Do you know what happened? I have no idea what just happened. I don't even think the Habs know what just happened. I'm totally sure the Ducks have no idea what just happened.
Cue the start, with two wicked glove saves on both ends of the ice. However that's about all that's wicked about the game so far... All that urgency, that intensity, that tenacity they had in yesterday's game? Yea, I think they left it up the road. I have no idea how after playing an almost perfect game defensively one night, they turn around and start backing up, start screening their goalie, start doing WHAT KILLED THEM IN THE SHARKS GAME as in admiring the Ducks enter their zone and do whatever they pleased... Well, yea, they came out of the first down 3-0 and just going through the motions. Habs writer and one of the few from LaPresse who isn't an idiot M-A Godin painted it perfectly with this tweet: "The slot in Habs' zone is a pond in which the Ducks love paddling." Scoring chances were 9-2 for the Ducks. Demers and Bouchard have absolutely no idea what the hell this team is doing and why they seem to enjoy ruining Price's life/confidence.
Cue act two, Halak comes in because the coach hopes the team wakes the fuck up. Maybe Kirk Muller had his Herb Brooks moment while holding up the glorious CH sweater or something. How about, "Stop pussyfooting around if you want to make the playoffs because you got THIS many games left, THIS many points, and THIS is who's on your heel, so stop mailing it in." Whatever it was it seems like it worked because the D realized "Oh right, we're supposed to STOP the guys from getting to the net!" No more asses in the goalie's face. No more screened shots. Everything is pretty steady and force to the outside. And then Gorges springs Pleky on a breakaway and he roofs it on a shocked Hiller. There's a joke somewhere about the hockey team that sits comfortable on the 3-0 lead... Well, we all know the 5-0 lead isn't even comfy.
You could probably go out for a beer and pizza 'cause nothing really happens for the next 38.5 minutes unless you enjoy perimeter hockey. We start saying "hey, well at least they weren't shutout again" 'cause god knows that has happened too many times. Probably the most thrilling moments were the rush by Sergei where he got tripped and drew a penalty (PP still sucks by the way), the bounce off the wall that nearly plunked into the open net, or the time Jaro nearly kills Spacek and sends him flying in a triple-triple-twist (stay in your net, Jaro). A runner up was the slapshot by Chipchura right onto his teammate's ass... And with 2 minutes left I start pondering how everytime this team has the chance to either take a nice advance in the standings or gain some ground in points, they always seem to find a way to shit the bed. That's when Gionta snuck in unoticed like Niedermeyer did in the first and scores. Then with 10 seconds left Markov broke his goal scoring drought and got punched in the face by Doogie Howser. (Yea, the Olympics are over so you can stick that gold medal up your ass, Corey Perry).
Somehow Gionta and Gomez also end up in the penalty box though.
OT goes nowhere so they head for a shootout. Getzlaf is the only one on the Ducks' side that knows what he's doing as Dr. Horrible skates off to the corner and forgets the forward motion thing, Selanne shoots to the roof (literally), and Wisniewski (wtf) just forgets the puck. Where is Saku Koivu? What is wrong with Randy Carlyle? Did Saku maybe decline? Meanwhile Hiller scored on himself for Gionta, and Pleky (WTF?! HE'S NEVER GOOD AT SHOOTOUTS) scores the winner.
Was this not the weirdest game all season for this team? For any team, actually? How is this team currently/temporarily in 7th?
I don't understand this team anymore. I love them. I hate them. No I'll never leave them. And I'll never undestand them. What do I do with them?