There are some hockey games where the result feels pre-determined. When a powerhouse meets a post-deadline seller that has depleted its roster in favour of future assets, the seller and its fans’ best hope is sometimes just to not get blown out. All this to say, I don’t think anyone expected the Montreal Canadiens to beat the Florida Panthers last night.
Except, of course, the Montreal Canadiens themselves.
The Panthers are a formidable team, running away with the Atlantic Division and looking like legitimate threats to win the Stanley Cup. They predictably outshot and out-chanced the Tricolore on Thursday night, but the score didn’t reflect their overall control of the game.