Excerpt from the Gazette article by Pat Hickey:
The Canadiens are a good hockey team, but they are still a step or two away from being a Stanley Cup contender.
There was more evidence of that Wednesday night when the New Jersey Devils crushed the visiting Canadiens 5-2.
Losing in New Jersey isn’t a novelty for the Canadiens. They have won only one game in the Garden State since 2002. What was disturbing was the manner in which they lost. There was little in the way of effort. Head coach Guy Carbonneau noted that the Canadiens were facing a challenge and didn’t respond.
When it was suggested the Habs had lost to a better team, goaltender Carey Price replied: “I don’t think they’re a better team, they just wanted it more.”
That was clearly the case, but the results this season also indicate the Devils are a better team. They are 3-0 against Montreal and have outscored the Canadiens 11-4. There’s more than desire going on there.
Habster:
I couldn’t agree more with Pat Hickey’s assessment of the Canadiens recent play. He has “hits the nail on the head” when he states the Canadiens aren’t playing like Stanley Cup contender at this point in the season.
The team has been playing an undisciplined “run and gun” style of hockey without a defensive conscience. Basically, they aren’t playing a playoff style of hockey, something they will have to do before the “big show” starts.
Granted, they weren’t getting solid goaltending during Carey Price’s absence, but it goes beyond a few bad goals.
Bob Gainey and Guy Carbonneau were stellar defensive player who also thrived in the Stanley Cup playoffs, so it’s hard to understand why their team can’t play a more consistent two way system.
It’s great that Carbo gives his players the chance to free range and display their God given talents, but there also has to be more discipline and certainly a bigger commitment to playing defense, otherwise this team isn’t going very far into the playoffs!!