Puck On The 'Net: Les Canadiens Sont La

The Montreal Canadiens completed another upset, knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins with a 5-2 game 7 victory. Here's Thursday's Slap Shots:

• It's amazing how far you can go in the playoffs when you have the best goaltender (Halak), and top goal scorer (Cammallari). The coaching staff has got this team buying into the game plan and sacrificing for the cause. Montreal's players have blocked seemingly as man shots as the goaltender.
• Montreal used a man-on-man defensive zone strategy, a rarity in modern hockey. It worked brilliantly. They also immediately targetted Sidney Crosby and Evgeny Malkin as they attempted to breakout of their own zone.
• Does Montreal shutting down Crosby and upsetting the Penguins take any embarrassment away from Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals? The Montreal victories may be unthinkable upsets, but obviously no flukes.
• I wonder what is going through Bob Gainey's head right now. He stepped down as GM of the team when it was struggling and there was no relief in sight. Now his team, however improbably, has a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. He deserves full credit.
• Could we have a classic Montreal-Boston eastern final? Boston has somehow blown a 3-0 series lead against the injury depleted Philadelphia Flyers team. Game 7 in that series will be played on Friday.

As always, join me for more thoughts and conversation on Twitter @HockeyLegends.