Grand moments
February 19th, 2008
GREATEST COMEBACK EVER
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On February 19, 2008, the Canadiens treated the Bell Centre’s capacity crowd to the biggesat comeback in their team’s nearly 100-year history.
Trailing the New York Rangers 5-0 just 25 minutes into a game most observers had already written off, Guy Carbonneau’s troops refused to let up and slowly chipped away at the visitors’ lead.
Michael Ryder scored twice in a five-minute span before the second period ended with the Canadiens three goals back.
Alex Kovalev brought the Habs a goal closer at the 6:43 mark of the final frame and Mark Streit scored nine seconds later, reducing the Rangers’ insurmountable lead to a single tally.
With time ticking off the clock, the Canadiens got a power play with just over five minutes remaining in regulation. Alex Kovalev took advantage of the extra man and fired home the tying goal to a roar that threatened to loosen the Bell Centre roof from its moorings.
Overtime failed to declare a victor but captain Saku Koivu scored the game-winner in the shootout, putting the puck behind Henrik Lundqvist while Cristobal Huet made the final stop against Jaromir Jagr to officially put the biggest comeback in Montreal Canadiens history into the record book as a 6-5 triumph.
Trailing the New York Rangers 5-0 just 25 minutes into a game most observers had already written off, Guy Carbonneau’s troops refused to let up and slowly chipped away at the visitors’ lead.
Michael Ryder scored twice in a five-minute span before the second period ended with the Canadiens three goals back.
Alex Kovalev brought the Habs a goal closer at the 6:43 mark of the final frame and Mark Streit scored nine seconds later, reducing the Rangers’ insurmountable lead to a single tally.
With time ticking off the clock, the Canadiens got a power play with just over five minutes remaining in regulation. Alex Kovalev took advantage of the extra man and fired home the tying goal to a roar that threatened to loosen the Bell Centre roof from its moorings.
Overtime failed to declare a victor but captain Saku Koivu scored the game-winner in the shootout, putting the puck behind Henrik Lundqvist while Cristobal Huet made the final stop against Jaromir Jagr to officially put the biggest comeback in Montreal Canadiens history into the record book as a 6-5 triumph.