Recap – 3 Stars, Highlights, Presser: Special Teams, Goaltending Not Up to Par

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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Game 65 Away game 32 | Thursday March 6, 2014

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

 Game Recap:

The Canadiens didn’t appear prepared to play and were dominated by the Coyotes in the first period. A lack of discipline by Phoenix allowed the Habs to run up the shot clock but ultimately weak goaltending and special teams let them down.

 

Plus / Minus

▲  Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, Jarred Tinordi, Andrei Markov, P.K. Subban

▼  Peter Budaj, Rene Bourque, Daniel Briere

teamlogo_canadiens teamlogo_coyotes

2

5

Boxscore:

 FINAL 1 2 3 OT SO T
 Canadiens 1 1 0 2
 Coyotes
3 0 2 5

Summary:
Goal Scorers:
MTL  Markov(6), Galchenyuk(12)
PHX  Vrbata(16), Korpikoski(8), Ekman-Larsson(10), Vrbata(17), Yandle(8)
Goalies:
MTL Budaj (L)  8-6-2
PHX Smith (W)  22-18-10
aagamerecap

Shots on Goal:

 FINAL 1 2 3 OT T
 Canadiens 7 12 7 26
 Coyotes 15 1 7 23

 NHL Three Stars
NHL3stars
  1.  Radim Vrbata  PHX 
  2.  Mike Smith  PHX
  3.  Kyle Chipchura  PHX
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 Post-game Press Conference

186237429_slideCoach Michel Therrien

  • “We played late, traveled all night and we looked like it early. Before we got going we got into trouble.”
  • “We had to play catch-up hockey. It’s never the right solution to win hockey games.But after the second period we started skating, we started moving, we found our legs and this is where we were at our best.”
  • “When you play six games in nine nights there is a tendency for mental mistakes. At times we don’t take the right decisions. This is a demanding time for our players. We have to find a way to get those two points next game. We want to pack up this trip with a lot of positives.
  • “(Thomas) Vanek did well. He got some chances. We have to give some time to (Tomas) Plekanec and (Brian) Gionta to find that chemistry (with him) but I’m not too worried about that.”
  • “Tinner (Jarred Tinordi) is a young kid and he’s learning quick. We are putting him in a position to learn.”

Captain Brian Gionta

  • “I thought that we did a good job getting comfortable with each other. I wish it was a better outcome. For the most part we felt pretty comfortable (with Thomas Vanek on the line.)”
  • “When you have a new guy it always takes time to find out where he might be, his tendencies. For the most part a guy like that, you watch him over the course of his career, he wants to get to the net. He’s great around the front of the net so that’s where we’re going to look for him.”
  • “Special teams are huge. You have to win that battle and you have to make sure that we get some momentum out of those power plays. I thought at times we didn’t. It kinda deflated us. On the flip side, we have to do a better job of getting (penalty) kills and getting momentum on our kills. As of late, I think it’s been every game that we’ve let in a power-play goal so we have to do a better job with it.”

Forward Thomas Vanek

  • ”For myself it was good to get the first game out of the way. I was really nervous and it was a long day for me.
  • “Early on we didn’t play great and got down a couple of goals. In this League, if you are chasing it’s hard to get a groove. I thought that our second (period) was better. As a line I thought in the second that we created a few chances but not as much as we would have liked.”
  • “I just want to rest up and get a good practice tomorrow and keep finding some chemistry.”
  • “[Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta] are two good players. [Chemistry]  doesn’t happen in one night. Practice is going to be important tomorrow.”

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett

  • “These are desperate points for us and we need this win bad. We battled through a poor second period and made sure we played a real disciplined third period and pushed the game along.”

 


Check back, video highlights will be up soon.  To look back at the full lineups for tonight’s game, check the Game Day preview.


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