Canadiens proud of effort in Game 7 and season despite OT loss to Bruins

BOSTON – The Montreal Canadiens weren’t hanging their heads Wednesday night after losing Game 7 to the Boston Bruins in overtime.

“We gave our all, we gave it all we got, so, you know we can be proud of our effort,” goaltender Carey Price said after Nathan Horton’s second overtime goal in the last three games ended Montreal’s season. “The guys in front of me played excellent tonight. I thought we deserved better, you know, throughout the whole series, we lose three overtime games and we’re just a hair away from winning.

“It’s just frustrating, but at the same time, I guess we can hold our heads high and say we gave it everything we had. The name ‘sudden-death overtime’ is pretty much all you’ve got to say.”

The Bruins took an early lead in the game, but the Canadiens fought back to tie twice. The Canadiens overcame a 2-0 deficit though a power-play goal by Yannick Weber and a short-handed goal by Tomas Plekanec. The Bruins went ahead again, but P.K. Subban tied it with 1:57 left in regulation.

“I don’t know about disappointment,” Subban said in the losers’ dressing room after the game. “I mean, we had a great year this year. In terms of the game, we had an opportunity in overtime and things happen, but we can’t be upset with our effort. The effort is there.

“We took it to seven games and as a team that has gone through a lot of injuries this season, and ups and downs, I think that a lot of guys gained experience in this year’s playoffs, so there is a lot to look forward to and for years to come.”

The Canadiens were battling a Boston team that was much bigger and more physical and Price thought his teammates did a valiant job against the Bruins.

“We had guys battling the whole time,” said Price. “A lot of our guys had a considerable size disadvantage and they found a way to battle through that and wear them down.

“They were tired at the end. You could see it. But I thought it was just misfortune that we didn’t win that one.”

The Canadiens won the first two games of the series, a good sign against a Boston franchise that had gone 0-26 when dropping the first two games of a seven-game series. But the Bruins roared back with three straight wins, taking both games in Montreal and Game 5 on home ice. They won Game 4 and 5 in overtime.

NOTES: Montreal coach Jacques Martin, asked to evaluate his team after the loss, said, “I don’t think this is the place. I’m not going to get into the evaluation of personnel. We just lost in seven games. I think we will take some time and regroup and as an organization we’ll evaluate our people in due time” … Mike Cammalleri had an assist in Game 7, giving him a series-high 10 points, three goals and seven assists. He was part of five of the Canadiens’ six power play goals in the series, with a goal and four assists on the power play … The Bruins won the series despite going 0-for-21 on the power play … The Canadiens are 5-3 in Game 7’s against Boston, the two rivals playing more seventh games than any two teams in sports … This was the 37th playoff overtime game between the teams, with Montreal still leading, 22-15 … Plekanec also had an assist in Game 7 and had five points in the last five games.