I find it amusing that some people are finally proclaiming the Habs 2015-16 season “over” because it was the first game out of the All Star break – as if back to back 5-2 losses to Columbus heading into the break didn’t happen.
Since December 1 the Montreal Canadiens are 6-19-1.
Not a single move has been made, unless you count Jarred Tinordi for Victor Bartley and John Scott.
And I thought we had seen the last of the Pierre Gauthier era.
THE GOOD
- Andrei Markov. Strong effort. First goal in 33 games. Or put it this way – the last time he scored he did so for a team that looked like it might be the best in the Eastern Conference. If you missed the last edition of The Friday Scrum (Habs Lunch) it’s worth repeating: Markov is going through a personal off ice issue (not related to health) that would take a toll on anybody. Lack of focus is not due to old age.
- Mike Condon. Can’t pin this one on him. He did his job, especially in the second period when the team in front of him seemingly thought they had won the game 2-2.
- Devante Smith-Pelly. Somebody got the memo about taking the puck to the net. His hard play eventually led to the game tying goal.
- Jeff Petry. Looked more like the guy from a season ago.
- Alex Galchenyuk. His strong shot led to the Markov goal on the power play. He should have picked up a second power play assist except his teammate panicked with the puck.
- Lucas Lessio. Welcome to the NHL. Ooof.
THE BAD
- Nathan Beaulieu. How an “offensive” defenseman can miss a wide open net as Beaulieu did on a late second period power play is beyond me. He was set up perfectly by Galchenyuk only to fire the puck back into a badly-out-of-position Steve Mason. It would have given Montreal a 3-2 lead. Costly miss? Of course. Especially after Beaulieu couldn’t tie up Jacob Voracek behind the Montreal net (like men against boys) eight minutes into the third period. Voracek easily found Wayne Simmonds in the slot who scored his second goal of the night to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead and the win.
- David Desharnais-Dale Weise-Max Pacioretty. They had chances. But didn’t bury them. When Pacioretty is hot he whips shots into the net. There’s not much of that going on. Way too passive.
- Tomas Plekanec. Has perfected the inability to score on a two on one.
- Lars Eller. Habs needed more.
- Tomas Fleischmann. Incapable of giving more. How can the Habs continue to justify sitting Sven Andrighetto – or any young player – while Fleischmann eats up third line minutes?
- Torrey Mitchell-Brian Flynn. Remember when they were part of a 4th line that consistently outplayed the opponents’ 4th line? When Stephen Harper was still the PM.
- Michel Therrien. The Canadiens scored their one power play goal with Galchenyuk on the ice. As noted, Galchenyuk set up Beaulieu for what should have been an easy go ahead goal. But following both occasions Therrien had the Desharnais trio start the next power play. They started every power play except the last one. David Desharnais is not a power play performer. Thinking that at age 29 he’ll suddenly develop into some kind of power play monster is to ignore reality. Galchenyuk has so much more offensive skill than any centreman on the Habs. The entire hockey world can see it. Except for the guys who are running the team.
THE UGLY
- Special Teams. Flyers scored their first two goals on the power play. Late in the third Radko Gudas handed Montreal a chance to tie the game or even win it when he went low shoulder-to-knee on Lessio. But the best scoring chances during the five minute major were supplied by the Flyers.
- Galchenyuk at LW. Explain this to me again? The Habs want him to work on his play “without the puck” while forwards who have the puck can’t do anything with it? Surely even Pierre Gauthier would note the idiocy of playing a future star out of position for a floundering team that can get any offense generated from the middle of the ice.
