CP Rides High In 'Cane Country

Carey Price makes 42 saves in leading the Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes
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So what was it that I was saying?

Last post, that game against the New York Islanders!?

Oh yeah, about Carey. Carey Price. You know!? The young star goalie of the Montreal Canadiens. Right.

Carey Price made 42 saves on the night helping the Habs beat the Canes 4-2. AP

And what was it that I was asking him for?

To steal a game? Actually, to stand on his head and win the Habs a game.

Well I don't know if CP reads this blog but if he does, the message was received loud and clear as last night the Canadiens might have played one of their worst games of the season in Raleigh yet still managed to get out of there with the two points.

Price made 21 saves in the second period alone which was a completely one-way affair, the Canes coming at the Canadiens like a dog on a bone.

Actually the Habs started this game strong, taking a 2-0 lead on goals by Prust and Gorges -- who seemed to be channeling Andrei Markov on this night.

In Prust we trust? Brandon Prust got three points in the Habs 4-2 win against the Hurricanes. AP









Then the Hurricane onslaught began in the second; and if it wasn't for Price the Habs could've been down by a few going into the third.

But alas, Price kept his team in the game and though he'd probably like that second one back, it's tough for a goalie when a forward has the time to wind up and blast one from the faceoff dot. The puck can go anywhere. Yet he was strong in potentially the turning point of the game on no other than Eric Staal, making the save on a penalty shot with a little more than five minutes left in the middle frame.

The Canadiens then regrouped and came out strong once again in the third, getting goals by Lars Eller and P.K. Subban on the power play.

Prust continues to make Bergevin look like a genius, tallying a goal and two assists on the night. The guy brings the sandpaper but can also play. Eller and Gorges also had strong games, as well as Galchenyuk.

Michael Ryder? Not so much. He was benched for the third.

There were too many passengers on this night. Did Desharnais and Pacioretty even play?

And poor Yanick Weber. In his first game of the season he looked a bit rusty, getting caught flat footed on the second Carolina goal, then left the game early with a lower body injury.

Habs now head down to the sunshine state where we can only hope they get the same results like the last time. That is, fly out of there with some sun and four big points.

HABS TAKE CHARGE IN 4-1 WIN AGAINST CAPS

GAME NUMERO 3: HABS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LISTLESS CAPITALS FOR 1ST ROAD WIN OF 2013

It's nice to be wrong every once in awhile. Once in awhile, okay?

My Habs vs. Capitals pregame thoughts were this: playing in Washington, Caps are 0-2, Ovechkin has yet to score and with all of that, figured we would should could be in for a long night.

Markov is back en force. Habs beat Caps 4-1 in Washington. AP

Then when the Habs took the early momentum on a power play just over a minute into the game and didn't capitalize, I thought "oh boy, I've seen this before." The Canadiens continued to create solid chances but couldn't finish. Brian Gionta open net, missed! Bourque in tight, no go! Alex Galchenyuk barging to the net and flicking a high backhand... nice save by Caps 'tender Neuvirth.

The Habs were skating, clicking, making solid first passes, turning the puck up the ice quickly and the Caps were completely flat. But yet the score was still 0-0.

That always scares me.

What I expected to come then was the Caps would get the first goal and then take the game by the scruff of the neck.

Instead, the Caps took two quick penalties to start the second period, went down 5-on-3, Tomas Plekanec scored his second in two games and the Habs never looked back in a solid 4-1 win in Washington.

The Habs' power play, its bread and butter for so many seasons of late -- except last year -- suddenly seems to have roared back to life with the return of Andrei Markov, who scored the second goal of the game and whose pairing with Raphael Diaz appears to be a stoke of genius on Therrien's part.

Should could would you have ever thought, even dreamt of uttering the following after the last few years of futility and hard times for the Russian:

Andrei Markov leads the Montreal Canadiens in goals!?

Well it's true. The veteran blueliner now has three. Not only that, with his goal and assist tonight he's now the fifth highest scoring defenseman in Habs history. Not bad. He's got to be feeling great for himself and what an impact a healthy, confident and surgically-repaired Andrei Markov has on this team.

When even Josh Gorges gets into the scoring action, you know things are going the Canadiens' way.

With all the good that is going on with the Habs -- for these past two games at least -- let's not forget how bad the Capitals were. Goalie Neuvirth could not be blamed for this one. The Caps came out completely listless. No energy, no tempo, no synergy. And the Canadiens took full advantage.

And all this without the first line really going on all cylinders as of yet. Pacioretty picked up a couple of assists and Erik Cole hit a post but that line has yet to fully assert itself.

Brian Gionta continued the trend of the bounce back with his second goal of the year on a nice set up by Rene Bourque. And you know what? Suddenly, Bourque brings a size element to the Plekanec line. Another nice move by Therrien. The man is pushing the right buttons so far.

And where was Ovechkin in all of this? Did he play!? Personally, I think he's not into it. He doesn't want to be in Washington. If he's going to play in the NHL, the guy wants to win. And it looks like already, the Capitals' time has passed.

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Last night I had a bit of a negative twitter exchange with a hockey writer (who shall remain nameless) who was absolutely adamant that trading P.K. Subban would be an absolute disaster, and that I was completely WRONG for suggesting that he could be traded for the better of the team. Personally I found his tone completely unprofessional and insulting. But I guess that's the twitter-verse.

While I like P.K. and think he's a great player with so much upside, I also think that he isn't bigger than the team, and if Carey Price and Max Pacioretty can take the so-called "bridge" contracts of two years before they cash in longer term (which they did) then so can Subban. What makes him so special?? He didn't win the Norris. He didn't drive into the ground lead the power play last year. He still needs to grow up.

If Patrick Roy can get traded, anyone / anything is in play. Geez Wayne Gretzky was traded!! This talk that trading Subban would be a disaster is utter nonsense and is a purely emotional response. I'm not saying I want him to be traded. I'm saying if the deal is right, it's an option.

And the Canadiens all of a sudden seem to have depth on the blue line. Raphael Diaz is taking full advantage of the P.K. situation playing with Markov. Frankie Bouillon is eating up solid minutes. Josh Gorges is doing his thing as usual. And Kaberle is trying his best to stay out of their way. And with Tinordi and St. Denis just a call away and Nathan Beaulieu working on his development... well, I'm not saying I want Subban to be traded, but what I was trying to communicate to this "writer" was that Bergevin should do the best move for the team... whatever that should be.

With tonight's victory and Markov, Diaz and the rest of the defense pairings performing as they did, the score is now:

Bergevin 2 - Subban 1

It's certainly bringing up a lot of emotional responses from Habs fans. But hey, if we could get a Sean Couturier from the suddenly nosediving Flyers, well, why not?

It dawned on me today that the ebullient Subban is the Canadiens' version of Gary Carter. Carter was a bit despised by his teammates when he played in Montreal because he was always smiling, always camera-ready and always available to talk to reporters. He was misunderstood. We know he wasn't grandstanding. As we probably know that P.K. isn't grandstanding.

But the difference is, Carter took more than a few years to assert himself as a leader on the Expos' teams of the late seventies and early eighties and he did it with style, integrity and grit. Not to knock P.K. but it's true, the guy has rubbed some of the veterans on this team the wrong way; and if you know hockey, you know how tight the room has to be for a team to win.

I personally feel P.K. needs to sign his "bridge" deal, find his place on the team's pecking order, and keep his flash for the ice.

Next game: The Devils are in Montreal for a somewhat rare Sunday night tilt at the Molson Centre.

And by the way: Alex Kovalev is no longer leading the league in points. :)

Follow moi on le twitter: @HabsFanLeafLand

Midseason Ramblings

It's amazing what one decisive win can do.

But one win does not make a season. And as the 2011-2012 Montreal Canadiens reach the halfway mark tonight against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Habs sit in 13th place in the Eastern Conference.

Yet many of the Montreal Canadiens media and pundits are now beginning to laud the work of interim Head Coach Randy Cunneyworth as they begin to see his stamp on this team, a stamp that many seem to be onside with. If only Canada Post could get into the action, eh?

Geoff Molson didn't help things with his statement about Cunneyworth. But there's no doubt the Owner/President will want to start putting his stamp on the team in the offseason if not before. Photo: Allen McInnis, The Gazette. 

Although he only has 2 wins as Head Coach, Cunneyworth pummels his players over and over with key messages and they seem to be responding:


* Go hard to the net, and good things will happen;
* Forecheck hard;
* Keep working at it, and don't give up;
* Play sound defensively;
* Put pucks at the net, wherever you are.

Let's be honest. For whatever reason -- and only the players and management know why -- this team was not a cohesive group coming into the season. Whither happened between last year and this year is a bit of a mystery but maybe the sum of all parts points to a possible answer:

1) James Wisniewski is not re-signed and our power play suffers for it;
2) Roman Hamrlik is offered a one year deal -- but signs with the Capitals instead;
3) Power forward Erik Cole is signed to a four year deal -- and the signing is panned by critics;
4) Josh Gorges avoids arbitration -- but is only offered a paltry one year deal;
5) Hal Gill and Andrei Kostitsyn are both signed to one year deals, leaving their futures uncertain;
6) Mr. Markov is signed to a three year deal -- but has yet to play a game this season -- and probably WON'T.

The team has a poor pre-season. Newly signed Chris Campoli, brought in to fill the void of Markov, is injured in the first game against the Leafs. Newcomers Raphael Diaz and Alexei Emelin, both highly touted, need time to ramp up to the pace of NHL hockey. Yannick Weber starts slow, finds his groove, but then loses it and is now the odd-man out. Gorges has a terrible start, possibly because his head wasn't in the right place given the non-confidence vote Gauthier gave him over the summer.

That would be enough, wouldn't it? But it doesn't end there.

Scott Gomez, looking to bounce back after the worst year of his career, is twice-injured and when he is in the lineup, is ineffective. Captain Brian Gionta doesn't look quite himself and also starts slow. Tomas Plekanec doesn't look happy. Michael Cammalleri hurts himself early and becomes a whipping boy for his lack of production. He also implies he doesn't like playing with Plekanec. Darling P.K. Subban is afflicted by the sophomore slump -- one of the mysteries of NHL hockey.

Powerforward Erik Cole has been the team's most consistent player. Photo: Dave Sidaway, The Gazette.

The team stumbles out of the gate, can't win at home, can't score on the power play, gives up leads and... trade rumours swirl. Something needs to be done. Fans call for Jacques Martin's firing, namely because his style of play no longer seems to suit this team. A once smiling Erik Cole looks downtrodden, having been left out of the power play and plays a paltry 12-15 minutes a game. Instead of Martin, Gauthier fires Assistant Coach Perry Pearn but after a brief winning streak the team finds itself mired in mediocrity. Even Carey Price begins to look ordinary.

Markov teases Habs fans when he finally practices with the team, only to then undergo another knee surgery. Gauthier signs Tomas Kaberle, another underachiever with a big contract, and that signing is also panned by the media and critics alike. But I like it because it burns diehard Leaf fans :)

Finally, the axe falls onto Jacques Martin's head and he is relieved of his duties as Head Coach, while former player and unilingual Randy Cunneyworth takes the helm and is blasted in the Francophone media. Owner and President Geoff Molson issues a statement and essentially cuts Cunneyworth down, making him a lame duck. All reports indicate Pierre Gauthier is a goner at season's end (and before the draft).

This is, my friends -- a heck of a lot of BAD. So why the sudden optimism???

I'll tell you why. It's because it's been so bad that we're desperate for anything good. Who wouldn't want to see the Habs go on a roll like the New Jersey Devils did last year after Jacques Lemaire took over for that team!? But I have to say, I'm a bit torn, because deep down, I wouldn't mind seeing them get a top-five draft pick in this year's draft.

It hasn't been fun to watch this team. It's one thing to lose, but there is losing the right way and losing the wrong way. And this team has just been brutal on too many nights this year.

But ultimately, the optimism springs from the changes that Coach Cunneyworth has made to this year's team that are now becoming apparent:

1) He reunites Desharnais with Pacioretty and Cole;
2) He reunites Eller with Kostitsyn and Moen -- and Eller scores 4 in a game;
3) He double shifts Erik Cole, by far the team's best and most consistent player, who plays a season-high 27 minutes in this week's game against the Jets;
4) He puts Gill and Kaberle on the ice more sparingly, putting each in a better position to excel;
5) He sits Weber for Emelin, and Emelin continue to emerge as a bruising, hitting defenseman who puts second thoughts into opposing forwards;
6) He actively coaches the team on the bench -- which pundits like Michel Bergeron loves;
7) He uses Tomas Plekanec less, who will only benefit from this down the line and into the playoffs -- if we can make it.

Streaky scorer Cammalleri has shown life of late and Captain Gionta is back tonight, healthy and hungry. Things are looking up. But there have been some positives this year:

1) Max Pacioretty starts strong and though he's now in a bit of a slump, we must remember -- this is only his FIRST FULL SEASON;
2) Erik Cole, after the Martin-induced slow start, is and has been everything we could have asked for game after game. He drives to the net, uses his speed and body and has become a leader in the dressing room;
3) David Desharnais is a terrific player who although small in stature, is big in heart and skill;
4) Andrei Kostitsyn, even if it's a contract year, is one of our most dangerous offensive threats and uses his body more and more and often does the little things right;
5) Lars Eller, though inconsistent at times, shows us why he was a first round pick and that he's going to be a terrific player for this team, if we don't give up on him. And the kid is first class;

Raphy Diaz could be our next Mark Streit. 
Photo: Francois Lacasse/Getty Images.

6) Louis Leblanc, though sent back to Hamilton this week, is a great kid with a great head on his shoulders and performs admirably during his stint with the big club. He doesn't look out of place and he's going to be another Plekanec-type, two-way player for this team -- and who doesn't like that?
7) Diaz and Emelin complete their NHL internships and now assert themselves in the areas of the game in which they excel. Diaz puts points up and plays well defensively, while Emelin throws Craig Ludwig-style bodycheck after Craig Ludwig-style bodycheck and we love it. How long has it been since we've heard that crashing sound against the boards of the Bell Centre?? About time, I say;
8) And finally, against all odds, his team's record and the soft support from management -- Randy Cunneyworth acts like a true professional and carries on with his work.

Things are looking up. The Bell Centre crowd did the wave for the first time this season in the last game against the Jets. Took awhile, hope to see it again tonight.

So let's see if the 2011-2012 Montreal Canadiens can go on a second-half roll and eke out a playoff spot. Will they? Who knows with this team? It's a steep climb. I'd rather them tank it and get a high first round pick then come up short by 2 points a la Maple Leafs.

But whatever happens, you know it'll be entertaining. Let's just hope the entertainment comes from the ice and not from the media as has been the case so far this year. Valleri. Vallera.

PS: I read Terry Dimonte is coming home to Montreal radio after four years in Calgary. That's great for Terry and anglo-Montreal. Maybe it's time for me to do the same!?? If you have a job offer, I"m listening...

Start Weak Finish Strong?

Start weak finish strong? A metaphor for the Canadiens' 2011-2012 season?
Perhaps.

But it was exactly just that with last night's 4-3 shootout win in Carolina over the struggling Hurricanes.

Carey Price and his team started slow, fell behind early 2-0 but fought back to tie the game on two separate occasions to eventually win in a shootout.

A few positives from this game:
a) Nice to see the team come back from behind to win, especially in the third period;
b) The team finally won a shootout on Brian Gionta's goal (even if he was -3 on the night);
c) The team won a game when Carey Price didn't have his A-game;
d) Lars Eller scored a short-handed goal in the 2nd period which gave the team some momentum;
e) Scott Gomez injured!?

Travis Moen tips the puck past Cam Ward last night in Raleigh. Canadiens won the game 4-3 in a shootout.

Yes Gomez did not finish the game with a supposed lower-body injury...good or bad my friends!?

Minus Brian Gionta, who really misses the guy? He hasn't been an impact player at all for the Habs, and frankly takes up valuable playing time away from guys like Eller who was slowly coming into his own when Gomez was out previously.

One game out of 15 in Gomez's case is not good enough. We know that. Jacques Martin knows that. Pierre Gauthier must certainly know that. So why is he playing so much??

For the last few seasons the Habs have kind of limped into the playoffs. I wouldn't mind them getting on a roll late in the season for a change. Maybe this will be the year. After passing the quarter mark, the team is out of a playoff position, but only a few points back. So lots can happen.

And what are the positives thus far?

The emergence of Max Pacioretty as a Johnny Leclair type power-forward for the Canadiens.
The acquisition of Erik Cole, who has finally given the team power and speed on the wing and a net presence.
The ever-present, consistent play of Tomas Plekanec, our best all-around player and one of the NHL's most underrated players.
Josh Gorges regaining his previous form after a tough start -- proving he's the real deal and playing himself into a nice contract starting next season.
Travis Moen scoring more goals in 21 games than all of last season, with 7? Now that's a bonus. He must really want to stay with the Habs for next season.
The young defence play of Yannick Weber, Raphael Diaz and to a lesser extent Alexei Emelin, showing they can play and be effective on the backend in this league. Now you can add Frederic St. Denis to the mix.

And finally ...

Andrei Markov skating with the team... and set to make his return. Soooooon, we hope.

Phew.

There's plenty of room for improvement, including more consistency from Price; more production from Gionta and Cammelari; more production from the powerplay; and more consistency from Subban.

Tough game in Philly on Friday afternoon. Habs need to put together a winning streak to keep pace with the other teams in their division, especially if the Toronto Kesseleafs keep fluking off wins...

The GOOD, the GREAT and the NOT SO GREAT

My evening last night can be summarized by the good, the great and the not so great.

It started with dinner with my brothers at Fabbrica, Mark McEwen's take on artisanal Italian food here in Hogtown. We tried a bunch of different plates. Washed it down with Italian beer and San Pellegrino. It was good.

Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals pounded 3 home runs in Game 3 of the World Series. First ever National League player to do so. Joined the ranks of Babe Ruth (who did it twice) and Reggie Jackson as the only players to achieve the feat. That was great.

Reggie! Reggie! 

Then with my belly full I watched last night's tilt between the Leafs and the Canadiens in Montreal. Not so great.

Carey! Carey!

Say what you want about this year's edition of the Montreal Canadiens -- and nothing against him -- but when Travis Moen leads the team in goals you know something just ain't right.

He's having a great start to his year, but where is the defense on this team??? Oh yeah! One's in Florida hobbling on skates contemplating his future; the other is nursing sore ribs -- and maybe eating a few too; and the last is out for months after getting potentially concussed in the preseason then playing one measly period in his Habs career.

Former Hab Mikhail Grabovski scores the OT winner past a helpless Carey Price last night in Montreal. Are you ready to come in off the line, Carey? (Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

In the locker room after the game, a game that saw the Habs blow leads on multiple occasions to lose eventually 6-5 in OT, everyone was saying the right things:

"We had a much better effort than in Pittsburgh."

"If we play like this, we'll win our share."

"We did a lot of positive things so we have to build on that."

Maybe the effort was there, but the result is still the same. Winless at home to open the season. The Habs have now lost 5 games in a row and earned a measly 4 points out of a possible 14. Ooof!

To put THAT into perspective, the Habs would have to win 46 of their next 75 the rest of the way to achieve the 96 points that put them into the playoffs last year as the number 6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Still quite possible. But can you see this team doing that? Especially with a team that can't seem to seal the deal with 3rd period leads? That's twice already: Colorado and now Toronto.

On a night where Hal Gill was honoured in front of the hometown crowd for his 1000th NHL game, it's sad the Habs couldn't muster an inspiring defensive performance that would have been the ultimate honour for Gill.

It's sad the Habs can't score on the powerplay which is powerless. That included a 5 on 3 that lasted for nearly a minute.

It's sad the Habs fumbled around in the defensive zone multiple times last night, leading to goals by Kessel (on a giveaway by Josh Gorges, the likes of we have RARELY seen but already have twice this year) and to the OT winner by Grabovski.

It's sad that Carey Price's numbers are bloated like my belly was last night post-Italian din-din because he really does deserve much, much better. He's being hung out to dry like my mother's tablecloth on a crisp spring afternoon.

You know, there were some bright spots last night. Obviously Travis Moen is doing his part. And Lars Eller, hey the guy is really starting to come along. He made a great play on Moen's shorthander to open the game's scoring, and he also looked strong headmanning the puck on Andrei Kostitsyn's goal to open the second frame.

And although he didn't get any points -- nor did he receive any time on the powerplay -- Mike Boone of the Montreal Gazette felt that Erik Cole played his best game as a Canadien. I don't know... I think he's not happy with his icetime. I wouldn't be. Darche was on the powerplay and not him? And supposedly Martin was chippy when asked about it after the game.

Folks are getting restless. Which of course is nothing new for us Cup-starved Habs fans. But the hole is getting deeper and this next set of games could put the clock to twelve. After Florida, Boston twice and then Philadelphia.

I don't know if she reads my blog, or if she is the now-infamous Anonymous poster of mine, but here's a comment that one Jessica S. from Alberta left on Yahoo sports:

think the habs need a replacement in the coaching..MARC CRAWFORD is a very good choice..got some good players..too bad they got rid of wies..great defenceman..markov's done..GET WITH IT....IT WOULDN'T HURT TO GET SOMEONE THAT KNOWS THE HABS SYSTEM..PATRICK ROY COULD HELP..EVEN LAFLEUR.....GOTTA GET RID OF MARTIN.....

Guy Lafleur as coach!? Okay NOW that is funny. And Patrick Roy!? Maybe some day, but not now.

But it does kind of sound like the comment Anonymous left to my previous post:

Team has to be on board with the coach....I don't think the Habs players respect Martin. This is the main reason for the passion-less play. A really big front office shake-up is coming that may see a few heads roll and a distinct possibility that the over zealous Sir Patrick Roy could be coaching the CH???? Just A sick rumour.....but don't be shocked if it happens.....and don't be shocked at the shake-up if we don't get the two points from the leafs tonight. GO HABS GO !

It's now officially 3 minutes to midnight on the PANIC BUTTON CLOCK. When the clock strikes twelve, it'll be the death knoll for Jacques Martin as head coach of the Canadiens.

Hey as always, win or lose IT'S ALWAYS ENTERTAINING!!!

Still a Work in Progress

Last night's game at the Bell Centre against the Tampa Bay Lightning was the closest thing so far to a regular season game in terms of lineup and flow and the one positive we can take away from last night's 4-0 loss is that it still is a preseason game and counts for nothing.

Scott Gomez watches as Tampa Bay goaltender Dwayne Roloson lunges for puck in Montreal last night. Photo: AP

Missed assignments, lack of finishing and a couple of other bounces leave the Habs looking for answers as we near the start of the season. I mean when you have a two-man power play for practically a full 2 minutes and fail to score, you know there's still work to do.

Peter Budaj got the start and was shaky right from the onset; probably the most astute and entertaining moment of the game came when RDS' colour man Marc Denis, standing next to Carey Price in between the two benches, commented that "... here's something you won't see very often this year -- Carey Price sitting next to me." True dat.

To his defense Budaj was screened on Stamkos' second goal in the first period by David Desharnais, who's probably still wondering why he was standing in front of his own goal on that play, but Budaj was as loose as a Vegas slot machine. Soft rebounds, swiss-cheese holey, bad execution. He'll take his spot next to Denis and probably won't look back from there. The Habs should have been down 3-0 if it weren't for a quick whistle on a Vincent Lecavallier slapper that dribbled through Budaj to roll into the net. On the other side Dwayne Roloson -- the only player left in the NHL born in the Sixties, was sucking those up with ease like a Dyson on dirt.

I guess there were a couple of positives from this game:

1) The Canadiens did have some good scoring chances, but just didn't bury them. That'll come;
2) Chris Campoli played in his first game as a Hab, and was solid;
3) Josh Gorges fell awkwardly on his repaired knee in the third period, but got up without issue.

Meanwhile Andrei Markov meets with his doctors today to find out where he's at. He's skating, just not with the team as yet. Get well Andrei, we need you.

Now the team heads to Quebec City to play the same Tampa squad to finish out the preseason. The Habs are 1-6 in the season that counts for nothing. It all begins in earnest in Toronto October 6.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

MLB is heading towards its postseason and it is now apparent -- to me at least -- that the pendulum is starting to swing the other way for Boston sports teams. The Red Sox's epic collapse gives me hope that all the bad karma from the Bruins last year is slowly beginning to even out this year. Finger-pointing in Boston abounds and now reports indicate that former Expo Terry Francona is going to be fired as Red Sox head coach.

And to top if off, the Atlanta Braves (the team of the 90's -- phooey) also completed an epic collapse of their own, losing the wild card on the last game of the season to the St. Louis Cardinals.

I don't really hate the Red Sox like I do the Bruins, but dem Braves -- dem bums got what they deserved!!

When's that new stadium being built in Montreal, btw? :)

Gamus Horribilis -- Habs Shot Down in Dallas

Sure, you can't win 'em all.

And I have no problem with the Habs losing a game where they are soundly defeated.

But last night's game left a bad taste in my mouth for a variety of reasons. This was the kind of game that makes me wonder "Why the hell do I waste my time watching this shit!?"

The Habs beat themselves in this one and were never in the game. From the first shift where Spacek took a puck right off his knee, to Benoit Pouliot missing an open net, to Carey Price looking quite mortal, nothing went right for the Habs and nobody was firing at full capacity last night.

And it's not that the Stars even played a good game. They were outshot and outchanced... so how come such a commanding 5-2 victory??

Turnovers and the inability to finish. The Canadiens plain and simply played a terrible game... a gamus horribilis.

Jack Ruby shoots Lee Harvey Oswald
1964 Pulitzer Prize, Photography, Robert Jackson, Dallas Times Herald

Bound to happen right? I guess... but there are some major issues this team is going to have to address, if they want to show the fans and the league that their start to the season wasn't just a blip on the radar screen.

Finish the Offensive Plays

This is where the size issue that everyone in the media harps on seems to play out. And since goals are at a premium for this team, they better start taking advantage. Now.

The Canadiens can't finish their plays!!! MaxPac, who is the rare player who can honestly say he had a strong game, had a couple of goals on his stick but made Lehtonen look good. But he's new. What about the rest? Plekanec and Cammellari were complete no-shows last night, with Eller's presence on their line barely making an impact. Do we blame Kostitsyn for this too!? He didn't even play, which was a mistake in my view. More on that later.

Pouliot missed an open net on a 2-in-1 with Lapierre. Be stronger, hungrier on the puck man!! That goal would have made it 3-2 and put some wind in the Habs' sails. From the replay, it looked like you just had to extend your stick to tap it in. You had the man beat. Lapierre looked pissed. What happened soon after? Dallas made it 4-1.

How many times did Habs players whiff, fan or get off a half-hearted shot in the scoring zones last night!? Wayyyy too many times.

They couldn't get their sticks on the juicy rebounds Lehtonen consistenly provided last night. Get a freaking rebound goal for crissakes!! Man, they're off in the corner getting rebounds, shooting from sharp angles praying to bounce the puck into the net off the goalie. Pretty pathetic. Get some net presence. But even when players park themselves in front, they don't win battles and don't come out with the puck.

But start by going to the net! Scott Gomez, stop pivoting at the top of the circle. Pass, sure. But then go to the net. Even on the Gionta goal, he stood watching the Captain shoot instead of launching himself towards the net looking for a rebound.

The only one who seems somewhat good at crashing the net is Darche... who scored the Habs' first goal. And MaxPac is doing it, but let's see how long it lasts. He wasn't even in anyone's thoughts 4 weeks ago. This team regularly loses battles in front of the opposing net and they need help with this. Enter MaxPac. Because Maxwell or Desharnais down on the farm are not the answer...

Stop the Turnovers

Lord, how many times did the Habs turnover the puck last night in their end? I'm going to start calling them the Pillsbury Doughboy turnovers!! What happened to their solid defensive play? Suddenly they look very unconfident an unsure of themselves in the D-zone.

Everyone can have an off night, but last night had to be Josh Gorges' worst game in a Montreal uniform. His turnover at the Dallas blueline led to the Stars' second goal of the game -- shorthanded; and the 4th goal, he deflected past Carey Price when he tried to stop a Richards shot from the point that Price would have saved with his eyes closed.

He also "donated" the puck quite a few other times. We all know what you can do Josh, so we'll forget about this one. Try not to remind us of it.

Picard's play also for the first time put some doubt into whether opting for him over Ryan O'Byrne was the right decision. He's been solid, but his play is also starting to lag.

Subban had a rough night too. Looked like he hurt his finger in a fight, then got clocked to the head later in the game which left him stunned.

Man, do we miss Markov.

Poor execution -- in all zones

This speaks to the team's inability to finish their plays, but they couldn't make or receive a pass last night for their collective lives!! Passes consistently in the skates, fumbling shots, trying for stick checks and missing, skating over the puck, skating over each other... the Habs could have lost against their farm team the way they played last night.

Is this a lack of skill or practice!? Definitely not. This is going on between their heads... someone call in the team psychiatrist.

I am not sounding the alarm or pushing the proverbial panic button. The Habs are stumbling and we know they can play better. Now it's a matter of rolling up their sleeves, and maybe winning some games for their prized goaltender, instead of counting on him to save their asses night after night.

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Undoubtedly, it was a frustrating night for goaltender Carey Price. Although he hasn't been as sharp as he was earlier in the season, it's hard to blame the guy:

First goal, weird one off a deflection -- because Burrish went to the net hard and interfered with Price. This shouldn't have been a goal, but not because of Price. Who was watching the point?

Second goal, shorthanded breakaway -- again, not Price's fault. He can't be expected to save all breakaways. That said, he essentially made the save, but when things go bad, you don't get the bounces. And the puck fluttered over his right pad and into the net.

Third goal, speaks to above points. Turnover in our zone. Puck comes back to the point. Price makes the save, falls on the puck. But then one, count 'em, one Dallas Star player in front is able to beat four... that's right, four Montreal Canadiens to the puck and put it past a beleaguered Price. Ech!

Fourth goal, after Darche scored to give the team some hope... which was quickly dashed. The aforementioned Gorges, I mean, Richards goal.

Fifth goal, another deflection by another Stars forward going to the net, uncontested.

Should Martin have put in Alex Auld for the third? He's sick apparently, and if for some chance the team was able to rally, better to keep Price in. It's a game he needs to forget, for sure.

Well this game really blew up in Coach Martin's face. Sitting Kostitsyn may have sent a message to him and the rest of the team, but ended up badly. Eller didn't have an impact on the Plekanec line. Remember, Brother Andrei is third in team scoring. With the Habs not scoring... he must re-enter the lineup, and let him play through his drought. We did that with Gomez... but it must be said that chances are, Kostitsyn is not one of Martin's favourites and is on a short leash. He could be trade-bait.

As for Martin, well he looked kind of exasperated after the game and who could blame him? Now a down in the dumps, looking for answers team heads to Raleigh where they typically lose, even if the Habs are the better team. Typically, Cam Ward plays his best games against the Habs.

After the loss in Denver, Mario Tremblay quipped on RDS' "L'Antichambre" that if the Habs lose the first two games on this 7 game road trip, uh oh. Unfortunately now his theory will be put to the test, and we're all rooting for Mario to be wrong.

I had hoped the team would come out of this with at least 10 points. To achieve this, they have to win the next 5 in a row. Toughie.

Possible? Of course. Probable? I wouldn't bet on it.