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MONTREAL — The mood downtown and enveloping the Bell Centre was festive, in anticipation of the Montreal Canadiens' first series victory in the Stanley Cup playoffs in four years.
But the heavy police presence intended to keep the would-be celebrants in order was not needed because the man who played a big role four years ago, former Habs coach Claude Julien, and now runs the Boston Bruins' bench had his magic working again last night.
Julien inspired his players to an unforeseen 5-1 victory, which included a four-goal outburst in the third period, with a rousing pregame speech in which he outlined the feeling his Canadiens had when they overcame a 3-1 best-of-seven series disadvantage to beat the Bruins four years ago.
"I just wanted to tell the guys the importance of [last night]," said the humble Julien, whose team now trails 3-2, with the sixth game of the Eastern Conference series in Boston tomorrow. "We have to do the same thing on Saturday, too, in order to come back here for a Game 7."
The Bruins' Glen Metropolit celebrates his goal past Canadiens goaltender Carey Price during the third period of Thursday night's game in Montreal. The Bruins staved off elimination with a 5-1 win. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson)
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Julien's speech not only had his men in the right frame of mind, but he also made a few adjustments to his lineup that paid immediate dividends.
With veteran defenceman Aaron Ward not able to answer the bell after a knee injury suffered on Tuesday in the fourth game, Andrew Alberts filled in admirably. But the big move was inserting speedy youngster Phil Kessel after a three-game absence as a healthy scratch.
Down 1-0 after a goal by Montreal's skilled Alex Kovalev on a 4-on-4 situation in the first period, Kessel tied the score in the second on a power play.
"When a player comes back, you hope he has an impact," Julien said. "I'm one of the first to say to a player who doesn't play to prove me wrong."
Until Kessel's tying goal, there was no reason to believe this would be Boston's night.
The Canadiens came out flying in the opening period and exhibited plenty of determination. But in the second period, they sat back, stopped winning the battles along the boards and started a march to the penalty box.
"Maybe we thought it was going to be a little easy and that [Montreal goaltender] Carey [Price] was going to make all the saves," Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau said. "[Last night], we didn't work as a unit."
The Canadiens still had a chance to pull out another one-goal victory, but that possibility unravelled early in the third period after a fluke goal from Glen Metropolit, his first in eight career NHL playoff outings.
On the play, Price grabbed the puck, took a step and tried to deliver it to teammate Maxim Lapierre in front of the crease. But Boston rookie Vladimir Sobotka sneaked around Price, putting Lapierre in full panic mode.
Instead of going forward, he backhanded the puck off Metropolit's shin pad and into the Montreal net.
"I just didn't know [Sobotka] was there," Price said. "I just tried to get it out of the scramble there. I saw [Lapierre] was there and a lot of open ice in front of him.
"It was a tough break."
For his part, Lapierre did not call for puck and seemed surprised his goaltender didn't hold on and wait for a whistle.
"They got lucky," he said. "I had the puck and then everything happened so fast.
"We said before the playoffs that win or lose, we have to forget what happened right after the game. We have to forget this one."
Price and the Canadiens definitely want to forget what happened next. Boston blueliner Zdeno Chara, Kovalev's watchdog all series, scored on the power play with a bomb that deflected into the top shelf. Marco Sturm added a short-handed goal and Sobotka later made it five goals on 24 shots.
In the first four games, Price gave up only five goals on 120 shots. But his coach was confident his goalie would return to form tomorrow.
"I just know he's going to rebound and have a strong game," Carbonneau said.
