by Coach K, AllHabs.net
SAINT-LAZARE, QC. – We see it all the time when lesser teams are bombarded for five or more goals by their opponent. While the losing team wallows in the discontentment, the winning team leaves the arena, proud as a peacock. Their confidence sky high.
These types of game are misleading. Take last night’s tilt with the Ottawa Senators, and let’s look at the facts:
1- The Ottawa Senators were playing the second of back to back games.
2- The Sens had just come off a physically taxing encounter with the Philadelphia Flyers.
3- Ottawa lost by a large margin once again.
4- The Senators are a non-playoff team, whose future is as bleak as the remainder of this season.
If you factor all these things into consideration, it was totally normal that the Canadiens, who had not played since Tuesday night, went to Scotiabank Place and embarrassed the Senators, in front of a crowd that had as many Habs’ fans as it did Senators’ fans.
For one of the few instances this season, I have to commend Canadien’s coach Jacques Martin for being discontented with the mistakes that led to the only Ottawa goal last night. I’m quite sure he was looking ahead, not only towards tonight’s game versus the Anaheim Ducks, but towards the remainder of the regular season.
Although games like last night’s blowout normally make teams overconfident, the Canadiens showed us that they too understood that it was just one game, a misrepresentation of what this team has been since the onset of the season. A “Primetime” example of this was in the way P.K. Subban celebrated his powerplay goal in the third period. Even though he has been scrutinized by everyone for his on-ice antics and exuberant celebration after goals, he simply skated to his teammates, taped their gloves and skated to the bench. In my opinion, a sure sign that Subban is starting to get what it means to be a professional hockey player.
Tonight, the Habs face, possibly, the best goaltender in the month of January, Jonas Hiller of the Anaheim Ducks. His ability are far better than those of the Senators’ Mike Brodeur. Goals will not be as easy to come by. The Canadiens also have to face a team with a much better offense than that of the Sens. With players like Bobby Ryan, Cory Perry, Teemu Selanne, and former Habs’ captain, Saku Koivu, they will put up a much better effort than last night’s opponent.
In order to be successful, the Canadiens must forget about the game last night and focus solely on tonight’s opponents. They must follow tonight’s game strategy, as outlined by the coaching staff, in order to achieve success. Players like Benoit Pouliot, who scored last night’s first goal, has to play a more defensively responsible game, as do his teammates. Ottawa gave Montreal all the time and space in the world to get the puck up ice, and allowed them to be crushed in the transition game. That won’t be as easy tonight against the Ducks. With a much more defensive responsible team, and stronger goaltending, Randy Carlyle will certainly try to exploit the win last night, and get his team to wheel freely on the ice, in an attempt to catch the Canadiens basking in last night’s glory.
It happens all the time. Teams that blow out their previous opponents underestimate the next one. In order to achieve success tonight, the coaching staff must remind their team of their position in the standings. They must remind them that one point is all that separates the Canadiens from the top of the Northeast division and third place in the Eastern Conference. For once, the players must be reminded of the negative, in order to achieve the positive.
(Featured image courtesy canadiens.com)