames
bench boss Bob Hartley. Hartley was the head coach of the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League's Laval Titan and hired Therrien as an
assistant. ... Montreal D Jarred Tinordi was back in the lineup
after being a healthy scratch the night before in Edmonton. D Nathan
Beaulieu came out.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
