Video: Halak Robs Plekanec, Receives Huge Ovation in Montreal
January 11th, 2012 | by David Rogers |Halak Robs Plekanec, Receives Huge Ovation in Montreal
If you missed last night’s game you missed a great one. Jaroslav Halak returned to his former town for the first time since being dealt to St. Louis and had a night to remember. Halak posted a shutout and the Blues escaped with a decisive 3-0 victory. When the final horn sounded, the Montreal crowd have a loud standing ovation, causing Halak to come out for a curtain call in a moment that showed the true class of the Montreal organization.
The Blues held Montreal to just a handful of quality chances, one being the robbery on Plekanec seen above, while completely dominating play for long stretches of time.
Ryan Reaves had a spectacular game featuring big hits and a nifty power move that set up the team’s opening goal. Reaves appeared to have an extra stride in hit step just a day after receiving a new two-year extension from the Blues.
David Backes also had a big game, sniping in the team’s second goal while setting up Chris Stewart on a nifty saucer pass for the Blues third and final goal of the game.
This win sets up a huge tilt for the Blues on Thursday when they take on the Vancouver Canucks – the current leader of the Western Conference. However, the Canucks are in 1st with 57 points in 44 games while the Blues just barely trailing with 55 points in 42 games.
Tags: Jaroslav Halak, Ovation
Stop a short-handed breakaway for the opponent's first shot of the game stone cold? Check. Stack the pads, put up the glove, and come away with the save? Check. Halak continuing to get back on the form we expected of him? Oh, yes, check. Please, sir, I'd like some more.
Said it in the Reaves thread last night, but that was a man on a mission to prove he wasn't overpaid with his new contract extension. No complaints if he keeps up anything near that level of play, even if teams do start watching him more closely on drives to the net.
Nice to see Stewart in double digits for goals, finally, speaking of guys who were off form at the start of the season. It may be a tired line, but it's still true - go to the net, and good things will happen.
Thursday is going to be another of those win-to-keep-pace games, much like last night, and we won't have the Islanders and their unfathomable recent dominance of Detroit to help keep the Wings out of the mix. While we get the conference leaders, Chicago has Minnesota (who admittedly played well last night in what I saw flipping over to the national game - pity they couldn't hold off the Sharks in regulation), Detroit has Phoenix, and Nashville's got Colorado, who've been skidding a bit since we finally beat 'em.
Should be a great night of Western Conference hockey. Just a pity I won't be able to see/hear more of it as it goes on. heh
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
Like