There was so much wrong with this game from a Montreal standpoint that it’s tempting to suggest that it was just hitting-rock-bottom time. But then you look at the standings and realize there’s still plenty of time to sink even lower before hitting Blue Jackets territory at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. But the fact is, since December 3 the Montreal Canadiens have been the worst team in the NHL, and by a wide margin.
This has been a colossal failure of leadership. From the GM’s office to the coaching staff to the players. They’ve handled adversity like a bunch of hockey virgins. The All Star break should tell us if they’ve learned anything. Because all of the “This will make us stronger” proclamations sure sound hollow with just 33 games left in the season.
THE GOOD
- P.K. Subban. Flu-like symptoms and he still logged more ice time than any player on the ice. His attempt to fire up his team after he scored from centre ice backfired as he took a chintzy unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for pushing (my late grandmother would have called it a “nudge”) Brandon Dubinsky. His health might explain why he played so poorly at home in Toronto on Saturday night. He’s picked up points in 10 of his last 12 games, including 3 goals. Subban is doing his part. But he doesn’t have nearly enough company.
- Brendan Gallagher. Once again the most (only?) effective member of the top line. Revealed early on game day that he won’t regain full use of his broken finger until the summer. He’s become the Jerry Garcia of NHL forwards.
- Lars Eller. If. If Eller’s strong shot from the high slot doesn’t hit the crossbar it gives Montreal a 2-0 lead. If he doesn’t fan on the puck on his own rush people aren’t reminded that he doesn’t possess the greatest offensive instincts.
THE BAD
- Tomas Plekanec. Playing with all the intensity of a guy who’s already checked out. In his last four games he’s pointless and minus 8.
- Max Pacioretty. In the middle of a cluster puck of soft play in front of his own net before Cam Atkinson scored the first of his hat trick to tie the game late in the first period. Anybody still mentioning Plekanec-Pacioretty-Selke in the same sentence? When did they become such a liability in their own end? Where’s the hunger, the passion, the drive? We actually saw it from the Habs captain late in the game when he he broke in from the right side, then instead of lazily sending the puck on net which he’s done often from both sides of the ice (good Corsi) he held onto it, picked up acceleration, went around the D and took the puck hard to the net, only to be foiled. That was a power forward shift. But where’s it been? In his last three games he’s pointless and minus 6.
- Jeff Petry. Worst game as a Hab?
- Dale Weise. Invisible.
- Devante Smith-Pelly. Ditto.
- David Desharnais. RDS highlighted Desharnais making a strong defensive play when he covered for a Habs defenseman who had pinched – which is what every NHL forward is taught to do. Desharnais is in the NHL to create offense. He’s not doing it.
- Alex Galchenyuk. How is it that Michel Therrien can decide that Galchneyuk and Pacioretty looked so bad (without Gallagher) for a total of two games that he had seen enough yet keeps Desharnais and Galchenyuk together when they look even worse?
- Mark Barberio. Bad give away to Dubinsky along the boards late in the first period opened the door to the Blue Jackets.
- Tomas Fleischmann. Didn’t want the puck. Surely somebody in St. John’s can do better?
- Mike Condon. Atkinson’s second goal was a backhand shot which is always more difficult for a goaltender to track. But it was right in front him with no screen. The definition of a soft goal. His save percentage keeps sinking (.904) but at least he’s tied with Pekka Rinne.
- Injury to Daniel Carr. What does it say about this team when you can see the Habs miss Carr and fellow injured forward Paul Byron?
THE UGLY
- Let’s count the ways. The Habs are facing a last place team whose head coach is recovering from broken ribs, courtesy of the hardest check Rene Bourque has thrown since the 2014 post season. Several players are bracing for a trade. Injuries force them to start 3rd string goalie Joonas Korpisalo who looks shakier than a six year old’s first visit to a haunted house. They’re forced to kill off an early 5 on 3 but Gallagher’s shot deflects off both Gregory Campbell and Jack Johnson to open the scoring. There’s still close to a minute and a half left for the Habs “new look” power play (Galchenyuk-Gallagher-Pacioretty up front with Subban and Plekanec on the points) to go for the throat. Nothing new happens. After Columbus captain Nick Foligno finishes his check on Nathan Beaulieu, forcing Beaulieu to miss at least a shift, the Habs seemed to get awfully jittery with the puck. Each one of their defensemen, with the exception of Subban, had issues. Montreal had no response to an aggressive Columbus forecheck. Not even Alexei Emelin could find a victim to slow down. At the other end of the ice the Habs didn’t seem to care. Montreal is not a physical team. Nor should it be. But there are times to play the body. Dale Weise has apparently forgotten what got him to the NHL in the first place. If Smith-Pelly plays a game without using his body then he shouldn’t play. And if you’ve already lost the game then don’t embarrass your goaltender by leaving him high and dry on an odd man rush with just 25 seconds left so Atkinson can complete his hat trick. (Pierre McGuire on the radio with us before the game: “…if you’re asking me about a player on their roster that could really help my team…I like Cam Atkinson a lot. I like Cam Atkinson a ton. I know he’s smaller…but he’s full of character and he can finish and he can skate.”) The Habs are so ugly right now it’s quite possible that when they get to lie on an exotic beach somewhere during the all star break they’ll be buried en masse in the sand by a bunch of stray cats.
