Habs' 4th line spurs Montreal over Pittsburgh

[so4real]

MONTREAL (CBC) - You won't find them anywhere in the scoring stats, but make no mistake about it: This win belongs to Montreal's fourth line.

Called up together for the Saturday afternoon contest against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins, the trio of David Desharnais, Ryan White and Brock Trotter provided the jump as the Canadiens won 5-3.
Who, you ask?
They are the top line of the Hamilton Bulldogs, actually, in the big city to fill holes in an injury-depleted Habs' lineup.
And they hustled and bumped and drew a big penalty in the second period that led to a key goal, and in the final frame kept Evgeny Malkin and Sidney Crosby pinned in their own end for a key full shift.
Brian Gionta, who had one goal in his last eight games, scored twice and added an assist for the winners, while Scott Gomez (his second in 19 contests), Mathieu Darche and Tomas Plekanec had singles.
Pascal Dupuis, Bill Guerin and Malkin replied for Pittsburgh.
It was the efforts of that fourth line, however, that will stay in the minds of the Montreal crowd.
"It was pretty nerve-racking, in front of this many fans," said Trotter, a U.S. college grad who was in his first-ever NHL game after piling up 53 points so far in Hamilton.
"I've never played in front of this many people."
Desharnais, in his second National League encounter, was drafted in 2007 out of Chicoutimi. He has 48 points so far in the AHL.
And White the veteran of the group with all of 14 previous games with Montreal this season is a 2008 grad of the Calgary Hitmen with 20 American League points.
Montreal led 3-2 into the third period and put some distance on the champs when journeyman Darche (now 110 games for five NHL teams) zipped a slapper from well out on the left side and by Marc-Andre Fleury at 7:15.
That came one shift after Trotter had put one through the Pittsburgh star's legs and just off the post.
Coach Dan Bylsma had seen enough by that point and pulled Fleury, who stormed off, kicking a stool on the way, replaced by Brent Johnson.
Gionta, from a scramble in front with his second of the afternoon, and Malkin for Pittsburgh on a short-handed breakaway, closed out the scoring.
Montreal opened the scoring on a play that usually would have drawn a call when Darche bumped Fleury behind the net as the goaltender fielded a puck shot around the boards.
Out front the disk went where Plekanec fired it into the gaping cage, leaving the Habs up 1-0 and Fleury looking for an explanation from the nearest referee.
That was at 29 seconds.
Back came the Pens on a breakout where Jordan Staal took advantage of a fallen defender to get right in on Jaroslav Halak. The Habs' goalie made the initial stop, the puck bounced into the air and Dupuis bunted the rubber in for a 1-1 tie at 1:02.
The referees checked the replay and allowed it.
Montreal dominated much of the middle period and came out of it with a 3-2 lead.
Halak made an outstanding save at one end that led to the oft-seen goal at the other, this one started by a nice backhanded pass from Roman Hamrlik that sprung Gionta.
The Montreal winger broke in on Fleury, went to his backhand to put the puck in and then blew a tire and tripped into the end boards butt first, stunning himself.
That brought the fans out of their seats and they stayed there when the fourth line came roaring out and drew a penalty straight away, putting the Habs on the power play.
A shot from the half boards was stopped by Fleury who allowed a rebound into a crowd of three Canadiens and two Penguins, all of whom were swatting away at the puck.
Gomez was the lucky winner, however, and he batted it in for a 3-1 Montreal lead.
Pittsburgh clawed back in when Guerin wired one from circle high that Halak got an oustretched pad on, only to have it dribble over and in to make it 3-2 into the second intermission.