24 Hours & 2 Very Important Games
So the Habs were coming to town and what did the Pittsburgh Penguins do?
Knowing they would likely be without Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, they simply decided to add former Dallas Stars captain, Brendan Morrow, and former San Jose Sharks defender, Douglas Murray.
What did the Canadiens do?
They scooped up Jeff Halpern off the waiver wire.
And while many out there are beginning to fret over the Habs current stance in the arms race heading towards trade deadline, Montreal GM, Marc Bergevin, knows what he is doing.
While the consideration of adding either Morrow or Murray to the Canadiens remained enticing, the Habs won't be rushing to jump the gun on potential rentals. With a club that has built up chemistry and a record that have them circling the waters with the big guns in the Eastern Conference, there is no reason to simply make a deal just to make a deal.
A larger consideration than any potential asking price is just how much any potential move will reverberate through the dressing room and on the ice. With a record infinitely better than what was expected, the Habs owe it to themselves to continue building on the positives.
Speaking of building on positives, while the Canadiens are set to square off with the Penguins and Bruins in a 24 hour span, they do so as equals. Trailing Pittsburgh by 5 points(with 2 games in hand) and tied with the Bruins, destiny and trajectory are in the palm of their hands.
Though a daunting task, there is no reason that Montreal cannot be the biggest challenge either team faces this season. With an 11-2-2 record on the road, a goal differential of +13 (49gf/36ga) and nearly twice as many power play goals scored than allowed, the Habs are at their best on enemy grounds.
What eclipses the importance of the two upcoming matchups is the fact that once Montreal gets through these next two games, they will have but 15 games left to play before the end of the season, 8 of which come at home while they will only have to face their division 4 more times.
With a record of 5-5-3 versus the Northeast, and a combined 15-1-2 against the rest of the Conference (6-1-2 vs ATL/9-0-0 vs SE), chances are these Canadiens can remain in contention not only for their division, but also for top spot in the Eastern Conference.
These next two games will certainly have a drastic effect on what challenges the Habs will face as the playoffs close in, but it will also offer Marc Bergevin the opportunity to cast an extremely critical eye on his current roster against the top competition in the East.
Following the performance of the team versus the Pens and Bruins, Bergevin will have a much better idea of just what exactly this team might need heading into the deadline.
On pace for what would be a 48 win season for Carey Price, the Habs top netminder has been a big reason why the Canadiens road record gleams as it does. With a 9-1-1 record away from the Bell Center, including a 1.88 gaa and .930 sv%, Price has been exceptional and will be counted on as such against the top foes these Habs have to face.
I fully expect that Michel Therrien will give Price the back-to-back starts as now is the time for the Canadiens #1 to gear up for an eventual playoff run. There is no doubt Price needs to amp up the intensity as the post-season approaches, so testing him twice in 24 hours, now, is of benefit to both the team and management.
For no other reason than the magnitude of the competition facing the Canadiens, consider these matchups with Pittsburgh and Boston the official kick-off of playoff season. The runway has already run out on a few teams and that will become more and more the case as the games tick away. For the Habs, and their foes at the top of the East, the key now is to pull away from the pack and begin locking up home ice advantage.
That can begin tonight with a win versus the unbeaten (in 12) Penguins.
I made mention of the reasons why Montreal should enter Pittsburgh with confidence, yet they should also be feverishly hungry to break Pittsburgh's streak.
Stopping a Penguins team, that is adding firepower by the day, is all the motivation Montreal needs to continue their hunt for the top spot in the East.
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Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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