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.