Montreal scored six goals in regulation for the first time since January 2nd, beating Roy's Avalanche 6-3.
The disappointment in Colorado's locker room following the game was evident. And although it was hard to get the sense that the team succumbed to the extra pressure of playing in front of the fans that adore their head coach, clearly it was on their minds before the game began.
"I didn't want them to feel pressure to win a hockey game for their coach," said Roy after the game. "I wanted them to win for the team, it's all about our team here."
While the team desperately wanted to win to keep pace with the Blackhawks, who have tied them with 93 points in the difficult Central Division of the NHL, the vibe in the building and both locker rooms was that this game was more than that.
"We wanted to get that win for him, it's important sometimes to know what's at stake in the game and we knew it was important for him," said goaltender JS Giguerre.
The score could be deceiving and doesn't reflect the way the game was played. It was a tie hockey game midway through the third period until the Canadiens capitalized on two powerplays and scored their final tally when Dale Weise put the puck into an empty net.
"Overall I thought the game was played even 5-on-5 and honestly I think it could have went either way," said Nathan Mackinnon.
What a night for Thomas Vanek who finally found the back of the net and picked a special night to do it. Like most goal scorers, they come in bunches and those three he scored tonight were just the beginning.
The win gives Montreal a three point cushion on the Toronto Maple Leafs who lost in Detroit and two points up on the Tampa Bay Lightning (who have two games in hand.)
QUICK THOUGHTS:
Thomas Vanek: Can score goals
Carey Price: Not at his best, yet
Lars Eller: Looks completely lost
The Fourth Line: Best game of the season for any trio with that role
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