Isles        5   2OT

Habs      4

This thriller was a back and forth affair that the hockey gods appeared to thoroughly enjoy as it rarely looked on the scoreboard the way the eye test had it going. In the end the hockey gods got it right and the better team on this night got the victory! The visiting Isles came out of the chute with guns blazing and took it to the hometown Habs for the first 2 periods outshooting them by a 31-15 margin....the result was a 2-1 Habs lead thru 40 minutes....huh?? Montreal then got an early 3rd period marker to go up 3-1 and the game was going to turn into a hometown theft....nope....the Isles answered with 3 goals of their own despite being outshot 14-9 in the frame.....huh again?? Obviously the team that played better was going to finally be rewarded with the win....nope again....the Habs tie the game with 15 seconds to go to force overtime! Despite several chances by both squads throughout the first overtime neither team was able to end it and off to double OT we went where T. Bozak ended it on an early period PP goal. The final tally of shots for the game were 57-45 for the visitors and they were full value for the win but surely to god it should have been simpler! The Habs will be looking for a much better start and rebound for game 2 while the Isles will be content to keep things just the way they are. Isles steal home ice in Game 1 up 1-0