Montreal 2 Ottawa 3 (Bell Centre)
“Leadership is the ability to hide your panic from others”– Anonymous
MONTREAL, QC.– In the All Habs Poll of the Week, we offered you a chance to send Canadiens coach Jacques Martin a message. Overwhelmingly, you told the Canadiens head coach to fix the power-play. As we have observed, coaching can make a major difference in the success with the man advantage (Minnesota and Atlanta are the latest examples).
Some of Martin’s moves defy logic. Tinkering has produced nothing. The Habs find themselves dead last in the league in power-play efficiency having scored three goals in 47 opportunities.
Overlooked in Hamilton, Yannick Weber has three power-play goals and leads AHL defencemen with seven.
The top five NHL teams have at least 15 goals on the power-play. What would similar numbers mean to the Habs?
Clearly the team is having trouble scoring. In the five regulation losses, the Canadiens have scored five goals, total! Can any team expect to win with one goal per game?
While a successful power-play boots production, a failed one has often been followed by an opposition goal providing the turning point for the game. In addition, opposing teams have no fear in taking penalties allowing them to play a more physical game against the Canadiens.
We can assume that a working Habs power-play means increased goal scoring numbers for Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez lessening the pressure on them.
Finding a winger to play with Gomez and Gionta was the second most popular response in the poll. The pair need a winger who can match their skill level and provide a physical presence on the boards. Those requirements are not filled by Tom Pyatt, Mathieu Darche, Travis Moen or Benoit Pouliot.
So far, coach Martin has refused to try Lars Eller or Max Pacioretty on the wing, two of the players in the organization who fill the bill. A fair trial would be five to ten games to allow the trio to develop chemistry.
Instead, Martin went against the expressed wishes of Mike Cammalleri and broke up the Habs top line sending Andrei Kostitsyn to play with Gomez. It’s no secret that Gomez and Gionta enjoy playing together. We also know that Tomas Plekanec has a positive impact on the play of Kostitsyn.
In short, Martin shortcircuited his top line and created an uncomfortable playing environment for each of his top five forwards. Coaching moves smacked of desperation and signaled a coach who was out of ideas. The “leader” was demonstrating his panic in front of millions.
The result was a season low 23 shots and an offense that was in disarray.
Readers, as expressed through the poll, also believe that Martin should spell his older defensemen rotating in Ryan O’Byrne and Alexandre Picard. The struggles of Jaroslav Spacek have been often been noted, but it is Hal Gill who has been a liability recently.
Both veterans can be more effective when they aren’t overtaxed particularly in back-to-back games. In addition, O’Byrne is the only defenseman capable of clearing the front of the net. Opposition coaches have had success sending forwards in the direction of Carey Price to create screens or crash the net.
The final poll option asked coach Martin to instill discipline. It was in short supply on Saturday night as the Canadiens took six minor penalties to only two for Ottawa. Penalty-killing has been a strength for the Habs but time spent short-handed lessens offensive opportunities which is detrimental to a team that has difficulty scoring.
Plus/Minus:
▲ Carey Price was outstanding, not only had to make big saves but also had to contend with Senators in his crease all game long.
▲ Brian Gionta and Scott Gomez both seemed to be working hard but didn’t connect for a goal until reunited in the third period.
▲ Andrei Kostitsyn was another Canadiens player who showed effort including six hits, but without familiar linemates was held off the scoresheet.
▼ Hal Gill and P.K. Subban looked lost. Gill was on the ice for every Senators goal.
▼ Mr. High-and-Wide, Mike Cammalleri is not the same sniper from last year’s playoffs. He only managed one shot-on-goal in 17 minutes of ice-time.
▼ Dustin Boyd, Max Lapierre and Tom Pyatt were a minus-two. Despite his poor performance over the past few games, Lapierre was rewarded with top six shifts in the third period.
The Canadiens are off until Tuesday when they play host to the Vancouver Canucks at the Bell Centre.
All Habs game stars:
1. Carey Price
2. Brian Gionta
3. Andrei Kostitsyn
Roster notes:
Ryan O’Byrne, Lars Eller and Alexandre Picard were healthy scratches.
(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)