The quarterfinals of the 2013 IIHF World Hockey Championship were contested on Thursday in Helsinki and Stockholm. Five members of the Canadiens – Alex Galchenyuk, Danny Kristo, Tomas Plekanec, Raphael Diaz, and P.K. Subban – competed for their respective countries.
In the opening quarterfinal tilt, Galchenyuk scored a goal to help the United States defeat Russia by a score of 8-3 in Helsinki. Galchenyuk registered a plus-1 differential and logged 15:14 of ice time for Team USA. Kristo, meanwhile, had 15 shifts and logged just under eight minutes of ice time for the Americans in the victory.
Team USA will go up against Team Switzerland in the semi-finals after the Swiss earned a 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Stockholm. Diaz played 22:29 in the win, picking up an assist on Switzerland’s game-winning goal. Plekanec , who logged 21:35 of ice time and registered five shots on goal, collected an assist in the loss for the Czechs. The Swiss have posted eight straight wins in the tournament.
Canada was eliminated from the tournament after dropping a 3-2 decision to Sweden in a shootout. Subban, who was contesting his first game for Team Canada, logged 19:17 of ice time in the defeat.
The quarterfinals are getting underway at the 2013 IIHF World Hockey Championships being held in Stockholm and Helsinki. Five members of the Canadiens are still involved in the competition, including Tomas Plekanec, Raphael Diaz, Alex Galchenyuk, Danny Kristo and P.K. Subban. Subban will join Team Canada ahead of their quarterfinal matchup against Sweden on Thursday.
Switzerland has been the surprise of the tournament, finishing atop the standings with a perfect record of seven wins, including one in overtime. Diaz played one game for the Swiss during which he logged 14:43 of ice time and registered two shots on goal.
The Czech Republic will go up against Switzerland in the quarterfinals, which will pit Diaz against Plekanec. The centerman has only played one game thus far for his home country, but made the most of his first outing. Plekanec registered three assists, and finished with a plus-2 differential and two shots on goal.
Kristo, meanwhile, has recorded one goal and two assists in seven games played for the Americans. Galchenyuk has made one appearance for Team USA, logging 15:02 of ice time.
Forward Tim Bozon’s tournament has come to a close for France. In five games, the Canadiens prospect registered one assist. He did not suit up for France’s final two games. The French finished the tournament with a record of 2-5-1.
- Carey Price suffered a sprained medial collaterial ligament (MCL) in his knee on the game-tying goal with 23 seconds remaining in the third period of Game 4 against the Senators. He will need up to six weeks to recover from the injury.
- Max Pacioretty suffered a dislocated shoulder during Game 1 of the Canadiens-Senators series. Despite the injury, Pacioretty played in Games 3, 4 and 5. He does not require surgery.
- Ryan White suffered a punctured lung in the latter stages of the second period during Game 3 of the series against the Senators.
- Francis Bouillon was playing with a broken finger ever since his fight against the Sabres’ Steve Ott on April 11th in Buffalo.
- Brandon Prust will undergo an MRI on his shoulder over the course of the coming days. Prust also confirmed that he suffered an injury to his ribs during Game 4 of the Habs’ series against the Senators.
- Alex Galchenyuk (United-States) and Tomas Plekanec (Czech Republic) will join their respective national teams at the World Championships. Raphael Diaz is still waiting for the team medical staff’s green-light before heading out to play for the Swiss team. P.K. Subban mentioned that he has yet to receive a call from Team Canada.
- The Canadiens held an optional skate in Brossard on Thursday morning ahead of their Game 5 matchup against the Senators at the Bell Centre. 21 players took part in the on-ice session, including goaltenders Peter Budaj and Robert Mayer.
- Lars Eller skated on the Bell Sports Complex’s secondary ice surface ahead of the optional skate.
- Mike Blunden and Michaël Bournival skated alongside the rest of the team at practice. Head coach Michel Therrien confirmed that Blunden will take Brandon Prust's spot in the lineup, while Bournival will take part in the warm-up prior to Game 5.
- Carey Price will not return in the series against Ottawa due to a lower-body injury.
- Peter Budaj will make his first career postseason start on Thursday night against the Senators.
- The Canadiens will hold a stretching session at 1 p.m. Several players, in addition to head coach Michel Therrien, will address the media once the stretch is completed.
- Brian Gionta will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a torn left bicep. He will not return this season.
- Peter Budaj and Robert Mayer hit the ice for a practice session along with Mike Blunden, Yannick Weber, Tomas Kaberle and Davis Drewiske a few minutes before the team’s stretching session in Brossard.
- Lars Eller skated alone on Wednesday morning for the first time since being injured by a check from Eric Gryba in Game 1 that saw the Senators’ defenseman suspended for two games.
- Brandon Prust and Ryan White are both suffering from upper body injuries and will not be in the lineup for tomorrow night’s game at the Bell Centre.
- Carey Price has suffered a lower body injury and will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis.
- While the Stanley Cup playoffs are in full swing on this side of the pond, Stockholm and Helsinki are co-hosting the 2013 IIHF World Hockey Championships. Among the players participating in the annual competition is a pair of Canadiens hopefuls – Danny Kristo, who is playing for Team USA, and Tim Bozon, a member of Team France.
Bozon, who is currently a member of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, has participated in all of France’s games up to this point in the tournament. He has registered one assist, which he obtained during the first game of the preliminary round against Slovakia.
For his part, Kristo has also participated in all of Team USA’s games thus far in the tournament. In three games, the right-winger has registered two assists, while also posting a minus-3 differential. The 22-year-old, who played with the Hamilton Bulldogs to close out the AHL campaign, also recorded three shots on goal thus far for the Americans.
- The Canadiens held an optional skate at Scotiabank Place on Tuesday morning. Max Pacioretty, Ryan White and Rene Bourque did not take part.
- White and Gionta will not be in the lineup in Game 4 (upper body).
- P.K. Subban was named one of the finalists for the James Norris Memorial Trophy on Tuesday morning, given annually to the NHL’s best defenseman. Subban will look to become the sixth blue-liner in Habs history – and the first since Chris Chelios in 1989 – to win the award.
- Subban is squaring off with Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul in the EA Sports NHL14 cover vote. Cast your vote HERE.
- Carey Price will get the start against the Senators in Game 4. It will mark his 30th career NHL postseason game.
The Canadiens held an optional practice at Scotiabank Place on Monday afternoon. Carey Price and Peter Budaj were both on the ice, along with Yannick Weber, Tomas Kaberle, Jarred Tinordi, Davis Drewiske, Travis Moen, Mike Blunden, David Desharnais, Max Pacioretty, Jeff Halpern, Michael Ryder, Gabriel Dumont and Colby Armstrong.
Michel Therrien confirmed Price will get the start again in Game 4.
On his 21st birthday, Brendan Gallagher was named one of the finalists for the Calder Trophy, given annually to the NHL’s best rookie. He’s the first Hab since Michael Ryder in 2003-04 to earn a nomination for the award.
- 25 players took part in the morning skate. Max Pacioretty was the only player not on the ice.
- Michel Therrien confirmed Pacioretty and Brian Gionta will be game-time decisions for Sunday’s game.
- Lars Eller was in Brossard on Saturday to see his teammates before they hit the road for Ottawa. “It was good to see him. He looks good,” said Therrien. “Well, ‘looks good’…he looked better before.”
- Carey Price will get the start for the Canadiens again in Game 3. Price and Anderson both carry identical 2.52 goals-against averages into Sunday’s game.
- The Canadiens did not hold a formal practice on Saturday morning prior to the team’s afternoon departure for Ottawa.
- Head coach Michel Therrien, along with players Jarred Tinordi, Colby Armstrong, Josh Gorges and David Desharnais met with the media.
- A few players were on the ice at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard alongside assistant coach Pierre Allard. Those on the ice included Max Pacioretty, Brian Gionta, Michael Blunden, Tomas Kaberle, Davis Drewiske, Gabriel Dumont, Yannick Weber, Peter Budaj and Robert Mayer.
- Therrien indicated that Gionta and Pacioretty are day-to-day with upper-body injuries, but will accompany the team to Ottawa for Games 3 and 4.
- Those players that did not participate in Thursday’s series-opener against the Senators skated at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard on Friday morning, alongside assistant coach Pierre Groulx. A team meeting was held after the on-ice session.
- Lars Eller was released from hospital and returned home on Friday morning. Eller is resting after suffering a concussion and facial fractures in Game One of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals series against the Senators on Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
- Michael Therrien confirmed that Max Pacioretty and Brian Gionta are both out for Game 2 of the series on Friday night at the Bell Centre with upper-body injuries. Therrien indicated that he will reveal which players will be taking Pacioretty and Gionta’s spots in the lineup before puck drop.
