Game 1 was close throughout, and came down to a difference of one shot and one save, one where the Montreal Canadiens took advantage of their opportunities while the Ottawa Senators didn't.
Game 2 also came down to 1 shot, but the Senators were very fortunate to be in a situation where the next goal wins in the fourth period.
Buoyed by the return of Max Pacioretty, the Habs didn't allow the Senators much in the way of sustained offensive zone pressure, which has been the hallmark of the Senators in the last two months. Meanwhile, the Habs pretty much used Ottawa's own playbook against them and had multiple periods of sustained offensive zone time. They worked the Senators blueliners the way Ottawa needed to but couldn't in return.
Andrew Hammond did his best to fend off the Habs attack, and for the most part was very good and was named the third star of the game in Montreal's building. But the fact is there were two shots that went right through him, shots that most goalies should stop, and that was the difference in this game. There was absolutely nothing he, nor any other goalie in the league, could have done about P.K. Subban's rocket past his earhole for the Canadiens' second goal, but Pacioretty's power play marker was a weak effort from Hammond. Alex Galchenyuk's winner went right through his arm and body, something you don't want to see.
At the other end, the Senators didn't have a ton of quality scoring chances, but Carey Price stood firm, making his best save in the first period kicking away a nice shot from a sprawling Mika Zibanejad. Price missed the pokecheck and looked beat but threw out his pad just in time and just far enough to turn aside the shot. Milan Michalek had a golden opportunity in the third period to tie it up in a goalmouth scramble, but the combination of not realizing that Price was out of the play and a bouncing puck foiled the attempt and by the time he got the shot Price had scrambled back into position.
In the end, the Habs did the little things right in this one that the Senators didn't, and nothing sticks out more than Eric Gryba's flubbed pass out of the zone that led to the OT winner. Give the Senators and Hammond credit for hanging in on this one, but the Habs wanted it more, and it showed, and the better team won.
The fact that Mark Stone, who played despite not being able to shoot (0 shot attempts from a guy who averaged 4 attempts per game since the beginning of February), was probably one of the Senators' better players doesn't bode well for a team that really needs 4 lines rolling.
Bobby Ryan continues to struggle, and the lowlight package showed during the second intermission of the broadcast was almost embarrassing. If he is not playing hurt (and he denies injury is a factor) then there is a serious lack of heart and desire there, and that isn't a good thing. Ottawa made the playoffs down the stretch despite not getting much production from their highest paid winger, but with Stone at half of his normal effectiveness the Senators can't afford any passengers in this series. They were a two-line team in game 2 (as well as game 1), and that isn't going to be enough to get back into this series. The Turris and Pageau lines held their own throughout, but the 4th line hasn't done a thing so far, and although Zibanejad and Michalek have been pretty effective at times Ryan has dragged them down.
In the battle of Norris Trophy winners, P.K. Subban was better than Erik Karlsson in this one, and that was a big difference in the final outcome. Karlsson showed a couple of spurts of dominance, but they were few and far between while Subban had his fingerprints all over this one, much to the chagrin of the segment of the population that feels he shouldn't have been allowed to suit up following his antics in game 1.
With the anticipated fireworks not happening, this was a well played game overall, and the officiating was as fair as it could possibly have been. Sure, the Habs got 6 power plays compared to Ottawa's 3, but when you are on your heels and playing defense for so long that is what you get. I can't really point to any penalty Ottawa got that wasn't legitimate, and there weren't many obvious calls that were missed the other way. Marc Methot's penalty within the last two minutes of a tie game might have been a little cheap, but he wrapped his man up and despite the timing that is a penalty, like it or not. Initially I thought the Milan Michalek interference call was wrong, but after watching the replay, if the same thing had happened to Erik Karlsson at the Sentors blue line, I would want the same call made. You can't have it both ways. The playoffs are a fine line and tough to officiate, but I thought that was one of the better officiated games in a long time.
It was a good, physical hard hitting game where the post-whistle crap (what I complained about in the first game regardless of who instigated it) was kept to a minimum, which is all I can ask for. Whether or not you like the final outcome, that was playoff hockey and in this one the better team won.
Now the series returns to Ottawa, and the Senators need to hold serve to get back into this series and make it a best of 3, starting on Sunday evening where they will try to get on the board. The fact that they now have to beat Carey Price 4 times in 5 games is a little daunting, even though they have done it before. The Habs are now in the driver's seat, a situation that they were never in the last time the teams met in the post-season and Price now has margin for error even if the Senators can get to him once or twice.
The historical numbers certainly aren't in the Senators' favor, as the franchise is 0-8 in playoff series' after falling behind 2 games to none.
If there is a silver lining and a place to grasp a bit of hope, it is that the Senators have played their best hockey this season with their backs against the wall, were counted out and had to come from behind. Perhaps they can draw on that experience and get some energy from their own home crowd and make this a series. If they win the next one, it is Game On, but if they fall behind 3-0 the brooms might come out and is could be over quicker than anyone expected.