by Coach K, AllHabs.net
SAINT-LAZARE, QC. — Exams. They are a measuring stick by which many gauge success and failure. With success come accolades, with failure, ridicule and embarrassment.
After a tough week, that saw the Canadiens lose two out of three games to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Ottawa Senators, everyone was apprehensive about the coming week. Considering the Habs were facing the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins, arguably two of the best teams of this early NHL season, they were right to be worried. With a sub-standard power play, and what seemed to be mass-confusion behind the bench, it looked inevitable that this week would be similar to the last.
However, in fine Canadiens’ fashion, they fooled us all. It started in Montreal on Tuesday night, with the game against the Canucks. Boasting the league’s best power play, and the formidable Sedin twins to deal with, most experts assumed an automatic tick in the loss column. Our Habs brought their ‘A’ game, led by their coach, Jacques Martin (Yes, I’m giving him props, people.) Coach Martin beat Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault in the battle of line match-ups. And he made sure to have Jaroslav Spacek and Roman Hamrlik on the ice against the Sedins all the time.
Wait a minute? You don’t see how that works? Well, it’s called a coach’s hunch. You see, although Spacek and Hamrlik have had their share of struggles to start the season, there is no denying that they defend very well against the cycle down-low. The cycle game along the boards in the offensive zone is the Sedins’ bread and butter.
As far as the Vancouver power play was concerned, with its constant movement and crisp passing, the Canadiens only took four minor penalties, limiting the Canucks to only six shots in the process. They also had stellar goaltending from Carey Price, who was eating pucks like Jughead eats hamburgers at Pop’s Soda Shop.
The coach was well prepared , and so were the Habs, hence the 2-0 victory.
Then came the Canadiens’ longtime rivals, the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Thursday night. Having completed an amazing third period comeback to night before against the Pittsburgh Penguins, most hockey minds thought it difficult for the Canadiens to bring the Big Bad Bruins back to Earth.
Well, they did. With a relentless pursuit of the puck, a better performance of the power play and another great game from Price, the Bruins were hard pressed to create any offense. Even Scott Gomez got into the act, breaking his streak of goalless games at 13. Chalk up another win for the Canadiens, this time 3-1.
Granted, the Bruins were missing some of their big guns in the likes of Marc Savard, David Krejci and Marco Sturm, but the Canadiens still had to contain Patrice Bergeron, Michael Rider and Zdeno Chara. Some contend that the Bruins should have started goaltender Tim Thomas, who has been red hot to start this season’s campaign, Tuukka Rask had previous success against the Habs and was a logical choice for Bruins’ coach, Claude Julien.
Now with the Carolina Hurricanes coming to town on Saturday, off a humiliating loss to the Flyers on Thursday, some observers think the Canes’ thirst for redemption will propel them past the Tricolores. I would agree, with the Hurricanes’ track record of giving the Canadiens a hard time. However, if they exhibit the same effort they did against their previous opponents, and Coach Martin again comes prepared with a solid gameplan, I can see the Habs going 3-0 this week.
Either way, the Canadiens have made the grade this week. When everyone was questioning their coaching and understanding of the team’s system, they showed they definitely have what it takes to succeed. They certainly deserve a passing grade from all of us.
Both Rask and Thomas have a losing record against the Habs (Rask’s save percentage is better though), while Price is now 10-2-2 lifetime. Regardless, Thomas played the night before and they felt it really didn’t matter who’s in goal for them, which is true. With Rask, his situation is looking eerily similar to Price’s last year in that he can’t get a win no matter how good he plays.
I’m starting to understand this team now. It was a good week and they were playing the smart way that brought them success in October. While the offensive output could be better, it’s not like they aren’t getting chances. And guys have shown us they are more than what their role dictates. Like Cammy, he’s a shooter, everyone knows it, everyone will try to prevent him from doing so, but he has the smarts and the skills to make the right pass to his linemates as he’s coupled with 2 other guys who are perfectly capable of scoring. So now we see what they look like during a slump and when they’re playing a winning formula. And frankly I’m one happy Habs fan.
Another passed test for Lars Eller, who was given a challenge to play on the PK. He succeeded. And it looks like he found some linemates. They may not score a lot, but they’re responsible. And Pyatt was actually leading the team in shots on net in the Bruins game. The EMP Line reminds me of Hamilton’s Avtsin-Engqvist-Conboy line, which is set up to get the young Russian experience and protection both physically and defensively. (Oddly enough it’s Conboy who’s scoring most of the goals on that line). Maybe Coach Martin did call up Randy Cunneyworth for advice haha.
I knew that both Boston goalies had losing records against the Habs, and that Rask’s save percentage was better. My point was that while Rask has always been calm, cool and collected against the Habs, Thomas has lost it on more than one occasion. And Rask has always been better in games where he faces a lot of rubber.
And as for the two games in two nights theory, would that mean that our own Carey Price shouldn’t have played in both games last Friday and Saturday?
It’s too early in the season for fatigue to be a factor in a coach’s choice of goaltender. I can see it being important when approaching the playoffs, but I’m a firm believer in riding your ponies early.
It was probably already penciled in on who-plays-what is what I was referring to.
Comments are closed.