"We didn't have great legs," Head Coach Barry Trotz said. "We played tired; tired mind, tired body. I think it was probably more tired mind that body. We weren't good enough. We sort of got what we deserved, and I felt if we came out with two points tonight based on our performance that we would have stolen it. To be realistic, we didn't have enough push. They had more urgency and desperation. They deserved to win."
The Canadiens came out of the gate with an abrasive forecheck and immediately tested Greiss with 12 shots in the opening frame. The fatigued Isles were put at an additional disadvantage as Cal Clutterbuck left the game eight minutes into the period after receiving a cross check in the face from Gustav Oloffson. Montreal's dominant effort was rewarded with 0.7 remaining on the clock as Danault snapped in a rebound from his initial shot that was blocked by Mayfield.
The second period served the same fate for the Isles who continued to struggle to get a rhythm and were faced to shuffle lines. Midway through the second period, the Canadiens held a 20-8 shot on goal advantage.
Gallagher put Montreal up 2-0 as he shielded Greiss down low and deflected a shot off the Isles netminder and buried his own rebound at 13:30 of the second period. The play was questionable as Gallagher's stick appeared to surpass the height of the cross bar, but Trotz opted not to challenge the play and jeopardize putting his team on the penalty kill.
"It was all over the map. It was pretty close," Trotz said. "That's a rule that's still vague to me and those circumstances. We felt it was a high stick, but Gallagher was bent over a little bit. I haven't seen too many of those called back. Obviously, it's one goal. If it hits directly into the net it's automatic. If it didn't go in, it went off Greiss and he got the rebound and that is a goal. So, our chance was only on the original high stick and he was bent over a little bit. I haven't seen one of those called back yet, so that was on me."
