About Last Night: Brendan Gallagher has every right to be mad
Gallagher #Gallagher
Times have been frustrating enough for the Montreal Canadiens.
The team is on a three-game losing streak and has only won four times in their last 10 games.
The Canadiens have had a hard time defeating the Ottawa Senators, the North Division’s worst team. All four of their games have ended in one-goal decisions.
Montreal started the game down 2-0 against the Senators last night and needed some kind of spark to keep them in the game. Ben Chiarot tried to swing momentum back towards the Canadiens but at the expense of his nose.
Shea Weber scored twice against the Sens, snapping a seven-game pointless streak. All that after he took a double-minor penalty that could have sunk his team had they not killed off the penalty. But the Senators continued to apply pressure and Brady Tkachuk kept scoring.
The Senators played like the better team for the second game in a row, but Brendan Gallagher almost stole a win for the Canadiens.
A challenge initiated by the league’s Situation Room changed all that.
We all know what happened after that.
Gallagher was pretty blunt with the media when discussing the non-goal.
Can anyone blame him for being mad?
He had time to get up after being barreled into by an opposing player, and Murray does get himself into position. Even if he almost instantaneously has to deal with a deflection from Gallagher.
Whichever side you may belong to on this debate, you can chalk it up to NHL officiating and video review being as confusing as ever .
The National Hockey League released an explainer on their decision after last night’s game and while it explained that a goal could be disallowed if contact is made, “impairing” the goalie from moving in his goal, it doesn’t explain what exactly constitutes a “reset”. How long does Murray need to be “set” in order for goaltender interference to not be a factor? Is this something that can only be a subjective call in the eyes of whoever is reviewing?
Once again, I have so many questions. And I know I am not alone in thinking that. The divided opinions on the non-goal are enough for me to suggest that the general confusion around the play was warranted.
Of course, the disallowed goal wasn’t the only pressing matter on Gallagher’s mind.
The Canadiens’ three-game winless streak could hit four games, or more if they don’t find a way to solve the Winnipeg Jets in their next two games. It’ll be the first time both teams meet each other this season.
Gallagher is hoping for a full 60-minute effort, perhaps more of what they experienced in the second and third periods of Tuesday night’s loss.
“The first 15 minutes we weren’t good,” Gallagher said. “I’m honest with you guys. I’ll tell you when we played bad. I’ll tell you when we made some mistakes. But this team competed today. This team battled hard. If that effort’s there every night, we’re going to get out of this little funk and we’re going to be fine.”
A winning result Thursday night could go a long way in settling the Canadiens.
Canadiens fans, it’s your turn to sound off in the Liveblog
And believe me, did these fans sound off.