Old, new torchbearers played key roles in win
Solid Price and scorer Fleischmann contributed to satisfying shutout
The Canadiens trotted out the torch for their home opener and the traditional ceremony at the Bell Centre Thursday night had special meaning for at least two players.
“It’s the eighth time I’ve been a part of the ceremony and it’s always special,” said goaltender Carey Price, who was the last player to receive the torch during the pregame introduction of the players.
It was the first time for Tomas Fleischmann and the veteran echoed Price’s comments.
“It was fun,” said Fleischmann, who sported a wide smile as he was introduced. “Holding the torch is really great to me.”
The night was even more special for the pair as they played key roles in the Canadiens’ 3-0 win over the New York Rangers.
We’ll start with Price, who made 25 saves for the shutout, continuing his mastery over the Rangers. In his last 11 starts at the Bell Centre, Price has a 9-1-1 record and has allowed only nine goals. Seven of his 35 career shutouts have been against the Rangers.
“When you play a really good team, you know you have to bring your best game,” Price said when asked about his record against the Rangers. “The Rangers played very well. That’s an excellent hockey team over there and we have a lot of respect for them and I think they respect us.”
Price probably didn’t face as many difficult shots as New York’s Henrik Lundqvist, but he preserved the win late in the second period when he made five saves while the Canadiens were short two skaters and then followed up with a big save on Rick Nash.
“When we got down a couple of men, our penalty-killers do such a good job,” Price said. “They got into the shooting lanes and I was able to see the puck.”
Nash tested him with a wobbly shot shortly after the penalty expired, but Price was able to track the puck.
“(Kris) Letang beat me on a shot like that in Pittsburgh,” Price said. “He fooled me but tonight I was ready for that shot.”
Price also showed the physical side of his game when he dumped the Rangers’ Chris Kreider behind the net. Kreider has a reputation for running goaltenders, but Price said he didn’t know who has was hitting.
When someone suggested it was a pretty good hit, Price said: “I’m not a little guy.”
A month ago, Fleischmann was fighting for a job after arriving in the Canadiens camp on a professional tryout.
He scored the only goal Montreal would need in the second period and then added an assist on Dale Weise’s insurance goal late in the third period.
“I don’t really celebrate (goals), but I did this time because 20,000 people got me going,” said Fleischmann, who scored his first goal as a Canadien Tuesday in Pittsburgh.
“Lundqvist played a pretty good game,” Weise said. “We tried to go high on him bit he was making the glove saves. I just shot low and I think I surprised him.”
David Desharnais, who lost his spot as a top-six forward when Alex Galchenyuk became a fulltime centre, had two assists and is giving the Canadiens another offensive threat on the No. 3 line with Weise and Fleischmann. They combined for seven shots on goal.
“It doesn’t matter, first line, second line or third line, we have a lot of depth on this team,” Desharnais said.
“We saw a real good hockey game,” said coach Michel Therrien who was happy to see that the Canadiens didn’t sit on their 1-0 lead in the third period. The Canadiens outshot the Rangers 13-7 in the final period and had a 32-25 edge in the game.