Cammalleri Dekes Around Schenn Causing Gorges OT Goal

TORONTO -- Even though a few of the newest Montreal Canadiens provided some optimism on opening night, it was a standout performance by a much-maligned holdover that had everyone raving.

Carey Price delivered a pretty strong statement after enduring an off-season of questions about his play, stopping 43 shots in Montreal's 4-3 overtime victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.

The last time Habs fans had seen the young goaltender in a meaningful game, he was gesturing to them while getting booed on home ice during a first-round playoff loss to Boston. As a new season dawned, Price was the only reason Montreal was able to pull out an unlikely victory.

"He was unbelievable," said defenceman Josh Gorges, who scored the overtime winner with 12.8 seconds left. "He held us in there when the game could have got out of hand."

There were smiles all around the Canadiens dressing room after the game and no shortage of guys looking to heap praise on the goaltender.

"Carey stood on his head," said Mike Cammalleri. "I just talked to him and said, `We've got to be better for you and we will.' The truth is that we expect him to do that from time to time because that's how good he is.

"He won us the game tonight."

The teams made it an entertaining opening to the season with a fast game that was much better than the plodding hockey of the pre-season.

Montreal was badly outshot and thoroughly outplayed through two periods, but found a way to hang around and pull out the victory. The Habs got some help from former teammate Mike Komisarek, who was in the penalty box for two of their goals.

Brian Gionta and Travis Moen each scored in their debuts for Montreal while fourth-liner Glen Metropolit tied the game during a late power play. He was surprised to even be on the ice to tip a shot from Gorges behind Vesa Toskala at 15:50 of the third period.

"It's just one of those things," said Metropolit. "I couldn't believe I was on the power play, so I'm like, `Where do I go?' So I said, `Why not go to the front of the net?"'

That's the same place Gorges headed on the winner, batting a rebound over Toskala after Cammalleri had taken the puck hard to the goal. It was just his sixth NHL goal in 247 career games.

"That's a great way to start the season," said Gorges. "I don't score many goals."

Matt Stajan, with two, and Alexei Ponikarovsky replied for Toronto.

The new-look Maple Leafs managed to justify some of the increased expectations that have come after a busy summer for GM Brian Burke. They carried the play offensively for much of the night and were as physically punishing as expected.

"I think we were the better team tonight, and fell short," said Komisarek. "We didn't get two points. Next time, we find a way to win and get the two points.

"Good start, could have been better, but we'll take the point and take the positive out of it."

It's clear that the Habs-Leafs rivalry runs deeper than just history, with three fights, several scrums after the whistle and plenty of jawing back and forth. Much of it centred around Komisarek, the Leafs defenceman who bolted Montreal over the summer to sign a US$22.5-million, five-year deal.

Prior to the game, Leafs coach Ron Wilson expressed some concern that Komisarek might get a little too worked up while facing his former team -- a concern that looked valid when he received a double high-sticking penalty in the first period for cutting open Scott Gomez.

In all, he ended up getting called for five minor penalties and a fighting major, and earned a surprising amount of praise from the coach.

"Mike answered the bell, and he'll continue to do so," said Wilson. "We need more of our defencemen to respond as aggressively and quickly as Mike did."

The only thing that put a damper on Montreal's victory was an injury to defenceman Andrei Markov, who left early in the third period after getting tangled up with Price. Coach Jacques Martin didn't specify the nature of the injury, but said Markov will be re-evaluated on Friday.

Price's performance didn't include a signature save -- he was simply solid throughout the night.

He'll be especially important to the Habs fortunes as they open the season with five straight games away from home. You can count Martin among the people not surprised to see the goaltender steal a victory in the opener.

"I don't think I had any questions about Carey Price when I met with him in the summertime," said Martin. "I felt very confident about his ability and his learning experience from last year. Carey just turned 22 years old. When you look at his accomplishments in junior, in the American league, and also in the National Hockey League -- he's on par with individuals like Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur at the same age.

"As a coach, that gives you confidence."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Cammalleri
• Nice
• Deke
• Around
• Schenn
• Causing
• Gorges
• OT
• Goal

[Aridi03]

mmm 0-5-1 thats the worst leafs start.. and how many years with no cup? 41? 42? yeah see-you in playof- oh wait nvm..

[deathnotefan18]

leafs fans right? ..hmm try to make the playoff first and you can talk ok :)

[ghostsintheforum]

@Valester77 lol you're the biggest, dumbest faggot ever. guess which team has won the most cups AFTER the expansion? the HABS bitch. all Laffs fans are a bunch of sand digging towel headed Pakis.

[TLFPRHCP]

@Valester77 are you a fag muff? how do the Leafs have more legit cups? Montreal has had WAY better dynasties, throughout the 50's,60's & 70's than the Leafs will ever had.

[HabsPens2931]

lets settle this here 24 cups > 13 Cups? 10 since toronto won their last one

[Valester77]

lol... The leafs have more legit cups than Montreal so i would shut your mouth you stupid French fucks. :)

[derhalofanatic]

habs > leafs

end of discussion.

[Olliloop]

not really actually... I prefer to make the playoff and give experience to my players than to finish last in the league.. if you know what i mean

[corunguneee]

Those teams aren't relevant to this discussion though. My point is the Habs drafted better players than the Leafs in the past decade and likely will continue to do so. You're basing your argument that the Leafs have a better future on the HOPE the Leafs signings like Bozak, Hanson, and Gustafson and draft picks like Stalberg, Kulemin, Gunnerson become anomalies. Sure they have shown flashes of being good but ultimately haven't done squat even though they're already approaching the mid 20s.

[Flawless0straint]

I dont agree with this at all.  You want solid drafting look at the red wings, blackhawks, avalanche, penguins, caps, the leafs are not bad either they just have not had the chance to prove it lately because fletcher gave up all our picks in the early to mid 2000's.

[corunguneee]

And I have shown u Habs have more young drafted players on their team. Most of the guys you're talking about aren't even Leafs draftees. Most of the Leafs future is already in the NHL right now and haven't done anything better than the habs youth. What has Stalberg, Bozak, Hanson, Gustafsson, Schenn, Kulemin, Gunnarsson, etc done to better than Andrei and Sergei Kostitsyn, Pouliot, Price, Halak, Weber, Subban, Pacioretty, White, etc?

[corunguneee]

That has nothing to do with scouting and drafting. You're talking about development which has been lacking. But bashing the drafting and scouting is not right as they have picked pretty good talent.