Rocket:
A few years ago, my brother and I drove down to Motor City for a Saturday night game. As we crossed the border, we began honing our negotiating skills and spoke with high expectations of the Joe Louis seats that we would score from the local scalpers. As Detroit’s finest were out in force in the area surrounding the arena, we were forced to take up our search for tickets on streets not quite paved with gold. Long story short, our expectations radically changed, and a short time later we were pleased to be heading through the entrance to the arena with our lives still intact. Our seats? I don’t recall either of us complaining about the view three rows below the roof.
I thought about my visit to the Joe and reduced expectations as tonight’s game began. At the beginning of the season Montreal and Detroit were a popular prediction pick for Cup finalists. In fact, in the EA Sports NHL 09 simulation of the season, it was the Red Wings vs the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup final. Incidentally, Detroit won 4-2 with Pavel Datysuk winning the Conn Smythe.
After a quarter of the season, how times have changed. Detroit is playing exactly as expected but most would say that the Canadiens have been a big disappointment so far.
So as the game began, it wasn’t a surprise to see the Canadiens not even offer a hint of a forecheck. After the Wings retrieved the puck, all five Habs not only vacated the Detroit zone but the neutral zone as well. Canadiens were employing an 0-5 system with everyone back behind their own blueline. The Canadiens were playing not to lose.
Would such a strategy allow the Habs to defeat the Wings in a Stanley Cup final series? Not a chance. But for a struggling team on the first game of a road trip, it was effective. For the Red Wings, this was the dreaded first home game after a long road trip.
This game plan a zero chance of being effective unless Cary Price was the first star..and he was. He was superb all night and the team’s best penalty killer. Price stopped 32 shots and came within 6 minutes of a shutout. Price made a spectacular stick save knocking the puck just past the post with the score 2-0. The Habs would take a 3 goal lead a short time later.
Tomas Plekanec had a goal and 4 shots and was the team’s best forward. He almost had a second goal late in the third but was denied by video review.
Tom Kostopoulos was pressed into service on the Koivu line and didn’t look out of place. He drove to the net and then created a turnover on the Higgins goal to make the score 3-0. TK got an assist for his troubles.
Max Lapierre opened the scoring with a good individual effort to push past the Wings defense going up the wing. With Kovalev going to the crease, Lapierre’s centering pass deflected off Lidstrom’s ankle and past Conklin.
Alex Kovalev had some fine moments including nice hit on Zetterberg. Kovy led the team with 5 shots but extended his goal-less streak to 11 games, his longest in 2 years.
Mathieu Dandenault was bumped up to the third line and played well. I loved him pushing past Rafalski to create a chance in the third. Sergei Kostitsyn played with speed and feistiness all night. He had a nice hit on Helm.
The Canadiens lines were a bit askew tonight not by Carbonneau’s fiddling but by the absence of Alex Tanguay. Tanguay was out of the game in the first period after a huge legal hit by Brad Stuart. Credit to Tanguay for playing the rest of his shift before leaving the game.
The best defensive pairing was Roman Hamrlik and Ryan O’Byrne. These two drew the toughest assignment with Hamrlik covering Zetterberg and O’Byrne having to match the strength of Franzen around the crease. Hamrlik and O’Byrne were very effective against Detroit’s top line for 54 minutes of the game.
In the third, the Canadiens were back to their 0-5 system and were inviting a goal. The Wings obliged outshooting the Habs 16-4. Franzen spoiled Price’s shutout as he scored the lone Red Wing goal after making a great move to turn O’Byrne inside-out.
Kudos to Carbonneau and crew for putting O’Byrne out to start the game. O’Byrne also got some PK shifts and 4 on 4 time. It was a good bounce back game from a character guy.
The top defensive pairing also played well. Josh Gorges has sometimes looked overwhelmed by additional icetime since Komisark’s injury and due to playing against opposition top forwards. But tonight Gorges had one of his best games.
The Canadiens were disciplined tonight taking only 3 minor penalties. Special teams were much better with one goal on 3 power play chances. The penalty killers, led by Carey Price, were perfect on 3 opportunities by the league’s #1 powerplay.
This wasn’t a game by the high flying Canadiens but a win by a team who took advantage of their opportunities. Very satisfying for the 7,500 or so Habs fans who enjoyed the game at the Joe Louis Arena.
Pre-game:
Guillaume Latendresse is mostly healed but will not play. Komisarek – shoulder injury. Laraque – groin injury.
Rocket’s 3 stars:
1. Carey Price
2. Tomas Plekanec
3. Tom Kostopoulos
(photo credit: AP Photo)