Montreal 1 Buffalo 5 (HSBC Arena)
posted by Rocket
AllHabs.blogspot.com
Hockey is a complex game. Sometimes, when you do most everything right, you don’t get the fate that you deserve. For the most part, I believe in creating your own breaks. But once or twice in an 82 game schedule, there is a period when the bounces just don’t go your way. Tonight was that period.
The Canadiens had a great start. They dominated in most categories including time of possession. Most of the first period was spent in the Sabres zone. The shots at one point were 16-3 for the Canadiens. They also had a 12-6 advantage on faceoffs.
Does this mean that Patrick Lalime was turning in a spectacular goalie performance? Not really. Often times he had no idea where the puck was. Lalime started shaky and it seemed that if he gave up 1 goal, a half dozen would soon follow. There was a good chance that Mikhael Tellqvist would get some game action only hours after being picked up by the Sabres.
Looking at the scoresheet one may think that Buffalo sat back. We saw San Jose dominate a period when the Canadiens sat back. But the Sabres were aggressive with their forecheck sending two and three forwards. The Habs were simply playing well enough to clear their zone.
As pucks bounced near the Buffalo goal , or trickled through the crease the Canadiens shooters began gripping their sticks a little tighter. Even the Canadiens red hot power-play went cold in the first despite some excellent puck movement. The power-play unit was 0 for 3 in the first period.
Buffalo seemed to gather some momentum from the failed Canadiens’ power-play opportunities. They started to press but Carey Price was solid. Even when Daniel Paille went in alone, Price stood his ground. As Paille went through the crease, he elbowed Price in the head. There were verbal protests and some pushing but no one on the ice went after Paille. Not even Josh Gorges who was responsible for Paille getting free after a terrible line change.
Shortly after, Mat Schneider went off for a delay of game penalty. On the ensuing Sabre power-play, Jaroslav Spacek fanned on a shot from the point. The bouncing puck when off Lapierre and found its way to Derek Roy who was all alone with an open side of the net. Buffalo had a 1-0 lead on a broken play.
It’s rather easy to imagine what Lindy Ruff said to the Sabres in the first intermission. You played a horrible period and are fortunate to have a lead. Now let’s makes these adjustments.
We also can imagine what a good coach would say in the Montreal dressing room. The team needed to be encouraged. They had played well but had some bad breaks and a fluky goal against. Guy Carbonneau should have been stoking their confidence.
But we know from various sources that Carbonneau saves his communication skills for his media conferences. We also know that the psyche of the Canadiens is very fragile. Lastly, we know that without coaching adjustments, the Habs have a history of poor performances in the second period this year.
With a power-play to begin the second period for 1:42, the Canadiens should have come out with a plan that would get them back into the game. Instead it was the weakest power-play of the night with little net pressure.
Just over a minute after the power-play expired, Derek Roy made it 2-0 for the Sabres. Gorges was guilty of a giveaway and abandoning his man in front of the net. Again, Carey Price had no chance.
Early in the second period, Price made some good saves to keep his team in the game. Price was square to the shooter and was not allowing rebounds.
Jaroslav Spacek went around Patrice Brisebois with ease and in alone on Price. Spacek made the score 3-0. Commentator Harry Neale said that Brisebois looked like a 90 year old grandmother on the play. Neale was being generous. Brisebois looked worse.
The Canadiens effort in the second period was feeble. Buffalo had made adjustments and had carried the play. The Habs didn’t improve in the third.
Early in the period, the Sabre power-play struck again. Josh Gorges was caught out of position in the slot leaving his man alone in front to deflect a point shot past Carey Price. Again Price had no chance on the play.
Later the Sabres scored on a Mathieu Schneider giveaway that sent Gaustad in alone on a breakaway. The Canadiens were on a power-play.
Buffalo dominated on special teams. Their power-play was 2 for 3. The Canadiens power-play was 0 for 5 while giving up a short-handed goal.
The Canadiens defense was awful particularly Brisebois, Gorges and Schneider.
Carey Price will be blamed but shouldn’t. He can’t be faulted on the goals. While the Canadiens did a good job keeping the shot to the perimeter the past few games, tonight the Sabres had free lanes to the goal.
This would have been a very different game if the Canadiens power-play had scored in the first period; or, if an experienced coach had settled the team between periods; or, if the defense had performed.
What was Guy Carbonneau’s assessment? Carbonneau said “This is our playoff spot. we are battling for this and if we’re not able to sustain the energy and the focus then there is something wrong. They’re either tired or not in shape so again we will go back to the drawing board and talk to them tomorrow and see what we can do to get it better.”
We know that other than changing line combinations, there is not much in Carbonneau’s “drawing board.” In other words, he doesn’t have a clue.
Post game
Georges Laraque left the game and did not return with an undisclosed injury.
Pre-game
Starting lineup: Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn, Kovalev, Schneider, Markov
Carey Price and Patrick Lalime started in goal.
Marc Denis backed-up Price. Newly acquired Mikhael Tellqvist was the back-up goalie for Buffalo.
Dandenault and O’Byrne scratched. Halak out with the flu. Bouillon, Latendresse, Tanguay, and Lang were out with injuries.
Rocket’s 3 stars:
1. Paul Gaustad
2. Derek Roy
3. Daniel Paille
(photo credit: AP)
rocket,
very obvious you are a big Price Fan. i dont agree with the comments about Lalime i think he played great. I am a habs fan and was really encouraged the first period with with i saw, i have to say i as a viewer was very nervouse every time the puck was in our zone as i had no confidence that Price would be able to stop anything, and unfortunately I was right. this kid has lost his nerve, he looks like a deer caught in headlights every time, to early to soon to make this kid that important to this team, i beleive his teamates have also lost confidence in his abilities and we can clearlyt see it in there faces and there effort after a couple of bad goals. Just like trying to dig a hole at a beach while you have your little brother keep filling it in, at one point you will give up, Just as we saw yesterday.
Bring Halak Back!
JMO
Let be honest with assessing Carey Price’s performace!!
I still think he will be a solid golatender in the future, but with that being said it’s painfully obvious his confidence is at a all time low!
When the team needed him to make the big save similar to what Halak has been doing recently, he really didn’t step up to the plate and deliver.
Rocket, a large part of the time when I reading your post game articles, you seem to be saying that Price isn’t at fault and make comments about Halak’s somewhat orthodox style, similar to your comments about Tim Thomas.
Bottomline, Halak and Thomas are winning games regardless of style points!!
Granted, tonight the Sabres had a free pass in front of the net, but we can say the same thing for the games Halak backstopped the Habs to victories. Why is it any different for him?
Carbonneau will have to ride Halak for the remainder of the season and we can only hope Carey Price will regain his confidence and form next season. I truly believe there are other issues we aren’t privy to for Price’s poor performances (i.e- ankle injury,…..)
Hello Anon..
Very obviously I am a big Canadiens fan. I hope that you are too.
We have seen flashes of what this team is capable sprinkled throughout the season. The first period of last night’s game was another example.
Unfortunately, the players have underachieved and the team is not performing to their potential.
Given that it is widespread, I think it is silly to focus on one position. Are you really that confident that this team is going anywhere if they entered the playoffs today with Jaroslav Halak in goal?
I’m not. The Price criticism is unfounded. That doesn’t make me a big Price fan. Because I also said that most of the criticism of Kovalev, Plekanec, the Kostitsyns, Koivu, Higgins, O’Byrne, Markov, etc. was unfounded. All of those players were just Carbonneau’s whipping boy of the month used to deflect attention from the fact that he is mostly responsible for the failings of this team.
Tell me, when are you and other Habs fans (and media) going to hold him accountable?
When are the players going to be held accountable and start playing an all-round game……..and stand up for each other on the ice!
Gainey has shown the players a lot of respect and faith, now it’s time for them to do the same for Gainey by playing harder and smarter.
I agree Carbonneau and the coaching staff need to be better but always pointing the finger at them is simply being one dimensional in your views or as you say: “I think it is silly to focus on one position”
As far as feeling comfortable going into the playoffs with Halak, I certainly feel more confident with him between the pipes than a struggling Carey Price. Let’s be frank, Price was no ball of fire in last year’s playoffs.
Thanks for the comment, Greg. I was completely honest in assessing Price’s performance last night.
THe first two goals by Roy he was alone in the slot. The rest of the goals: Spacek was in alone. Gaustad was alone to deflect the puck. Gaustad went in on a breakaway.
Paille was all alone on two occasions and was stopped by Price. Hecht was left alone by Schneider but didn’t score.
My point is that the defense, particularly Gorges, Brisebois and Schneider had a horrible game and are far more responsible for the loss than Price. Why are you not criticizing them?
You conceded that the Sabres had a free pass to the slot and you suggest that the situation was the same when Halak was in net. I watched every second of those games. I can confirm to you that it was different. Most of the shots that Halak faced came from the perimeter, and the concerning part was that he couldn’t control the rebound.
Style of goaltending may not matter, but technique does. Tim Thomas cannot be successful in this league unless he is placed in a solid defensive first system.
When that system breaks down, Thomas breaks down. Why do you think that the Bruins are 3-5-2 in their last 10? Do you think that technique matters when Boston lost an overtime game to Washington last week because Thomas couldn’t stop an 80 foot shot by Semin?
I am worried about the flaws in Halak’s game because the Canadiens do not have the defense that Boston has, they dont play the system that Boston does, and they dont have the coach that Boston has.
In addition, despite the things I have said about Thomas, Halak isnt as good as Tim Thomas.
If motivation and confidence seem to be the missing ingredients from many of the players on the Canadiens, doesn’t it make sense to bring in an experienced coach who can deliver that?
Hello Gino,
I think that the players have been accountable every night. The are constantly put under the scrutiny of the coach and the media. Remember when Carbonneau said that they were afraid to play? What kind of atmosphere is that?
Having said that, when has the head coach ever been held accountable? When has the microscope been turned his way?
I’m glad that you mention last year’s playoffs because I’m tired of the revisionist history.
Check the games, check the stats. Price had been spectacular in shutting out the Bruins to give the Canadiens a 3-1 series lead. In fact, Carey Price was at or near the top of every goaltending category in last year’s playoffs. UNTIL..
You will recall the play against Boston. The Habs needed a goal. After a save Price tried to keep the play going by feeding the puck to Lapierre. Lapierre was checked by Nokelainen, and Metropolit put the puck past Price.
After the game, Carbonneau publicly ripped Price. Lapierre didnt have the stones to stand up for his goaltender. If a 4th line center admits even that it was partly his mistake, and the coach doesn’t put a bullseye on Price, the incident is forgotten.
But that moment was the turning point of last year’s playoffs. Carbonneau continued to criticize and express reservations about Price, and Carey’s confidence suffered for the first time in his career.
I’m afraid the situation is now being repeated.
Why am I focussing on coaching? Because when you have an illness, treating the symptoms do little unless you can fix the cause. And coaching is the root of the Canadiens problems.
Excellent teams can overcome average coaching. Excellent coaches can elevate the play of a mediocre team. But no team can be successful with terrible coaching. And that’s the situation in Montreal.
Rocket : You made a great recap of the game and I agree with what you said about Carey Price and the defensemen. In my opinion, Price could have stopped the puck on the 3rd goal but didn’t have much chance on the first 2. I also think that Lalime was good but lucky in the first period, if the Habs have had scored 1 or 2 goals, the score of the game would have been different.
About Carbonneau, I’m not a big fan of blaming the coach when a team has trouble but, in this case, I think that he should change his strategie and become more of a motivator or simply leave. This is just NOT WORKING! If the players don’t trust him and his system, there is no way it’s gonna lead us to victory
One last word about Mike Komisarek: I think that since the press stopped putting Kovi down, they used Komi as a punching bag. True, he’s not the best hockey player right now but he’s not the only one in this team. Just like Carbonneau, we should have faith in our players and encourage them instead of putting them down. Brisebois has also been a scape-goat and it never made him a better player.
Thanks for your comment Tatie. Some very good points and insight.
I’m glad that you mentioned Mike Komisarek. He is another guy who is receiving unfair criticism. Komo is obviously hurt. He is still working hard but can’t compete at the level he is used to. You can see his frustration. A good coach would have inserted Ryan O’Byrne in the line-up so that Komisarek wouldn’t have to ‘shoulder’ the entire burden of playing physical.
As you say, the bottom line is that it is not working with Carbonneau as coach. The team is not responding.
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