Horton/By S. Bradley
Imagine what might’ve been had Nathan Horton not had to wait seven years to get his first experience in the NHL playoffs.
After all, his first journey in the postseason has been nothing short of magical. With the season on the line last night, Horton stepped up and scored the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Bruins over Montreal, 4-3, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series between the rivals.
For his efforts, Horton is the TheBruinsBlog.net Star of the Night.
Horton’s goal was his third of the series and his second overtime winner in consecutive home games. The Florida Panthers obviously missed on benefiting from a clutch player by not putting the type of team around Horton that could reach the playoffs at least once. The Bruins are glad to have him.
Honorable mention: Tim Thomas (34-for-37 saves) and Andrew Ference (2 assists) of Boston; Tomas Plekanec (1-1-2) of Montreal; Dwayne Roloson (36-for-36 saves) and Sean Bergenheim (G) of Tampa Bay.
Last night’s scores
Boston 4, Montreal 3 (OT)
Tampa Bay 1, Pittsburgh 0
Tonight’s games
Nashville at Vancouver, 9
Thomas’ saves in OT were nothing short of spectacular, I was on him early in this series for giving up some soft goals but man did he have 3 monster games in a row 5,6, and game 7 – good stuff TT
I think perhaps the only thing I have laughed harder at that Jack has said was his rant on Air Canada, which was epic, and a little more focused.
The fans here in Mtl are only complaining about the Ference hit and that they deserve to be in the second round. They know that they have an All Star in Price, they are still bitter that they didn’t get more for Halak.
Jack Edwards also thinks diving is what caused the recession and guys like Bernie Madeoff. He’s a character and I love it.
Kelly’s big hit on Hamerlik (I think) forced the puck into the offensive zone where the Bruins had an odd man rush (because Hamerlik was still laying on the ice). He then got to the net and banged home the rebound. Great effort by Kelly.
Oh I agree that Price was pretty stellar in this game-honestly I think Habs fans are dead on when they say Price has been their MVP all season long.
While Thomas has been stellar all season, I wouldn’t cringe nearly as much having to go to Rask as i would if I were a Habs fan and they had to call out Auld.
I think Price may have exorcised some of his own demons this series even if he didn’t come out the game 7 winner. he will be a force to be reckoned with and I think the Habs may have been right to go with Price and dump Halak-although I bet the Habs fans are dishing all over Price as we speak.
18 is backwards for 81 (miro the overtime hero). i wish krejci would wear 16. you’d have the hanson bros #s on one line.
if you say it will be your last post, mean it!
Go B’s Go!
>The Jack Edwards post game rant was amazing…
I think he’d like a mulligan on his post game comments. It was pretty bad.
We won because we decided to stop shooting to the glove side, which just seemed to be a puck vacuum with that glove hand of his. Surprised at how graceful he was in the post game analysis, maybe I misjudged him.
Horton and Kelly both have now justified their respective trades.
Great win for the Bruins, but I thought Price was outstanding for Montreal.
First, brilliant analysis on the ference hit CLEMENS…..second, a finger to the crowd on national TV and a hand on the ear are the same??? ha….idiots…..
The habs play brutal, boring, dump and no chase, no cycle game, terrible 5 on 5 hockey, we know it, and we hate it. We all HATE benoit pouliot and he played his last game as a hab….you guys like to play the revenge game, fine, that was revenge for the hit that got this rivalry started again….Kyle McLaren in 02. 30 more hits from behind for us to catch up.
It’s only diving if you get caught….the biggest dive of the series was Chara last night and he drew a call….the other was subban, and he SHOULD have been called.
all you guys ever talk about is the diving, the diving, the diving, the refs, the refs, the refs….Not one diving call all series….oh yah….the refs…..
The Jack Edwards post game rant was amazing….I think he was trying to compare the Montreal Canadiens to the oppression of the British Colonial rule of America in the 17 and 1800′s….awesome…..he never played hockey, in fact he was a soccer player….hahahahaha…..
When’s the Ference bird flip statue dedication ceremony? I wanna come down there an piss on it……
my last post, you earned the right to get rid of me….good luck.
David-
Thanks for catching that. That’s what I get for writing and getting the baby ready for daycare at the same time.
MK
Congatulations to the Bruins and their fans from Canada. So nice to see them take out the Habs. This team really does have a lot of potential, and could go far.
Also, love how he was wearing the ’70-style jacket they pass around the locker room to the best player of the game in his post game interview. His smile was so big it actually reached down to Florida.
Matt K,
Is the title supposed to be Happy Horton Sends Garden Fans Home Hooting?
If not can someone explain the joke?
That was a nailbiter of a game, but that shot was a ting of beauty. Price was well screened by Krejci and then it went off a skate-you could see Price was lined up for Horton’s angle and never saw the deflection in time to adjust-GOAL!
I absolutely love the smile on Horton’s face after that goal. I can’t say the Bruin’s played spectacularly-there were some major lapses and poor puck management but they came through and scored when it counted.
Now on to the Flyers where I hope the Krejci line decides to contribute during regulation and not just OT.