The Canadiens' all-star made 32 saves for his first career playoff shutout as Montreal eliminated the Boston Bruins 2-0 in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series.
"I wanted to make a big difference tonight," Theodore told Hockey Night in Canada's Elliotte Friedman. "That was one of those nights. I felt it right away. All day I had a big focus. I was ready for the game and anxious for the game."
Montreal's Richard Zednik celebrates one of his two goals against the Boston Bruins in Game 7 on Monday.(AP/Charles Krupa)
Theodore was able to harness his pre-game jitters into Game 7 success. And it wasn't long before the Bruins put him to the test.
Boston forward Sergei Samsonov, who scored twice in Game 6, raced into the Canadiens zone on a dangerous looking 2-on-1 in the opening minute, but Theodore made a pad save on the Bruins speedster from point-blank range.
"When I made that first save against Samsonov ... then I knew it was going to be a tough night for them to score goals."
Richard Zednik provided the offence for Montreal, scoring both goals, including an empty-netter with less than a minute to play, as the seventh-seeded Canadiens rallied from a 3-1 series deficit for the first time, capturing two of the final three games in Boston.
Montreal will now play the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Game 1 is Friday (CBC, 7 p.m. EST).
The Canadiens and Lightning split the regular-season series 2-2.
"We're going to be playing a great team," Habs coach Claude Julien said. "As much of a high as this was ... it's going to be important for us to keep our feet on the ground."
Entering Monday's game, the Canadiens were 0-12 in seven-game series they trailed 3-1. They came as close as 3-3 just one other time, in 1954.
"Our players showed a lot of character," Julien said. "It would have been easy to throw in the towel, especially the way we lost [Game 4]" when Montreal blew a third-period lead and lost in double-overtime.
Theodore and Bruins rookie sensation Andrew Raycroft had a battle for the shutout going until Zednik scored the winner at 10:52 of the third period.
Alex Kovalev skated behind the Bruins net and shot from the goal-line to Raycroft's right. The puck caromed off the side of the net and bounced to the top of the crease where Zednik buried it in the top right corner.
Zednik then added an insurance marker into the empty net with 7.8 seconds remaining.
Habs' captain Saku Koivu and Kovalev – labelled "Mr. Everything" in this series by HNIC commentator Glenn Healy – assisted on both Montreal goals.
Kovalev made amends for his part in the Canadiens' Game 4 loss to the Bruins. In the second overtime period, Kovalev lost the puck when he held his hand in pain after being slashed at his own blue-line. He collided with his own teammate, Sheldon Souray, which allowed Boston's Glen Murray to skate in alone for the winner against Theodore.
For the second time in three years the second-seeded Bruins fell short against the Canadiens, despite the trade deadline acquisitions of veterans Michael Nylander, Sergei Gonchar and Jiri Slegr.
Boston captain Joe Thornton, who suffered torn cartilage between his ribcage with two games left in the regular season, struggled and went without a point in the series despite playing all seven games.
"He played under extreme pain," Bruins rookie coach Mike Sullivan said. "Most players I know probably wouldn't have played under the circumstances he played."
