Rocket:
In Columbus, the Canadiens didn’t get good goaltending. Tonight, against the Leafs, they got goaltending, but little else. Toronto outskated, outworked, outshot (41-20) and finally, outscored the Canadiens. Add that to several bad penalties and poor defensive play, particularly on the PK and the result is a shameful effort by the Habs. According to Guy Carbonneau: “It was the most embarrassing game I’ve ever been associated with.” Both Carbonneau and his players should share responsibility for the blame.
The Canadiens haven’t been playing well for several games now but relied on their talent to overcome any deficit. Saku Koivu summed it up by saying, “I think for the first 10, 11 games, I don’t know if it’s human nature that, when you win, you kind of forget about your mistakes. But I don’t think we’ve played as well for the last four or five games. We’re fortunate to have the points we have and now we have to get back to playing a team game with defence first.”
Right now, there are a handful of players that just don’t deserve to be playing at all.
It’s time to admit, Georges Laraque was a mistaken acquisition. Right now, he’s a waste of a roster spot. Throughout the first period, the Leafs were all over Carey Price. There was little response from the Canadiens other than Ryan O’Byrne giving Antropov a cross-check to the head. In the second, the referees called about half the times that Price got run over. In fact the Leafs received three goaltender interference penalties in a row. Grabovski even butt-ended Price. And where was Georges? Officially, he didn’t even record a hit on the night.
Thankfully, the Canadiens have Sergei Kostitsyn who picked his moment to deliver a message to the Leafs and Grabovski. You may remember that it was Sergei who made a hit after his brother took a headshot in the Phoenix game (while Georges was taking a survey of Coyotes who met his weight class.) Even with the score 6-3, Laraque couldn’t come up with a reason to fight. I suppose that he didn’t get his pre-game text message from BHO for inspiration.
For all of Max Lapierre’s scampering and frenetic bursts, there is very little result. Gui Latendresse isn’t playing well (whether he is on the 2nd, 3rd or 4th line.) It behooves Carbonneau to find a way to get Chipchura and/or Pacioretty up for a few games to put this team on notice.
Carbonneau wasn’t happy after the game: “The lack of effort, the lack of concentration, lack of focus, lack of everything.” Let’s assume that ‘everything’ includes coaching, game preparation and strategy. I overheard a comment tonight “Carbo is in over his head”. That could be true.
Alex Kovalev is in a funk. His skating figures are just hollow display of skill without the payoff right now. I like the play of Gorges and Bouillon most nights but it is games like this to remind us why they are the 5th and 6th defensemen on the team. With Roman Hamrlik out, Josh and Frankie played extra minutes and struggled at times. They were beat by speed and size. #71 had a Patrice Brisebois game. On the Leafs second goal, Brise looked like a pinball bouncing off a bumper leaving Kulemin to set up Grabovski.
Yes, there were a few positive things. Lang and Higgins proved that good things happen when big bodies go to the front of the net. Sergei Kostitsyn is back and is once again displaying his vision and terrific passing ability. He is also playing with youthful passion. Tanguay and Markov continue to lead the team in points (although both took penalties). Plekanec and Koivu added goals. With Kosto serving a game misconduct, AK-46 was double-shifted at times. Ryan O’Byrne played exactly the kind of game that the coaches need from him. He even got some penalty killing shifts. Mike Komisarek doesn’t get enough recognition. He is one of the top defensive defensemen in the league.
About ‘the hit’. Tom Kostopoulos deserved a major penalty for his hit on Mike Van Ryn. But Kosto is not a dirty player nor was he attempting to injure Van Ryn on the play. He felt badly that the Leaf player was injured on the play. Kosto plays hard and finishes his checks.
I wonder what my partner Habster thought of #84 in blue tonight. Habster and I were on opposite sides of the Mikhail Grabovski discussion last season. Tonight, Grabs was clearly the best Leafs on the ice. Grabovski used his blazing speed to go around Canadiens all night: Tanguay, Markov, Gorges to name a few. I wasn’t the only one with my eye on Grabovski. In addition to Sergei’s flattening of Grabs, Koivu gave him an earful about diving, and Lang slashed him. Price had to take matters into his own hands and delivered a few shots to the back and helmet when Grabs was crowding the crease.
This was an embarrassing loss. It’s not time to overreact, but it is time to get the attention of a few players (and coaches) who may feel that the Canadiens are entitled to wins for just showing up based on the team’s 100th anniversary.
Pre-game:
Hamrlik out (shoulder). O’Byrne in.
A classy ceremony to honour veterans and Hockey Hall of Fame inductees: Ed Chynoweth, Ray Scapinello, Glenn Anderson and Igor Larionov
Rocket’s 3 stars:
1. Mikhail Grabovski
2. Nik Antropov
3. Sergei Kostitsyn
(photo credit: Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)