Montreal 2 Buffalo 1 (HSBC Arena)
MONTREAL, QC. –It was the 40th anniversary of the Buffalo Sabres first game in the NHL. On October 15, 1970, the Canadiens beat the Sabres 3-to-0. For two periods, the two teams were on track to recreating that historic game with the Habs leading 2-to-0. The Sabres cut the lead in half in the third period but could come no closer.
But the Sabres birthday wasn’t the only date on the minds of some. My friend Kyle sent me a message, “Remember March 24th?” Sounds a little cryptic doesn’t it? But I immediately knew the reference.
On March 24, 2010, the Canadiens also had a 2-to-0 lead on the Sabres after two periods at the HSBC Arena. In fact, the Habs still had the same lead with two minutes left in the game. Buffalo scored twice in the final 1:59 and won the game 3-2 in a shootout.
It was a series of blunders by coach Jacques Martin that led to the loss. To protect the two-goal lead, Martin demanded a defensive posture and the Sabres pummelled the Canadiens outshooting them 31-12 in the final 30 minutes. Personnel was mismanaged and a timeout went unused.
Kyle’s simple message had triggered a series of (unpleasant) memories. Does Martin file and later review all of the notes that he writes behind the bench? Had he learned from his bitter lesson less than seven months previous?
That’s unknown.
Again, there were some curious bench management decisions. Buffalo got within one in the third period when Derek Roy scored his fith goal of this young season taking advantage of a match-up against the Canadiens fourth line. Martin also tempted the hockey gods with Mike Cammalleri and Benoit Pouliot seeing ice-time in the final five minutes.
But this time, the Habs held on for the victory. In what was a goaltender duel, Carey Price bested Ryan Miller. Price made several game-saving stops and stood his ground as the Sabres crashed the crease all game long.
Martin’s most significant line-up adjustment was to borrow a page from Kirk Muller’s playbook that he used last Spring in the playoffs. The head coach demoted Pouliot to the fourth line and added Travis Moen to the Brian Gionta–Scott Gomez duo. The move had little impact in generating offense but the line did play a responsibly defensive role in the third period.
Lars Eller continues to excel and his style of play could add the missing ingredients as a top six forward. Coach Martin says that he is reluctant to break up the chemistry of the third line. It’s a baffling excuse given that he is willing to sacrifice the effectiveness of one of his top lines playing 18 minutes a game to preserve one who is on the ice half as often.
Plus and minus:
▲ Andrei Kostitsyn was the Habs best forward leading the team with five shots on goal.
▲ Canadiens centers Tomas Plekanec, Scott Gomez and Jeff Halpern dominated in the faceoff circle for the final 40 minutes after a meagre 38 per cent success rate in the first period.
▲ Lars Eller, in limited duty, displayed his hockey sense, vision and ability to manuveur in traffic.
► Alexandre Picard played a competent game although was bailed out by his goaltender twice in the third period. His name appeared on the scoresheet after a gift goal from a pinball shot found the net.
► P.K. Subban was better in less pressure-packed role on the third defense pairing. While he came close to turning over the puck with risky moves on three occasions, he fought hard to recover and regain possession.
▼ Mike Cammalleri is out of sync and is currently the weakest link on his line.
The Canadiens return to Montreal to play the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night.
Quote of the post-game:
“It wasn’t the prettiest but the red light went on, and that’s all that matters.”–Alexandre Picard on scoring his first goal as a member of the Montreal Canadiens
All Habs game stars:
1. Carey Price
2. Andrei Kostitsyn
3. Josh Gorges
Roster notes:
Ryan O’Byrne and Mathieu Darche were healthy scratches. Andrei Markov was out with a knee injury.
(Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)