Sabres vs Canadiens: We Sat Back, We Did Not!

Game 17: Montreal 2 Buffalo 3 SO (Bell Centre)

Written by Rick Stephens, AllHabs.net

MONTREAL, QC. — The Green Bay Packers had two first quarter touchdowns on Monday night, including an 80-yard punt return from rookie Randall Cobb. Green Bay added a field goal in the second quarter for a 17-0 half-time lead over the Minnesota Vikings.

And then it happened — the dreaded letdown. Coaches don’t advocate it and can’t do anything to prevent it. Green Bay eased its foot off the gas pedal in the second half scoring a paltry 28 points for a 45-7 win.

Just like the Montreal Canadiens, right?

With a 2-0 lead heading into the third period of tonight’s game, the Habs employed a one-man half-hearted forecheck with a rapid retreat into their own zone. If you missed the game, one stat will bring you up to speed: the Canadiens had ONE even-strength shot-on-goal in the third period. It was a shot taken by Raphael Diaz from outside the Sabres blue-line with 1:29 left in the third period leaving an easy save for goaltender Jonas Enroth.

One harmless 5-on-5 shot on goal.

That’s akin to Green Bay establishing a pattern of handing off the ball for three consecutive downs and punting for the entire second half — but they didn’t. In fact, the Packers rushed for just 90 yards in the entire game, 21 of them by quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Instead it was an aerial bombardment of the beleaguered Vikings in the final 30 minutes, scoring three passing and one rushing touchdown.

So, it’s clear. The Canadiens sat back and they got burned — it’s not a new story. It’s blatantly obvious to everyone on the planet what happened in the third period.

“I don’t think that we sat back. They were behind, they put some pressure.” — Jacques Martin

Okay, maybe not so obvious to absolutely everyone. Well then, what was the strategy for the third period?

“The plan was not to sit back at all. The best defense is offense.” — Jacques Martin

First let me confirm that coach Martin was indeed behind the bench for tonight’s game. Second, as far as I know, it wasn’t Opposites Day today. So maybe the game just looks different from ice level, in a way that peons like us can’t hope to understand.

If we were able to ask the players, I bet that they would confirm the coach’s view that the Habs didn’t “sit back at all” — it was simply a matter of pressure by the Sabres.

“We just sat back far too much.” — Erik Cole

Shhhh, Erik! I’m trying to give your coach the benefit of the doubt, because otherwise, he’s looking a little silly. Besides, all that power-play time you have been getting lately could easily dry up. Your candid comments are risking not only power-play time but opportunities like getting picked for shootouts — oh, nevermind.

When asked whether he was disappointed at not being one of the participants in the shootout, Cole responded with a curt “No.” From all accounts, Cole was on fire in this game with a goal, an assist and five shots on goal.

Okay, if he didn’t believe his team sat back, what went wrong in the third period according to the Habs’ coach?

“When you look at both goals [against] they were mistakes that we made and if you don’t make mistakes, not a goal.” — Jacques Martin

How dumb does he think we are? It’s obvious, major mistakes often lead to goals. But who was responsible for the third period Canadiens collapse?

“We made some mistakes but a lot of youth on the back end and they took advantage of it.” — Jacques Martin

Zing! How many times this season has the coach tossed his young defensemen under the bus?

We’re all aware of the injuries on the Canadiens defense including Andrei Markov and Chris Campoli. Tonight Hal Gill was ill with the flu and Jaroslav Spacek left the game with an unspecified injury — Spacek is not expected to play on Wednesday night. But coach Martin is irresponsibly inflicting more damage to the confidence of Alexei Emelin, Rafael Diaz, Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban with his constant criticism and public blame.

The barbs are not only restricted to the Canadiens defensemen. Despite strong performances by Lars Eller this season, the young center continues to be by-passed for power-play time, is given leftovers as linemates, and is criticized regularly by Martin in media scrums.

Habs head coach Jacques Martin tells us that:

• He believes his team plays a puck possession style game.
• He believes a strong offense is the best defense.
• He believes that his team does not sit back once it gets a lead.
• He believes that youth (particularly the ones on defense) are primarily responsible for Canadiens’ losses this season.

Do these comments resemble the reality that we have observed?  If coach Martin preaches the same messages to his team that he does to the media, do players believe his words and want to play for him?

Like us, the players can see through the Martin smokescreen. They too must question:

• A power-play alignment that has Tomas Plekanec on the point.
• The deployment of Mathieu Darche who continues to gobble up plenty of power-play minutes and waste countless scoring opportunities.
• The choice of “cold players” to participate in the shootout (Brian Gionta didn’t have a shot on goal in the game) and career under-performers (Tomas Plekanec is 3 for 20.)
• The unfair criticism of young players on the team. Weber played 25:35 and made a brilliant play which led to Cole’s goal; Subban had 27:37 in ice-time. Emelin had five hits and two blocked shots in his 16:31.

And these are just the questions from tonight’s game. But maybe it’s a leap to assume what the players are thinking. Perhaps they aren’t questioning the coach’s words at all — perhaps they have stopped listening long ago.

The Canadiens have now won just two of nine home games this season.  They next play on Wednesday night at the Bell Centre when they host the Carolina Hurricanes.

All Habs game stars
1. Max Pacioretty
2. Erik Cole
3. Carey Price