I Watched This Game: Winter Classic Edition

Taking a page from Hockey Blog in Canada and cleaning up my own personal facebook posts about a game I watch, I decided to try and post about any hockey games that I watch from start to finish (or as close as I can get within five minutes left in the game). Today, the 2016 Winter Classic happened, and from pre-game to the end, here were my observations, complete with smarmy comments.

PRE-GAME

• In recent outdoor games, the NHL has been fond of getting musical entertainment to try and increase visibility to a wider audience.  The pre-game act American Authors (find out about this band on your own) was a terrible way to start.  Unfortunately, it only goes downhill from there.
• Boston Pops Symphony plays while both Montreal and Boston take the walk to the rink, complete with people dressed as Minutemen firing muskets.  This was easily the best moment of the pre-game.
• The Canadian National Anthem was "performed" by A Simple Plan. Worst. Rendition. Ever.
• The Star Spangled Banner was performed by Jordan Smith (Who?), and the entire time, I thought Pat (Saturday Night Live character) somehow became a decent singer.

FIRST PERIOD

• It doesn't take the Canadiens long to make their mark, as David Desharnais scores on a loose puck that Tuukka Rask was unable to find just under two minutes into the game.
• Max Talbot gets sent to the penalty box, but the Canadiens, despite great chances, do not score.
• A tussle between Torey Krug and Desharnais sees both go for coincidental minors.
• Late in the period, Adam McQuaid takes a puck to the midsection, then proceeds to flip the puck out of play. That's good for two minutes in the box.

FIRST INTERMISSION

• Some guy named Nate Ruess (and Friends, I guess?) play, and it was a mess.

SECOND PERIOD

• Montreal fails to score on the power play that carried over from the first period, but they still dominate a Bruins team that largely sleepwalked through the first half of the game.
• Paul Byron charges to the net and tips home a pass to double the Habs' lead.
• Boston thinks they've scored, but a premature whistle wipes out the goal.
• Nathan Beaulieu goes to the box for holding, but Boston can't capitalize on the man-advantage.
• Brendan Gallagher, in his first game back since November, puts Montreal up 3-0.  Montreal missed his presence, and having him back provided the team a spark largely absent in December.
• Boston goes back on the power play that would carry over to the third period, as Tomas Plekanec bats the puck with a high stick, which is a no-no.
• Ryan Spooner had a golden opportunity to put the Bruins within two in the dying seconds, but Mike Condon makes a great glove save.  Had Spooner shot a split second earlier, that puck goes past Condon.

SECOND INTERMISSION

• I'm surprised A Simple Plan is back out there, seeing as they embarrassed themselves with a brutal rendition of O Canada. Their intermission set was nothing to write home about, which is just as well for them.
• Dale Weise was ruled out for the rest of the game due to an injury suffered at the end of the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

• A strong start by Boston is rewarded when Matt Beleskey scores to give the Bruins a little life.
• Two missed opportunities by Boston to cut into the Habs' lead, as one of the shots misses going in by mere inches.
• Max Pacioretty puts a perfect pass into the net, restoring the Canadiens' lead to three.
• Scary moment, as Tuukka Rask takes a shot just below the mask and is seen holding around the throat area. Fortunately, it isn't serious and he stays in the game.
• The Bruins' frustrations begin to boil over, as Jimmy Hayes takes some of it out on Lars Eller. Both are finished for the day, as it's just under two minutes left in the game.
• Byron puts the exclamation point on the game with another goal, allowing Montreal to leave with a 5-1 win and two much needed points to get back into first in the Atlantic Division.
• Boston, however, attempted to keep the bad blood going after the last whistle, with Zac Rinaldo throwing the first punch. How he still has a roster spot is anyone's guess.

The Boston Bruins didn't show the fire needed to succeed for much of the game, and it showed on the stat sheet. Montreal dominated the chances and having Gallagher back helped immensely, as he is their heart and soul player. The NHL could stand to improve their choices when it comes to music entertainment, but everything else was as good as one could have wanted.