PIT@MTL: Scoring chances are no fluke

MONTREAL -- We all want to see goals.
In a perfect world, every forward would score at least twice per game. But it's not 1986. You can't score with a questionable slapshot along the ice from the red line, and goaltenders have evolved beyond the two-pad stack.

Which is why so many coaches put an onus on smart defensive play. Not just to prevent goals -- reactionary defensive play, like plugging holes on a boat. I'm talking about preventative play, where you avoid the rocks that caused holes in the first place. That's the kind of defensive play we saw from the third line on Wednesday night. The type of play that keeps opposing forwards to the outside of high-danger areas, forcing turnovers and creating counter rushes.
We
recently discussed
the impact of the third line in the Penguins series, and I'm happy to report they're still the best 5-on-5 line in the series.
Despite some necessary line shuffling, the trio finished the night by controlling 100 percent of shots, as well as 100 percent of high-danger chances when they were on the ice. Yes, you read that correctly. 100 percent. Now, they didn't spend as much time together as they had in previous games, and we must be mindful of their usage, but some analysts would suggest that controlling 100 percent of the shots is a fairly good outcome. Some would even say it's excellent. Others would offer up the term ridiculous.
And some would even go as far as telling me to put down the thesaurus.
And it's no fluke. Throughout the series, that line has controlled over 70 percent of shots, 85 percent of shots on net, 100 percent of high-danger chances, and they've yet to allow a goal against.
As per usual, it all starts with smart, defensive hockey. That's exactly what we saw from Artturi Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the former forcing a turnover after the latter supported his defensemen by dropping deep into the defensive zone and applying pressure on the puck carrier.
Full marks to Shea Weber for generating not one, not two, but three high-danger chances on the same play, including the one that gave the Canadiens an
early 1-0 lead
.
It's worth noting that Kotkaniemi leads all Canadiens forwards in shot share, high-danger shot share, and goal share. Some would say that's...well, you probably know where I'm going with this.
He also leads all forwards in hits, which is a very encouraging sign given his line has controlled the puck during the vast majority of his shifts. He's not chasing, he's creating turnovers.
The good news is his confidence seems to be at an all-time high. The bad news is Canadiens fans will have to wait a few more years until he actually hits his statistical prime. Woe is us.
Speaking of Kotkaniemi, his work on the second Canadiens goal was yet another example of his ability to improve on perceived weaknesses. He has the size and the reach, but in his first two seasons, he did not always show the kind of speed needed to quickly pounce on loose pucks and avoid intense 1-on-1 battles.
Not only did he win a faceoff cleanly, a crucial offensive zone faceoff against Evgeni Malkin, he also used his foresight to predict where the puck would end up, quickly corralling the puck and keeping the play alive for the Canadiens.

Three Penguins converged on the young Finn, but it was much too little, much too late, as Weber, Ben Chiarot, and Jonathan Drouin combined for a goal shortly thereafter. It's also worth mentioning Drouin had his best game of the series, by a significant margin.

You won't find Kotkaniemi's name on the scoresheet on this play, but make no mistake, he was a crucial element in the Canadiens' comeback win, particularly on this play.
Meep Meep
When it came to the Canadiens' offensive prowess in the first two games, one of the biggest mitigating factors was the Penguins' ability to clog the neutral zone and slow down the Habs' puck carriers.
But you don't slow down a roadrunner like Paul Byron. Sure, you can spend hours planning against him, perusing the ACME catalog for safes that can be dropped from a cliff or pianos that can be airlifted into position, but in the end, you're usually left holding a cartoon "help" sign as Byron flies by, as was the case just prior to the Canadiens' third goal of the game.
Full marks to Byron, who has been one of the best players in the series, and Nick Suzuki, who decided to forgo the fancy play and simply put the puck on net.

But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Max Domi in this play because he also did something that didn't show up on the scoresheet, but surely helped his team's cause.
Take a look at the flight path Domi chose on the play.

Now take a closer look at the player he tied up, the space he created, and where Byron ended up scoring.

Any time you can keep a certain Sidney Crosby out of the play, you're probably on the right track.
The epitome of clutch
"Petry was never a showman. He never sought attention.[...] While others were getting press and magazine articles and huge contracts, Petry simply did his job. [...] He was serious about his craft and worked hard."
While that certainly applies to Jeff, it's actually an excerpt from the Society of Baseball Research's website on Dan Petry, Jeff's father.
But I may venture that even Dan would be impressed with just how good his son is at picking the perfect corner at the perfect time.

Petry's wrist shot is one of the best offensive weapons on the blue line, any blue line, and he's not afraid to use it, as we saw in Game 1 of the series, but to me, the most important aspect of the play, aside from the quick, crisp passing that led to the shot, was the patience displayed by Petry in evaluating his options prior to the shot.
It was his 15th career game-winning goal and his second in as many playoff wins.
Dan was a starter, but Jeff is clearly a closer.
Final Word
There was a lot to like on Wednesday night. Not only did the Canadiens do a better job controlling the play and generating quality chances, we saw yet another amazing performance from Carey Price.
Chiarot had his best game of the series, as did Weber, but there's one defenseman who really impressed me with his defensive play; Brett Kulak.
He shut down Crosby 1-on-1 on at least three occasions, frustrating one of the best players in the world while providing the type of offensive support the Canadiens need from the blue line in order to generate enough goals to win the series.
The Canadiens aren't done yet, there's still a lot of work to do, especially against a team loaded with superstars, but if we see a full-team effort on Friday like the one we saw on Wednesday night, particularly in the last half of the game, there are pretty good odds we'll be seeing more Canadiens hockey in the bubble.
(all statistics are 5-on-5 unless otherwise specified, via NaturalStatTrick.com)