Habs Knock Off Rangers at MSG

Canadiens extend winning streak to five games downing New York Rangers 3-1 for their first win in NYC in five tries
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Remember last week when the Habs kept blowing third period leads?

Remember last week when the Habs kept losing third periods?

Remember last week when after those games, Michel Therrien said that his team needed to learn how to win!?

Well after some tight, one goal games and a few nailbiters thrown in, it appears as if the 2013 Montreal Canadiens will win the Stanley Cup have learned how to win. Or better yet, they're finding ways to win.

Carey Price celebrates Raphael Diaz's empty netter sealing the deal for the win. Habs beat the Rangers at MSG 3-1. AP

This one started off kind of slowly for both teams. The Canadiens were coming off of last night's win in Montreal and were definitely sluggish. But the Rangers weren't that better and after one period, the shot total was 5-3 in favour of the Rangers.

Things got going in the second period. Carey Price, back from his battle with the flu, made some nice saves as did King Henrik Lundqvist. Then on a delayed penalty the Canadiens got caught watching in their own zone allowing Anton Stralman to pick up his own rebound to put the blueshirts up 1-0.

Finally the Habs seemed to get their legs going midway through the second and some good hustle by David Desharnais resulted in Max Pacioretty's goal with under two minutes left in the frame to tie the game 1-1.

The game was for the taking... so who was going to take it?

Well the Habs came out flying in the third and bang-bang, they went down the ice on a three-on-one which they kind of butchered, yet Brandon Prust -- playing for the first time against his old team -- returned the favour from last night to Alex Galchenyuk by passing him the puck through the crease and the rookie didn't miss.

#Prustchenyuk is now trending on twitter.

In fact, get used to it. Any time Galchenyuk is involved in the scoring, you're going to get a rise in anything-enyuks. Yuk yuk.

A dodgy call on Tomas Plekanec put the Rangers on the powerplay with under three minutes left in the game, but some key faceoff wins, especially by Ryan White, helped the Habs kill it off until Raphael Diaz whipped the puck down the ice from inside his own blueline and into the empty Rangers net. Habs win 3-1, take four of four points in a tough back-to-back, and temporarily take over first in the Eastern Conference.

Wow! Let's enjoy this, shall we?

Ultimately a few things:

• The Habs suddenly are winning the important faceoffs. That's good coaching.
• The team plays a patient game sans panic and is outlasting the opposition.
• The fourth line is eating up minutes and bringing energy to the team. Ryan White -- for the last two games at least -- is playing Ryan White the Good.
• The Canadiens are becoming a seriously stingy team. 
• Lars Eller: this guy is starting to look like another Plekanec -- someone reliable in any situation. Boy did he get the message.
• Playing a team game, Coach Therrien can roll all four lines.

The Canadiens powerplay is an area for improvement but as long as they keep winning any way they can, they can work it out without panic or pressure. And Erik Cole still doesn't look like the power forward from last year, but hopefully he'll get going soon. At least Pacioretty seems to have.

Habs are in Long Island to play the Islanders on Thursday looking for their sixth straight win.

Follow-moi on le twitter: #HabsFanLeafLand

Backup Budaj Earns Shutout for Fourth Straight Win

Canadiens outlast Hurricanes scoring three in third to win 3-0 in Montreal
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Captain Kirk was in Montreal Monday night.

Captain Kirk Muller that is -- Head Coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Peter Budaj earns his first shutout as a Canadien and picked up his second win in a row as the Habs beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 in Montreal. AP

I like him. I always have. But I don't care much for his team. And goaltender Cam Ward, I'd take him on my team any day. But he always seems to burn the Habs.

Fortunately, not on this night.

On this night, it was Peter Budaj who had the last laugh, netting the shutout as the Habs outlasted the Hurricanes 3-0 for their fourth straight win.

Enjoy it tonight but tomorrow is another day -- they play the Rangers tomorrow night at Madison Square Garden.

With Brendan Gallagher recovering from the concussion he suffered against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night, Ryan White got his chance to re-enter the lineup and prove himself to his coach and team that he is and can be the player they want: someone who brings energy, emotion and momentum to his team from the fourth line. And on this night, he didn't disappoint.

And though he didn't score, rookie sensation Alex Galchenyuk once again proved the difference-maker, stickhandling into Carolina's zone, drawing the defense towards him and somehow managing to get the puck to Brandon Prust who potted his first goal as a Canadien. And it was the game winner on this night, earning the rough and tumble Prust the second star.

But tonight was Budaj's night. Not that he had to stand on his head or anything. But he was there when the Canadiens needed him and that's all a team can ask from their goaltender. He earned the first star and I'm happy for the guy. A lot of fans don't have a lot of confidence in him but as a goalie I know, it's a tough gig coming in when you haven't been playing. He did what he had to do helping his team pick up four big points during Price's bout with the flu. And this will go a long way with his teammates later in the season when he has to take the crease again.

But now what does Therrien do? Go with the hot hand? Err, probably not. If Price is cleared, he'll play on Broadway Tuesday night.

This wasn't a classic hockey game and was reminiscent of the game in Florida last week until Prust scored early in the third. Then Tomas Plekanec took a hard shot which hit high off of Cam Ward's shoulder and bounced in, and the Canadiens were on their way. We could barely get our tweets off about that one when Max Pacioretty finally broke his goose egg by putting a ground ball on net that somehow hopped over Cam Ward's glove hand.

Ward must not have played infield in baseball. Ugly, but I can imagine he was still stinging from Plekanec's shot which caught him up high. Game over.

At least the Habs are improving where they have to. On this night they bested the Hurricanes in the faceoff circle, winning 54% of the draws.

They're not doing it the fancy way either. Nothing wrong with that. Coach Therrien has the squad playing a strong, patient two-way TEAM game where everyone is doing what they need to do to succeed. And they're racking up the wins. Four in a row now. Let's see what they can do against the Rangers Tuesday night.