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Canadiens Conquer Bolts In Overtime

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By ARPON BASU

Tribune correspondent

Published: March 27, 2009

MONTREAL - Vinny Lecavalier and Marty St. Louis usually kick their games up a notch when they visit their native Montreal, but it was a Lightning netminder from Finland who looked more inspired than usual Thursday night.

Karri Ramo kept the Bolts in the game long enough to allow Lukas Krajicek's seeing-eye goal on a long shot with 5:17 left in regulation tie it at 2, but the Lightning lost in overtime, 3-2.

Canadiens captain Saku Koivu swept in a loose puck on a scramble in front of the net at 1:45 of the extra frame.

"You don't want to spend 90 percent of the time in your own zone," Ramo said. "But we were able to hang in there, kill some penalties and keep it close."

The shots were 32-16 in favor of the Canadiens when Krajicek tied it, and Ramo was a wall in net as the Lightning's 18th-ranked penalty killing unit stopped seven of eight chances.

The Lightning have only one regulation loss in its last eight games, but that doesn't mean the overtime loss hurt any less for Ramo.

"We've been playing good third periods, so why can't we do it for the whole game?" Ramo asked. "Are teams that much better than us? I think we're beating ourselves."

The Canadiens are in a desperate fight for a playoff spot, and it showed early as they fired the first five shots of the game.

"We took way too many penalties, and it's hard to get the momentum when you're chasing the puck all night," St. Louis said. "It was a total domination by the Canadiens - you could see the intensity of the playoffs."

Montreal finally converted with Ryan Malone in the penalty box. Alex Tanguay made a nice pass through the zone for an Alex Kovalev one-timer at 11:09 of the first, and Ramo had little chance.

The shots were 11-2 by the end of the first as the Lightning were assessed three penalties against none for the Canadiens.

That negative momentum continued in the second, with Montreal drawing three more power plays to one for the Lightning. When the Canadiens made it 2-0 on a wraparound goal by Guillaume Latendresse at 5:48 of the third, the game looked to be all but over.

But tough guy David Koci got the first goal of his career at 10:26, and Krajicek got his second of the season to tie it.

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