GAME THREAD: NHL: NASHVILLE (12-11) at MONTREAL (13-12)

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------------------------
Nashville 0 0 4 0 (2) --5
Montreal 2 1 1 0 (1) --4
------------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Chris Higgins 10 (Alexei Kovalev,
Tomas Plekanec),9:02. 2, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 8 (Alexei Kovalev,
Patrice Brisebois),13:39. Penalties: R Suter, Nas (interference),
15:21.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Montreal, Guillaume Latendresse 6 (Kyle
Chipchura, Roman Hamrlik),9:30. Penalties: S Nichol, Nas (double
minor high sticking), 16:40.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Nashville, Jed Ortmeyer 1 (shorthanded)
(Dan Hamhuis, Jerred Smithson), 8:40. 5, Montreal, Guillaume
Latendresse 7 (power play) (Roman Hamrlik, Kyle Chipchura)10:41. 6,
Nashville, David Legwand 7 (Dan Hamhuis, Alexander Radulov),12:26. 7,
Nashville, Greg De Vries 2 (Alexander Radulov, David Legwand),16:55.
8, Nashville, Radek Bonk 10 (power play) (Marek Zidlicky, David
Legwand)19:13. Penalties: G Latendresse, Mon (hooking), 1:33; M
Komisarek, Mon (interference), 4:30; J Arnott, Nas (unsportsmanlike
cond), 5:59; J Arnott, Nas (roughing), 8:33; B Smolinski, Mon
(tripping), 18:10.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: D Legwand, Nas (hooking), 5:00; G De Vries,
Nas (cross checking), 5:00.

SHOOTOUT -- Nashville, Radek Bonk (goal), Martin Erat
(goal), Alexander Radulov (saved). Montreal, Alexei Kovalev (saved),
Saku Koivu (goal), Andrei Kostitsyn (saved).

Shots on goal:
--------------------------------------------
Nashville 13 11 20 0 --44
Montreal 10 7 5 4 --26
--------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Nashville - 1 of 3, Montreal - 0 of 5. Goalies
: Nashville, Chris Mason (6 shots, 4 saves), Dan Ellis (45:35 of 1st
period, 20, 18; record: 6-0-0). Montreal, Cristobal Huet (44 shots, 40
saves; record: 7-6-3). A: 21,273. Referees: Don Van Massenhoven, Greg
Kimmerly. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Scott Driscoll.</div>

 

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE 0 0 4 0 (2) --5
MONTREAL 2 1 1 0 (1) --4
-----------------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Chris Higgins 10 (Alexei Kovalev,
Tomas Plekanec),9:02. 2, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 8 (Alexei Kovalev,
Patrice Brisebois),13:39. Penalties: R Suter, Nas (interference),
15:21.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Montreal, Guillaume Latendresse 6 (Kyle
Chipchura, Roman Hamrlik),9:30. Penalties: S Nichol, Nas (double
minor high sticking), 16:40.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Nashville, Jed Ortmeyer 1 (shorthanded)
(Dan Hamhuis, Jerred Smithson), 8:40. 5, Montreal, Guillaume
Latendresse 7 (power play) (Roman Hamrlik, Kyle Chipchura)10:41. 6,
Nashville, David Legwand 7 (Dan Hamhuis, Alexander Radulov),12:26. 7,
Nashville, Greg De Vries 2 (Alexander Radulov, David Legwand),16:55.
8, Nashville, Radek Bonk 10 (power play) (Marek Zidlicky, David
Legwand)19:13. Penalties: G Latendresse, Mon (hooking), 1:33; M
Komisarek, Mon (interference), 4:30; J Arnott, Nas (unsportsmanlike
cond), 5:59; J Arnott, Nas (roughing), 8:33; B Smolinski, Mon
(tripping), 18:10.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: D Legwand, Nas (hooking), 5:00; G De Vries,
Nas (cross checking), 5:00.

SHOOTOUT -- Nashville, Radek Bonk (goal), Martin Erat
(goal), Alexander Radulov (saved). Montreal, Alexei Kovalev (saved),
Saku Koivu (goal), Andrei Kostitsyn (saved).

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE 13 11 20 0 --44
MONTREAL 10 7 5 4 --26
---------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NAS - 1 of 3, MON - 0 of 5. Goalies :
Nashville, Chris Mason (6 shots, 4 saves), Dan Ellis (45:35 of 1st
period, 20, 18; record: 6-0-0). Montreal, Cristobal Huet (44 shots, 40
saves; record: 7-6-3). A: 21,273. Referees: Don Van Massenhoven, Greg
Kimmerly. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Scott Driscoll.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NASHVILLE MONTREAL
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
M Erat 0 0 even 4 S Koivu 0 0 even 2
D Legwand 1 2 +1 4 T Plekanec 1 1 +1 2
S Nichol 0 0 even 1 B Smolinski 0 0 -1 3
R Bonk 1 0 even 2 C Higgins 1 0 +2 3
J Arnott 0 0 -1 0 M Dandenault 0 0 even 0
D Hamhuis 0 2 +2 4 J Gorges 0 0 even 0
R Suter 0 0 even 3 A Kovalev 0 2 +1 2
J Tootoo 0 0 even 3 K Chipchura 0 2 even 0
M Gelinas 0 0 even 5 M Streit 0 0 -2 2
J Smithson 0 1 +1 0 R Hamrlik 0 2 +2 2
M Zidlicky 0 1 even 4 A Kostitsyn 0 0 -1 1
V Fiddler 0 0 -2 1 F Bouillon 0 0 even 1
J Ortmeyer 1 0 even 4 M Grabovski 0 0 -1 0
A Radulov 0 2 +1 4 P Brisebois 0 1 even 1
G Zanon 0 0 -1 0 M Ryder 0 0 even 2
S Weber 0 0 -2 0 A Markov 0 0 -2 0
G de Vries 1 0 +1 3 M Komisarek 0 0 +1 1
J Dumont 0 0 -1 2 G Latendresse 2 0 even 4
D Hordichuk HEALTHY S Begin HEALTHY
K Klein HEALTHY T Kostopoulos HEALTHY
V Koistinen HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NHL
NASHVILLE 5
MONTREAL 4</div>

 

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- Radek Bonk did in his former team onSaturday.


Bonk's goal with 47 seconds remaining in the third period cappeda four-goal session, and his tally in the first round of theshootout helped the Nashville Predators to a 5-4 victory overthe Montreal Canadiens.


The Czech wristed a shot between the legs of goaltenderCristobal Huet in the shootout. Nashville netminder Dan Ellisstopped Alexei Kovalev in the first round, and Andrei Kostitsyncould not get off a shot in the third round after both teamstallied in the second, clinching the win for the Predators.

"I've seen a couple of those moves before," Ellis said. "I sawKovalev a couple of nights ago shooting on a goalie putting ithigh glove, so I was aware of that.


"I played with Kostitsyn two or three years ago in Hamilton (ofthe American Hockey League), and I knew he had either thatreally hard snap shot or he had that hard fake back to theforehand. It's more just a read-and-react kind of thing."

Bonk, who played with Montreal the last two seasons afterspending 10 campaigns in Ottawa, leveled the game at 4-4 after afeverish flurry. Bonk gained possession of the puck in theleft faceoff circle and deked to the left before backhanding itpast Huet.


"We felt like we could come back, we had a lot of chances in thefirst," Bonk said. "We had three breakaways, but Huet made bigsaves for them.


"We just kept coming at them and we got that big goal from (Jed)Ortmeyer on the penalty kill, and that kind of gave us thechance to go after the two points."


With Montreal leading, 3-0, after two periods, Ortmeyer endedHuet's bid for a shutout with 11:20 remaining in the third.After Huet misplayed the puck, Ortmeyer quickly made him pay byblasting it into the vacant net for his first goal of theseason.


"We had some chances and didn't score, but then we get that one(penalty) and we're in trouble," Predators coach Barry Trotzsaid. "Then you get that one break when Ortmeyer scores, andthat gave us a little life. We were talking on the bench,saying to just stay with it."


Guillaume Latendresse scored the second of his two goals onSaturday just over two minutes later to regain Montreal'sthree-goal bulge.


Undeterred, David Legwand powered Nashville's rally. Legwandgathered his own rebound and beat Huet with 7:34 remaining forhis seventh of the season.


The second overall pick in 1998, Legwand then assisted ondefenseman Greg de Vries' tally with 3:05 to play as well asBonk's game-tying goal.


Christopher Higgins opened the scoring just over nine minutesinto the first period.


The former Yale star collected the puck after Kovalev lostcontrol, spun around and beat starting goalie Chris Mason justinside the left goalpost for his 10th tally.


"It's embarrassing how the game went," Higgins said. "We workedhard to get the lead and Cristobal played a good-enough game toget the shutout. To allow them to get back into the game, I'mspeechless, to be honest.


"We can talk all we want, but we have to do the job on the ice -we have to play with some passion, play with some pride. Wejust got booed out of our own building here. How do you enjoyyour day off knowing that we gave up a 3-0 lead?"


Tomas Plekanec gave Montreal a two-goal advantage just over 41/2 minutes later. His seemingly harmless backhander caromedoff the inside of Mason's left skate and into the net to givethe Canadiens a 2-0 lead.


The goal marked the end of the night for Mason, who made justfour saves. He was replaced with 6:21 remaining in the firstperiod by Ellis, who finished with 18 saves.


"The guy at the other end (Huet) is making some great saves, andyou let in a goal like that, it kind of deflates the team,"Mason said. "Coach makes those decisions, and I trust hisjudgment. He's not doing it to try and hurt me, he's doing itfor the good of the team."


Latendresse gave Montreal a three-goal cushion 9 1/2 minutesinto the second period.


Kyle Chipchura had possession of the puck in the right circlebefore feeding Latendresse in the slot. The Quebec native fakedto the left before backhanding the puck past Ellis for hissixth goal of the season.


"I think we played like we have the last 10 games - good in thefirst half and a complete disaster in the second," Montrealcoach Guy Carbonneau said. "The players that are supposed to bedoing it for us just aren't."

 

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">------------------------------------------------
Nashville 0 0 4 0 (2) --5
Montreal 2 1 1 0 (1) --4
------------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Chris Higgins 10 (Alexei Kovalev,
Tomas Plekanec),9:02. 2, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 8 (Alexei Kovalev,
Patrice Brisebois),13:39. Penalties: R Suter, Nas (interference),
15:21.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Montreal, Guillaume Latendresse 6 (Kyle
Chipchura, Roman Hamrlik),9:30. Penalties: S Nichol, Nas (double
minor high sticking), 16:40.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Nashville, Jed Ortmeyer 1 (shorthanded)
(Dan Hamhuis, Jerred Smithson), 8:40. 5, Montreal, Guillaume
Latendresse 7 (Roman Hamrlik, Kyle Chipchura),10:41. 6, Nashville,
David Legwand 7 (Dan Hamhuis, Alexander Radulov),12:26. 7, Nashville,
Greg De Vries 2 (Alexander Radulov, David Legwand),16:55. 8,
Nashville, Radek Bonk 10 (power play) (Marek Zidlicky, David
Legwand)19:13. Penalties: G Latendresse, Mon (hooking), 1:33; M
Komisarek, Mon (interference), 4:30; J Arnott, Nas (unsportsmanlike
cond), 5:59; J Arnott, Nas (roughing), 8:33; B Smolinski, Mon
(tripping), 18:10.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: D Legwand, Nas (hooking), 5:00; G De Vries,
Nas (cross checking), 5:00.

SHOOTOUT -- Nashville, Radek Bonk (goal), Martin Erat
(goal), Alexander Radulov (saved). Montreal, Alexei Kovalev (saved),
Saku Koivu (goal), Andrei Kostitsyn (saved).

Shots on goal:
--------------------------------------------
Nashville 13 11 20 0 --44
Montreal 10 7 5 4 --26
--------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: Nashville - 1 of 3, Montreal - 0 of 5. Goalies
: Nashville, Chris Mason (6 shots, 4 saves), Dan Ellis (45:35 of 1st
period, 20, 18; record: 6-0-0). Montreal, Cristobal Huet (44 shots, 40
saves; record: 7-6-3). A: 21,273. Referees: Don Van Massenhoven, Greg
Kimmerly. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Scott Driscoll.</div>

 

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">-----------------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE 0 0 4 0 (2) --5
MONTREAL 2 1 1 0 (1) --4
-----------------------------------------------------

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Montreal, Chris Higgins 10 (Alexei Kovalev,
Tomas Plekanec),9:02. 2, Montreal, Tomas Plekanec 8 (Alexei Kovalev,
Patrice Brisebois),13:39. Penalties: R Suter, Nas (interference),
15:21.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, Montreal, Guillaume Latendresse 6 (Kyle
Chipchura, Roman Hamrlik),9:30. Penalties: S Nichol, Nas (double
minor high sticking), 16:40.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 4, Nashville, Jed Ortmeyer 1 (shorthanded)
(Dan Hamhuis, Jerred Smithson), 8:40. 5, Montreal, Guillaume
Latendresse 7 (Roman Hamrlik, Kyle Chipchura),10:41. 6, Nashville,
David Legwand 7 (Dan Hamhuis, Alexander Radulov),12:26. 7, Nashville,
Greg De Vries 2 (Alexander Radulov, David Legwand),16:55. 8,
Nashville, Radek Bonk 10 (power play) (Marek Zidlicky, David
Legwand)19:13. Penalties: G Latendresse, Mon (hooking), 1:33; M
Komisarek, Mon (interference), 4:30; J Arnott, Nas (unsportsmanlike
cond), 5:59; J Arnott, Nas (roughing), 8:33; B Smolinski, Mon
(tripping), 18:10.

OVERTIME -- Scoring: None. Penalties: D Legwand, Nas (hooking), 5:00; G De Vries,
Nas (cross checking), 5:00.

SHOOTOUT -- Nashville, Radek Bonk (goal), Martin Erat
(goal), Alexander Radulov (saved). Montreal, Alexei Kovalev (saved),
Saku Koivu (goal), Andrei Kostitsyn (saved).

Shots on goal:
---------------------------------------------
NASHVILLE 13 11 20 0 --44
MONTREAL 10 7 5 4 --26
---------------------------------------------

Power-play Conversions: NAS - 1 of 3, MON - 0 of 5. Goalies :
Nashville, Chris Mason (6 shots, 4 saves), Dan Ellis (45:35 of 1st
period, 20, 18; record: 6-0-0). Montreal, Cristobal Huet (44 shots, 40
saves; record: 7-6-3). A: 21,273. Referees: Don Van Massenhoven, Greg
Kimmerly. Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Scott Driscoll.

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATISTICS

NASHVILLE MONTREAL
G A +/- Shots G A +/- Shots
M Erat 0 0 even 4 S Koivu 0 0 even 2
D Legwand 1 2 even 4 T Plekanec 1 1 +1 2
S Nichol 0 0 even 1 B Smolinski 0 0 -1 3
R Bonk 1 0 even 2 C Higgins 1 0 +2 3
J Arnott 0 0 -2 0 M Dandenault 0 0 even 0
D Hamhuis 0 2 +2 4 J Gorges 0 0 even 0
R Suter 0 0 even 3 A Kovalev 0 2 +1 2
J Tootoo 0 0 even 3 K Chipchura 0 2 +1 0
M Gelinas 0 0 -1 5 M Streit 0 0 -2 2
J Smithson 0 1 +1 0 R Hamrlik 0 2 +3 2
M Zidlicky 0 1 -1 4 A Kostitsyn 0 0 -1 1
V Fiddler 0 0 -2 1 F Bouillon 0 0 even 1
J Ortmeyer 1 0 even 4 M Grabovski 0 0 -1 0
A Radulov 0 2 +1 4 P Brisebois 0 1 even 1
G Zanon 0 0 -2 0 M Ryder 0 0 +1 2
S Weber 0 0 -2 0 A Markov 0 0 -2 0
G de Vries 1 0 +1 3 M Komisarek 0 0 +2 1
J Dumont 0 0 -1 2 G Latendresse 2 0 +1 4
D Hordichuk HEALTHY S Begin HEALTHY
K Klein HEALTHY T Kostopoulos HEALTHY
V Koistinen HEALTHY</div>

 

NHL: NASHVILLE at MONTREAL

<div class="pre">NHL NASHVILLE AT MONTREAL
NOTE: RESENDING BOX TO CORRECT SCORING ON MONTREAL'S
FOURTH GOAL AND TO CORRECT PLUS/MINUS FOR SEVERAL
PLAYERS.</div>