by Coach K, AllHabs.net
SAINT-LAZARE, QC.–On a night where the Predators seem to stifle the Canadiens, everyone is wondering why our Habs cannot beat a team from Tennessee. I would like to remind everyone that geography has nothing to do with the game of hockey. It is played on a sheet of ice, and game plans are formulated between the coach’s ears.
The coach in question is Barry Trotz. While Lindy Ruff of the Buffalo Sabres is currently the longest tenured coach in the National hockey League, Trotz is a close second in that department.
And while the mainstream will sit down and question the lack of effort from the Canadiens’ top six forwards, the majority of the credit must be laid at the hands of Barry Trotz. He is the type of coach who never panics, always sticks to his initial game plan, and will always wait until after a period is complete before making adjustments.
Go back to last season, when the Predators last played our beloved Bleu-Blanc-Rouge. Carey Price had a stellar performance facing 53 shots, and Nashville managed to win the game 3-0.
Why is it that no matter what the Canadiens do, the Predators have an answer?
Part of it, again, is coaching. Coaching is a profession where the individual in charge cannot get flustered, and must stay the course to maintain success. Again, in tonight’s game, Coach Martin decided in the third period to shuffle his lines, something that we have all noticed has not worked in the past. Coach Trotz came to Montreal with his team and had a specific game plan. While knowing the Habs would use the half-wall to attack the offensive zone with speed, his team’s primary objective was to keep any Canadiens from driving the mid-ice lane, reducing their scoring opportunities. Coach Trotz’s team did exactly that. As the Canadiens were trying to find ways to attack the net, the Predators were hard at work along the boards, regaining puck possession and going into transition offense before the Canadiens knew what to do.
The Predators’ underrated speed also had a lot to do with this victory. On at team with Steve Sullivan and Marcel Goc, you need to respect their ability to attack the defensive zone off the rush. The Canadiens, however, respected it a little too much. Defenseman like Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek do not have the necessary tools to counteract a team with a vicious counter-attack. It was evident in each players +/- rating of -3 and -2 respectively.
And while this defensive pair was struggling to keep the Predators at bay, their forwards were doing a shoddy job of backchecking, in order to help in the defensive zone. Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec, uncharacteristically, were each a -3, while Brian Gionta was a -2.
In a game with very little positives to look at, the one bright spot on the Canadiens was the line of Pyatt, Eller and Moen. While they may not be the most offensively talented of four lines, they set an example their teammates should have followed. They attacked the boards with vigor, and consistently drove the net, getting a few good scoring opportunities. This is something that should have noted by the coaching staff, and followed by the other players on the Habs.
Given, this is first loss by the Canadiens in the last ten days, but the fact remains that the same mistakes are being made in all of the Canadiens’ losses this season. It was Albert Einstein who said that repeating the same behavior and expecting a different result is the first sign of insanity. While I don’t think that anyone is going crazy on the Canadiens, the fact that they continue to exhibit the same tendencies against lower tier team, both by the players and the coaches, leaves me a little apprehensive.
With games coming up against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings, it will be interesting to see what changes might be made to the lineup. Add the arrival of Yannick Weber to Montreal from Hamilton, let’s see what Coach Martin deems to be the proper adjustments that need to be made.
(Featured photo by Richard Wolowicz / Getty Images)