CANADIENS
Montreal

SABRES
Buffalo

Game Notes:

Schedule.  Of a six-game test in nine days, the home-and-home series against the league’s worst team was supposed to be a tune-up. It was billed as an opportunity to bank four points while building confidence and momentum before heading west. Instead, the Habs squeezed out just one point and in the process the team has fallen from 1st in the league to 5th.

Fake bouquets.  After Friday night’s game. coach Michel Therrien went out of his way to let the media know that he was happy with the way his team had played. By his count the Habs scoring chances were 2-to-1 saying if the Canadiens played similarly on Saturday, they would win. Shots they had, chances too, but not much in the way of finish. After 40 minutes in Saturday’s game, the Canadiens had scored two controversial goals, the first after the goalie had frozen the puck and the second as the puck had crossed the line by the slimmest of margins. And yes, against a team that gives up a ton of goals.  Regardless of the positive spin after both games, the Canadiens have a problem with offensive zone entries, maintaining pressure, drawing penalties and finishing their scoring chances.

Lars Eller led the Canadiens with seven shots on goal, just one short of his career high. Eller also led the team in faceoff percentage at 76 per cent. Lars is now fourth in the NHL in faceoff winning percentage at 58.3, just decimal points behind Patrice Bergeron. And Eller scored his seventh of the season which puts him third on the Canadiens behind only Max Pacioretty and Tomas Plekanec.  He also leads the team this season with four game-winning goals.

What’s wrong with P.K.?  Despite the loss, many of the folks on social media were pleased with P.K. Subban’s game, calling it one of his best.  The stat line showed 1 goal on 2 shots in 26:38 of ice time. Best, indeed. It’s been that kind of season for Subban.  While P.K. sits atop the cap hit list for defensemen, he is only 16th in points. He has just two power-play points. Subban is on pace for just 44 points and 147 shots (that would be 28 percent down from last season.)

After another exciting but unproductive individual rush, CTV’s Brian Wilde tweeted, “He didn’t have 9 million worth of finish but he sure was 9 million worth of entertainment.” The Gazette’s Jack Todd saw it differently, “Other than displaying his talent, what was the point of that sequence from P.K.? He had a winger wide open at the start and wouldn’t pass.  Point was, he had a guy wide open for a shot at the start of it. A lot of dippy-doodling for not a lot.”

Flair without finish.

It’s fair to say that even P.K. would admit that he has had a disappointing season so far.  Discipline has been better of late but he still ranks fifth in minor penalties in the league. As entertaining as his individualistic play can be, Subban has to make better use of his teammates and make better decisions at both ends of the ice.

The bubble. Michel Therrien’s success this season (and in his second stint in Montreal) have been gifted to him by Carey Price.  Therrien will be challenged to provide goal support for Price on the upcoming road trip by making better personnel choices and improving his game preparation. Otherwise it may be painful to watch the bubble burst for fans who have been led to believe that this is a first place team.

Plus / Minus

▲   Lars Eller, Jiri Sekac, Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher

▼   Mike Weaver, Bryan Allen, P.A. Parenteau, power-play

1.  Brian Flynn  BUF
2.  Max Pacioretty  MTL
3.  Brian Gionta  BUF

• “The way we played, we could have gathered four points this weekend. We spent three-quarters of the game in their offensive zone and we couldn’t capitalize on it.”

Brendan Gallagher

• “It’s too bad that we weren’t able to come away with a win on home ice. It’s a little disappointing but at the same time you’ve got to give them credit, they’re playing well.”

Alex Galchenyuk

• “We feel like this is the second game in a row that we outshot and outchanced them, and had good opportunities, but at the end of the day, they come up with the win. It’s frustrating, but we can’t really do anything about it now and we’ve got to focus on our next game, and learn from our mistakes and take the positive things from these two games and move on.”

Sabres forward Brian Gionta

• “We battled hard. At times we got away from our game but we stuck with it. We got the lead in the third, we gave it away and got behind and we still stuck with it, so I like the way our team’s growing. You know, earlier in the year we might have folded, and we stuck with it and found a way to win.”

Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth

• “I thought it was no way that was in, but like, you could see on the replay it was actually in. I didn’t even feel it on my stick when it first happened, so it’s a great stuff that we have the goal cameras, I guess, and great job by the people in Toronto.”

Sabres coach Ted Nolan

• “The first 10 games or so, we’re down one goal, we get down, and the game is over. We didn’t believe we could fight back and win them. And for the last couple of weeks or so, this group is really starting to come together. They’re working, they’re believing that no matter what the score is that they have a chance to win.”
• “I think [Jhonas Enroth] capped it all off the way he played in that shootout. I mean there was nothing there for all the shooters.”