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Habs avoid Lightning strike |
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Presumably, you saw players from the Canadiens holding Brendan Gallagher back from storming Price after last night's shootout win. It was a modest celebration of a victory earned after spoiling a three-goal lead with less than six minutes on the clock-- not exactly worthy of a bench clearing hooray. It was the kind of celebration you'd expect of a team that expects more of itself.
Carey Price was pretty on in his assessment. The Habs tender, who was perfect in his first shootout of the year, credited the Lightning for taking advantage of a defensive breakdown on their first goal. The rest he boiled down to luck.
Before Victor Hedman bunted one in with his fist, before Sami Salo slapped one way off net that inevitably bounced off Raphael Diaz's skate to tie the game, you'd have considered this a near perfect roadie for a team mired in a three-game slump.
For roughly 54-minutes the Canadiens fought for their chances, limited those of the Lightning and stifled one of the league's best powerplays while capitalizing on their own for one of three goals. And they got a working man's effort from nearly everyone on the roster.
Lars Eller's line with Travis Moen and Colby Armstrong was the most implicated, with the former collecting two assists and the other two hitting the scoreboard as well.
Andrei Markov's game was back on the level he started at this season, and P.K. Subban's brilliance on the Canadiens' second goal was a reminder of what distinguishes him among hockey's most talented.
Fairly certain the Canadiens weren't aiming to blow a three-goal lead with the game all but sealed in the third period, but also quite positive they're not willing to give the points back.
It wasn't all luck that the Lightning found their breath at the end of this one. A bad turnover by Subban and horrible coverage by Cole and Desharnais put the Bolts on the board.
Hedman's second goal was created by his aggression, as all five Tampa skaters were offensively active in the third period.
Tomas Plekanec took a penalty he had to take. He made a big mistake giving Vincent Lecavalier the inside of the ice. Once he was past Plekanec, the Czech centre had no choice but to deny Lecavalier a legitimate scoring chance. Who can blame him, after seeing two quick goals turn the tide of the game?
Guess that third one was imminent, even if it found it's way behind Carey Price by the most unconventional route possible.
That's hockey.
When the Canadiens couldn't find the back of the net on their overtime powerplay opportunity, they seemed resigned to a fate that would see them lose in the shootout. When RDS listed Bouillon as a shooter, it was either a sad confirmation of the fact, or a hilarious blunder.
Luckily for the Canadiens and their fans, it was an error they got away with; Therrien having listed Desharnais with Bouillon's number on the shootout list.
Desharnais got them on the board after birthday boy Alex Galchenyuk booted a move he beat Lindback with wide. Carey Price delivered.
Relieved, the Habs move onto Sunrise to take on the Panthers Thursday.
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-They could've been furious and disappointed, but Price and Gorges looked at each other after regulation came to a close with a "Well, what are you gonna do..." expression on both their faces. That's kinda how you had to feel about the way that last five minutes went.
-No excuse for blowing a three-goal lead. Is it a concern? A pattern? I wouldn't rush to label it as such. But obviously, the Canadiens are going to have to work on locking things down-- not just the players, the coaches too.
-Put your hand up if you thought P.K. Subban was the best Hab in the game before the 54-minute mark. Ok. He made one mistake. No shifts in overtime? Markov at 26+ minutes. P.K. hovering around 18. We'll see if that remains as a recipe for success.
Subban's play in his own end, kicking the puck through his feet as he approached his own net with Marty St. Louis hanging off his back was the kind of skill no one else on the Canadiens blue line possesses, but it was also the kind of play that makes a coach cringe. It led to a goal, but the coaches are inclined to say a misstep in that situation leads to a goal against.
I understand that the management and coaching staff are on a mission to humble Subban, but there's a fine line between harnessing team-play and stifling creativity. Subban needs to feel that he can play his game out there without being punished for showing even the most remote creativity.
Let's not make a mountain out of a molehill. Obviously, the Habs staff felt Andrei Markov was a better powerplay threat in overtime, as he was out there with three forwards. That said, the other three minutes were filled with everyone but Subban, and you have to wonder why.
Not exactly a huge controversy, but it certainly creates the kind of chatter that conspiracy theories are born of.
-David Desharnais won 11 of 19 draws and scored the shootout winner. He didn't have the breakout game he so desperately needs, but he contributed, and the hope is that he can build on it.
-Erik Cole continues to struggle, but not for lack of effort. It'll unblock for him, but to suggest he'll find a scoring pace he established last season is a hopeful stretch at this point.
-Max Pacioretty had an ordinary night with Galchenyuk and Gallagher. The trio wasn't used often, as the Habs went on the powerplay for 10 of the opening 20 minutes of the game, and spent the third trying to lock down a three-goal lead. That said, Pacioretty had a couple of quality scoring chances which you couldn't say about his games next to Desharnais and Cole thus far.
-As I tweeted last night, almost bricked myself when Bouillon was announced as one of the shooters.
-I wonder if Eller enthusiasts will be calling for him to be centering Pacioretty and Cole come Thursday...No I don't. I don't wonder about that at all.
-13 of the 16 playoff teams last season were better than 50% in the faceoff circle. Only, Nashville, Philly and New Jersey were under. Worked out ok for Jersey. Nashville not so much. Philly got out of the first round.
Jersey, at 47.1% had the lowest efficiency of any playoff team.
The Habs are currently at 45.6%, sitting 12th among the 16 playoff positions. Yes, that is the worst percentage of any team currently in a playoff spot.
And no. I'm not suggesting that's a good thing based on what New Jersey did last season.
-Anders Lindback. It's not pretty, but if not for him, the Habs wouldn't have had to have worried about giving up three goals with five minutes left. He made some obscene stops in this one.
-Low blocker on Price in the shootout; not available. Result... 3 for 3.
-Pierre McGuire cautioned on Melnick in the Afternoon yesterday that Guy Boucher could be in trouble if the Lightning continue to skid. If the game ends the way it should've--at 3-0, well...
That said, hard to imagine Yzerman will can the guy who Stamkos and others have referred to as the best coach they've ever had.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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