*Photo from the Toronto Star*
Toronto leads series 3-2
Game 5 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs was a spectacle. Montreal had all the momentum in the world. Then, Toronto took it all for themselves. Then, Montreal got it back again. Joel Armia scored two goals, Nick Suzuki scored the winning goal, and the Canadiens defeated the Maple Leafs 4-3 in overtime on Thursday night, to keep their season alive. Jesperi Kotkaniemi also scored.
In the first period, it was the Armia show for the Canadiens. He made it 1-0 Montreal on an unassisted goal 5:19 into the game, and made it 2-0 about 3 minutes later with his second goal of the night. Kotkaniemi then scored to make it 3-0 4:52 into the second period. After Toronto tied the game, Suzuki scored on a 2 on 0 overtime break with Cole Caufield.
Suzuki said "Sometimes those 2-on-0s are a little bit more difficult. Some guys are hesitant to shoot, but we were just confident to make the play and I was lucky enough to score. I don't know, I think we are both capable of scoring. I just felt like I had a good lane to the net on my one-timer side, so it was just a great play by him to touch it right back to me."
For the Maple Leafs, Zach Hyman scored 6:32 into the second period, giving the Maple Leafs a goal and making it 3-1 Montreal. In the 3rd period, defenseman Jake Muzzin scored two goals in 5:02, and all of a sudden the game was tied 3-3. That was all the Maple Leafs could muster, however, as they couldn't put away Montreal.
Carey Price was sturdy in net for the Canadiens, who kept their season going for at least another game with the win in game 5. Price saved 32 of 35 shots, for a .914 save percentage. Game 6 in Montreal will be the first game to be played in front of fans across the entire state of Canada, with about 2,500 fans in attendance.
Price said "We showed resiliency, something that is not easy to have the right mentality going into an overtime like that after giving up a two-goal lead in the third. But I thought our group was calm and composed in the locker room after the 3rd period. We came here to win this game, and I thought overall our game was pretty solid. We got rewarded tonight."
Jack Campbell started for Toronto, and got the loss, saving 26 of 30 shots, with a rather low .867 save percentage. Despite the OT loss, the Maple Leafs still hold a 3-2 series lead as they go to Montreal for game 6, and would have home ice for game 7 if the Canadiens win again.
Campbell said "It's tough to close a team out. They came out hard. I thought we played well enough to win the game; I just can't give up three in regulation. I have to be better, and I will be. I just have to make the save on that 2-on-0. I was a little aggressive, so I'll learn from it."
Game 6 is on Saturday night in Montreal, with Toronto looking to clinch a matchup against the Winnipeg Jets in the second round, and the Canadiens looking to stay alive.
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