Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Max Domi – Nick Suzuki 

Charles Hudon – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Joel Armia

Nick Cousins – Nate Thompson – Jordan Weal

Ben Chiarot – Shea Weber

Victor Mete – Jeff Petry

Mike Reilly – Cale Fleury

Carey Price – Keith Kinkaid

Christian Folin, Brett Kulak

Paul Byron, Jonathan Drouin

Game Report

The Bruins took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. Reacting to a period end summary on the All Habs fan page on Facebook, Art wrote ‘Price has to be better, 3 goals on 7 shots doesn’t cut it.’

For the record, Boston had eight shots in the opening frame. The first two Bruins goals were scored on the power-play. For perspective, that’s the number one power-play in the NHL against the league’s worst penalty-kill.

On the first goal, Jake DeBrusk was left all alone in the low slot. The puck left his stick as soon as it arrived. Carey Price had no chance.

On the second power-play goal, David Pastrnak ripped a one-timer. Again, no chance for the goaltender. The Canadiens penalty-kill was victimized again.

Before the period was out, Jeff Petry gave up the puck behind the net. Brad Marchand was handed a golden opportunity. Again, nothing that the goalie could do.

So with our friend from our Facebook fan page placing the full blame on Price, I was compelled to ask, ‘were you watching the game, Art?’

‘No, the game is not available in my region,’ he said. And then he reminded me of that utterly meaningless ‘stat’ x goals on y shots.

TVA analyst and former NHL goaltender Patrick Lalime completely dismantled that silly phrase a few weeks ago. I’ll summarize for you: the number of shots is irrelevant if they are unstoppable.

But apparently it was good enough for a Habs fan who was not even watching the game.

And that’s one of the problems with social media. Users don’t have any qualms about offering an opinion (usually pre-conceived) even if they aren’t qualified to do so.

The Canadiens are floundering right now. And that has nothing to do with the team’s captain or it’s best player. They are, of course, convenient targets for those who have an issue with the compensation they receive.

Persons closer to the game will tell you that there are serious structural problems with the Canadiens. Season after season, the general manager complains about how hard his job is and fills holes with marginal players rather than address real needs. He rolls the dice and hopes that the Canadiens make it to the playoffs.

They haven’t in three of the last four years.

The head coach was the old, rusty anchor slowing the Bruins ship until he was tossed overboard. Now the Canadiens know why. And that Boston team looks pretty good without him.

This team needs a major injection of talent whether it is on the ice, behind the bench or on the seventh-floor of the Bell Centre. And it must come before it is too late. The Canadiens have lost five straight.

Plus / Minus

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▼  Jeff Petry, Victor Mete, Max Domi, Nick Suzuki, Nate Thompson, penalty-kill