Montreal 1 Pittsburgh 2 (Mellon Arena) Pittsburgh leads the series 3-2.
posted by Rocket
All Habs
“Above anything else, I hate to lose.” ~ Jackie Robinson
“I hate to lose more than I love to win.” ~ Jimmy Connors
“If there’s one thing I hate, it’s losing. If there’s two things I hate, it’s losing and getting cancer.” ~ Kenny Powers, East Bound & Down
Post-game callers to a Montreal radio station seemed pleased with the effort of the Canadiens. “We hung with them tonight.” Another said, “Remember, we’re not even supposed to be here. We scraped into the playoffs, you know.”
The injuries to Andrei Markov and Jaroslav Spacek were cited as obstacles that were difficult to overcome.
The host encouraged fans to “give the Habs a thunderous ovation” when they take the ice on Monday night to “thank them for the tremendous playoff run.” As the calls continued, we heard phrases like “no one expected them to get this far”, the Canadiens “shouldn’t hang their heads” and “there’s lots to be proud of.”
I admit that I was surprised at the patronizing language. To me, it smacked of a defeatist attitude.
There are no points given for keeping games close. The league doesn’t put an asterisk beside a loss that occurs when the team’s best player watches from behind the glass in a suit. Getting further in the playoffs than the pundits predicted earns no awards.
It’s puzzling that some fans are willing to give up so easily and select media have already started writing the team’s epitaph.
There will be plenty of time for a post-mortem and congratulatory comments.
Mark me down as being in the Connors and Robinson camps. I think losing stinks. Focusing on the positives should only be used in a context of learning to improve for the next game, not as some warped, feel-good consolation prize.
So, for now, there is only one focal point: the Canadiens can still win this series.
Let me write that again, the Montreal Canadiens can beat the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Determining how to do that should be the only preoccupation of the coaching staff for the next two days. Believing in the mission and supporting the players is the job of the fans.
Perhaps that explains the roots of my critique. While I’m happy that the Canadiens have six wins in the playoffs, I’m not satisfied. This is a special group of players who are capable of more.
The fate of the team is in the hands of Jacques Martin. Right now the Habs need a leader who will maximize players’ strengths and put them in the best position to succeed. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma is doing exactly that for his team. Right now, he is winning the battle of making between-game and in-game adjustments.
To counter the Canadiens close man-to-man defensive coverage, Pittsburgh rotated a forward high to spread out the defense. While Washington couldn’t get a sniff, the Penguins power-play seems to have figured out Habs’ penalty-killing schemes. Playing against a small goaltender who tends to go down early, Bylsma has his team shooting high.
Both Pittsburgh goals tonight were scored by defensemen from the point with shots over the shoulder of Jaroslav Halak. Dominic Moore failed to clear the zone on the Kris Letang goal, and Mike Cammalleri can be faulted for playing too casual on Sergei Gonchar’s goal.
“They’re trying to protect their goalie and the net, so if we can get some looks from those areas, guys can get them through,” Sidney Crosby said.
Crosby remains without a goal in the series. Missing an empty net in the last minute of the game ensured that his goalless streak moved to five games.
The Canadiens played well, especially in the third period where they outshot the Penguins 15-to-6.
Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec got the lion’s share of the scoring chances with 14 shots combined. Plekanec was also a very impressive 70 per cent at the faceoff dot.
But, the Habs are simply a different team when they aren’t ahead. Martin’s system depends on scoring first and protecting a lead. Given the risky bench management strategy, the Habs forwards didn’t have enough gas in the tank to play catch-up.
Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez have been playing substantial minutes and showed signs of fatigue tonight. With Martin relying on four offensive players they were relatively easily defended.
The coach decided to dole out extra minutes to players like Moore, Tom Pyatt, Travis Moen, and Max Lapierre, all who had more ice-time than Andrei Kostitsyn. The best way to exascerbate the scoring slump of a sniper is to keep him on the bench. Or the best way to handcuff your offense is to marginalize the Kostitsyns, one on the bench and one in Montreal.
The Canadiens defense were already undermanned with Spacek and Markov nursing injuries. Add Hal Gill to the list as the back of his leg was lacerated by Chris Kunitz’s skate in the third period. Gill stayed overnight in Pittsburgh while his team chartered back to Montreal.
As a result Marc-Andre Bergeron played more minutes with the expected cover-your-eyes-MAB’s-on-the-ice-again results. Josh Gorges was fortunate to survive a tremendous hit after being hung out to dry by a Bergeron pass.
Officiating was better tonight. Some will point to Plekanec being dragged down or Matt Cooke playing with a broken stick but there were only a few missed calls and they occurred on both sides. For the most part, referees Stephen Walkom and Kelly Sutherland flew under the radar, as they should.
The Canadiens must win the next two games to advance to the third round. A pessimist may point out that no team has won two games in a row in this series. An optimist will use the same statistic to argue why the Penguins should not win Game 6.
“Obviously, everybody still believes,” said Halak said. “It’s 3-2, and we are still in it. We’ve been in this situation before.”
The teams return to Montreal for Game 6 on Monday night.
Rocket’s three stars
1. Evgeni Malkin
2. Sergei Gonchar
3. Tomas Plekanec
Special mention: Mike Cammalleri, Marc-Andre Fleury
Player quotes from wire services were used in this report.
(photo credit: Getty)
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Nice commentary, even though the Penguins will win it :)
I can't agree more. I'm tired of hearing Habs fans talk about how every win at this point is gravy.
It isn't. As you said, nothing is awarded for some games won in a series. Nothing is awarded for winning 8 playoff games, and nothing of significance is awarded until 16 games are won. This talk of being proud of the team is fine, but for heaven's sake, fans in this town used to demand more.
You and I have often spoken about how through marketing the Canadiens have managed to lower the bar for this team. It seems that many of the fans, if not most have bought in to this hook, line, and sinker.
As for last night's game, it would have been nice to see the Canadiens try to open it up sooner than later. From the middle of the first, I could start to see a carbon copy of game #3, and except for Cammalleri's late marker, it was just that.
Martin has one more chance to get it right. The team has one more chance to find some killer instinct. Let's hope they can find it.
Any other year, I would agree with you on the mediocrity of this team – I really would. But it's not like we showed up to the party and decided not to dance after all. We're grooving with the best of them right now, and we weren't even invited.
This is a newly minted team, hamstringed all season by an endless succession of injuries, and handicapped by JM's relentless over-dependence on his defensive system which was proven to have no success in Ottawa. We're still contending with injuries to no less than 3 key defensemen in a playoffs series that no one expected us to make, simply because of the aforementioned reasons. It's not like we had a healthy roster all year, a quick-thinking and fast-acting coach (see Bylsma), and just decided we didn't want to put forth the drive and effort required. Remember the Boston series?
What we're seeing here is real potential (the gravy) – finally – instead of just lip service paid to it year after mediocre year. There are things that definitely need to be fixed (offense for sure), but they no longer seem unfixable.
Given how the season started and then progressed, did anyone even predict we'd make the playoffs? I sure didn't, and neither did a whole lot of other fans, let alone the experts. This team will contend next year – barring another season where half the roster is comprised of the Bulldogs. The only thing I hate about this playoffs run is that it will likely mean another 4 years of JM, and that I fear is where the real Achilles heel is, not in the actual composition of this team (with a few notable exceptions).
It's not the marketing that has consistently lowered the expectations of the fans for the Habs. It's their repeated performances the past 17 years. They're finally putting on a helluva show, for the first time in a long time, and now we see the future and it's no longer so bleak. Don't come down on the fans for that.
"Remember, we're not even supposed to be here. We scraped into the playoffs, you know." You have no idea how I hate this line.
It's that selective memory thing.
Seems people forgot, despite injuries, the Habs were once comfy in 6th, had a good chance to jump to 5th on occasion (and who knows, Buffalo was sliding in the later half, might have even taken their spot), only to constantly miss those golden opportunities thanks to them either not showing up or falling victim to Martin's passive system, blow leads and games they were winning because of the system or not competing as a team for a full 60 when they needed to, then slid against some pretty bad teams and teetered on the verge of missing the playoffs alltogether (regardless of Carolina's spot in the standings being a bit of a mirage considering they were one of the hottest teams in the League near the end and did have a slim, miraculous chance to sneak back in to 8th).
The media makes this team the "underdog" and people buy it. The "Cinderella" is frankly a suggested opinion where if you keep saying it you'll start to believe it. The same media also hyped up the Caps, mostly 'cause they were the obvious sexy choice, while forgetting which Division they feed off and their general playoff prowess, not to mention their "who needs defence when you got all that offense" structure. McGuire and the rest of the TSN crew prior to the playoffs discredited the Habs as not being able to match that offense while forgetting it's not impossible to shut them down if you play them properly as the Habs and even Boston exemplified many times in the season. The "upset" and the fallout… It would be an actual upset if the Habs can manage to cohesively work together and knock off the Pens. If they can stay aggressive, play smart, play disciplined (depends on the mood of the officials), and protect the center/slot, they just might make it through this. Last night I found they didn't do that enough, even with Fleury playing as great as he was. It's not only about Jaro, but it's about Gill/Gorges blocking shots and locking down the zone, it's about Gomez and Gio knowing where each other are and weaving through on offense, it's about Cammy's 9 goals and 5 assists, about Subban emerging as a viable option in Markov's spot, etc etc etc…
That selective memory probably forgets that a few months ago those same fans were calling in, whining about Price losing yet another 2-1 or 3-0 game as if it were all his fault. Trivial, yes, but oh how some people change their tune…
I want this team to win. I know they can. They just need to execute it right.
The Washington Capitals no less proved that the offensive light switch just can't be turned on at will. The Canadiens with difficulty scoring 5-on-5 all season long can't expect to sit back for two periods, and then try to play catch up.
Kyle, you made an excellent point by saying that the Habs need to "try to open it up sooner than later"
Tyg, thanks for taking the time to add your opinion. I agree that the Canadiens have been hampered by injuries but more than that, they have been winning despite Jacques Martin's system, certainly not because of it.
I also fear that a superficial analysis means more JM in the upcoming years.
I even agree that we are getting a peek into the Canadiens of the future.
But the future is now.
I have no time for fans who say "win or lose it no longer matters." I am angered by media types who write "let's be thankful." "count your blessings." "its been an incredible run."
I realize that it's partly to dazzle us with their skill at predicting outcomes. If the Habs lose, its 'I told ya so.' If the Habs win, it was a 'reverse jinx.' Isn't that clever? Gag.
What happened to the 'it isn't over 'til it's over' mindset. Those are the kind of players I want on my team. And those are the kind of fans I want to watch a game with.
Number31..All I can say is: brilliant comment. I agree with you 100%. Very well said!
Here's what kills me about what we're seeing:
Yes, we are all excited. This has been their best run in the playoffs since 93…which in itself is sad. Many fans are ready to high five one another for what amounts to 1 big upset and giving the next opponent for run for their money. It sounds very much like many fans have had enough of the emotional roller coaster and are ready to call it quits now, satisfied with what's happened…which is to say…nothing much of importance.
When did this mindset creep in? It's the fans equivalent of JM's "play not to lose" mentality.
Whenever this season ends, most fans will trick themselves in to thinking that THIS will be the mindset, approach and style that the team will play next October. Nothing is further from the truth. What we're seeing now is pure playoff mode hockey from most of the guys. It's a clear distinction from what we saw in the regular season. Unless more roster churn occurs, what we saw through 82 games will be a lot what we see next year.
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