Three Possible First Round Playoff Matchups

With eight games remaining on their schedule and the playoffs just around the corner, it's time to look ahead to the possible 1st round match-ups. Currently Montreal leads the NHL with 100 points following last night's overtime loss in Nashville. Very likely, Montreal will be 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in the Eastern conference. I will look at the three most likely match-ups for Montreal (in no particular order).



Washington Capitals (currently 7th in the Eastern Conference)

So far Montreal has swept the season series with one game left to be played in Montreal on April 2nd.

Why Montreal would win this series

The Habs have more depth in their line-up thanks to the genius moves made by GM Marc Bergevin. Also, Montreal can rely on the experience of shutting down Steven Stamkos, comparable to the monumental task of shutting down Ovechkin. This season, Montreal has seemed hungry to excel in the NHL after going deep in last year's playoffs. I just don't think Washington has the depth to beat Montreal four times.

Why Washington could win this series

One big reason Montreal could fall is the presence of superstar Alex Ovechkin. Ovie has the skill to single-handedly take over a game. There aren't too many players with the kind of impact on a game as Ovechkin. Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and TB's Stamkos are two other players that are game changers. Montreal cannot give Ovechkin any time or space or he will burn them. Another major factor to consider is the man behind the Capitals bench in Barry Trotz. Trotz has a reputation for coaxing a lot out of a little. He's so good with fringe players that he could squeeze water from a stone.

Predicted result: Montreal in 6 games

Boston Bruins (currently in 9th place in the Eastern Conference; one point back of the 2nd WC spot)

This is the second likeliest first round opponent for the Habs. Montreal swept the season series vs. the Bruins. I don't expect this one will end in a sweep. The Bruins are good enough to steal a game or two.

Why Montreal would win this series

Simply put, Montreal matches up very well against the physical Bruins. Also, Boston has an aging stale core. They virtually have the same cast of players that won the 2011 Stanley Cup. Montreal, on the other hand, has a young vibrant roster that should contend for several years. Most of their core players (PK Subban, Carey Price, Tomas Plekanec) are just entering their prime years, I just don't see Boston lasting through a seven game series against Montreal. Oh and Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask has historically struggled against the Habs.

Why Boston could win this series

As mentioned above this will be a very physical series and the physicality will take its toll on the Habs. Maybe Subban might be playing through an injury and that is impacting his effectiveness. Boston might be an older team, but this means they have more experience. Also, one has to be concerned with Montreal's struggles to score. There have been more than a few games this season where the Habs have struggled to score and in the playoffs it's very hard to nurse a one goal lead.

Predicted result: Montreal in 7 games


Ottawa Senators (currently 8th in the Eastern conference)

If the playoffs started today, this is the team Montreal would face. Ottawa won 2 of 3 games vs. Montreal this year. In my opinion, this is the toughest of the potential first round opponents. See below to know the reason why.

Why Montreal would win this series

The biggest advantage Montreal has over Ottawa is playoff experience. Ottawa has not been a playoff team since the 2012-2013 season. They are also a very young team, likely prone to mistakes. Yes, Ottawa is on a hot streak, but eventually they will lose again. To win this series, Montreal must stay out of the box and win the first two games of the series. This will create doubt in the heads of the Senators players.

Why Ottawa could win this series

Ottawa is on a ridiculous hot streak. At one point, they were 14 points out of a playoff position. A lot has to do with the stellar play of rookie goalie Andrew Hammond, aka the "Hamburglar". Hammond has not lost a game in regulation, going 14-0-1 during the streak. There have been countless goalies in history (Ken Dryden, Tim Thomas, and Jonathan Quick) who have gotten hot and carried their teams to the holy grail.

Predicted result: Montreal in 7 games

Two teams I'm glad Montreal won't face in the first round

The two teams are the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres thankfully are in full tank mode and have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. The Sabres and Habs met four times this season with Buffalo taking three of four. Buffalo has the potential to be a dangerous team in the next five years depending on how well they draft and develop their players. Tampa Bay, if you will recall, Montreal swept in the first round last season. However, the Lightning were missing two key pieces. Starting goalie Ben Bishop was out with a major elbow injury and forward Steven Stamkos had only recently returned from a fractured leg. Stamkos was not 100% and wasn't in game shape. This season, both players are back and that has made a massive difference to the Lightning. Should Montreal get past the first round, they will almost certainly face TB at some point in the playoffs, Likely in the EC finals.

Bottom Line

I think Montreal will win the first round, but they can be their own worst enemy. Should the Habs take any one of the Bruins, Senators or Capitals lightly, they will be in tough. The teams that make the NHL playoffs are all capable of doing damage. Montreal must capitalize on their scoring chances, stay out of the penalty box and hope the bounces go their way.

The Habs could also face the Detroit Red Wings in the first round if Tampa Bay wins the division.

Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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The 12 Habs of Christmas

In honor of the holidays, here is a Canadiens version of "The 12  Days of Christmas"

On the first day of Christmas the Habs gave to me a Stanley Cup in June

On the Second day of Christmas the Habs gave to me two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the third day of Christmas the Habs gave to me three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the fourth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the fifth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the sixth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the seventh day of Christmas the Habs gave to me seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the eighth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me eight penalty kills

Seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the ninth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me nine broken sticks

Eight penalty kills

Seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the tenth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me ten power plays 

Nine broken sticks

Eight penalty kills

Seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the eleventh day of Christmas the Habs gave to me eleven Price saves

Ten power plays 

Nine broken sticks

Eight penalty kills

Seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

On the twelfth day of Christmas the Habs gave to me twelve Oles 

Eleven Price saves

Ten power plays 

Nine broken sticks

Eight penalty kills

Seven Gallagher hits

Six wins in a row

Five Olympic Golds

Four Markov blocks

Three Galchenyuk goals
Two Subban Slapshots
And a Stanley Cup in June

Happy Holidays Habs fans and Go Habs Go

A Habs fan blogging from BC

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NHL Officiating Inconsistency. Who is at fault?

Credit: ESPN

Who is to blame for the inconsistency with NHL officiating? Is it the referees? Is it the players? Is it the coaches? Or is it the League?

Inconsistency with NHL officiating seems to be a big problem this year, but don’t kid yourselves Habs fans it’s not only happening in Montreal and in games involving the Montreal Canadiens.

In Montreal this season, we have seen several goals that have been disallowed, and we have seen questionable calls on PK Subban and Brendan Gallagher (partly their fault due to the reputation they have). We have seen some players do the exact same things we call “hockey plays” that Subban and Gallagher do, and get away with them. These types of situations happen in every single rink in the league, every single night.

The game is faster than ever, the players are bigger and stronger, the coaches have great strategies and “The League has instructions that they give the Officials".

There are currently 42 referees and 35 linesmen on active duty in the NHL. 28 out of the 42 referees have anywhere from 10 to 26 years of NHL experience. I don’t expect any of these guys to officiate a game the same way. It’s impossible. Every person reacts to different situations in different ways. What one referee sees as a high stick is a hook to another, what one sees as a hook is nothing at all to another official. Fans will always complain regardless. It’s human nature.

What has become clear is that we’re all wrong. The officiating is extremely consistent. They call what they see. That’s the bottom line. That’s where the war room in Toronto comes in. And ladies and gentlemen that’s where the problem is!

As fans our major issue is when the referees go to Toronto and the decisions are almost never the same on plays that are identical. A rule is a rule. The intent of a player should not be considered. He either did it or he did not. He either hit the goalie or he did not. He either kicked the puck or he did not. Nobody can read someone else’s thoughts. This nonsense has to stop.

The problem is not the inconsistency of the officials; it’s the inconsistency of the NHL.

The NHL has the war room in Toronto where you have “NON-OFFICIALS” taking officiating decisions. To me that’s absolutely absurd. You don’t ask a player to referee or a referee to play. That does not make any sense. The war room should have at least one official assisting with the final decision. The referee knows the rule book inside out, the referee has been applying the RULES his whole life.

The NHL has to stop using the word “INTENT”. My favorite one is the “INTENT TO WHISTLE”. Oh come on. It’s either the whistle was blown or it wasn’t. It’s either player A pushed player B from behind, not the intent. Punish the action, everybody will learn from it.

WHO IS TO BLAME FOR THE INCONSISTENCY? 

-THE DINOSAURS IN CHARGE OF THE NHL!

Written by Eitan Calmy

----------------------------

I've been involved in the game for 25+ years, as a player, a referee (over 15 years), and now as a minor league coach (I coach my 7-year-old son) I can say that I know and understand the game. I'm definitely not an expert, but who is?

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Surprise, Surprise...

Russia loses to Finland in Quarterfinals
Picture from the New York Times

Semi-final match-ups: 

Finland vs. Sweden

Canada vs. USA

Okay. But... where's Russia? Oh, right. They've managed to legitimatise the label "Russian Deception" or "Russian Catastrophe", or whatever defines a Russian bomb at the Sochi Olympics (and not from terrorists). Men's hockey gold was really the only medal that mattered the most to the host nation...and they blew it. Olympics after Olympics, the Russians are known to be a team that doesn't play like a team, and that was evident during the quarterfinals yesterday. The Finns, despite missing key players like Mikko Koivu and Valtteri Filppula, demonstrated character and unity that the Russians could never match. I extend my condolences to all Russians on this disappointing day in Olympic hockey. As a Canadian supporter, a Canada-Russia final would have been EPIC. Until next time... if the NHL allows its players to go to South Korea in 2018. But that's a conversation for another time...

Moving on, I completely underestimated the Latvian hockey team. I was convinced that Canada would face-off with Switzerland. Logically speaking, the Swiss had a better team on paper, but what matters is the team on the ice, and Latvia brought it. That was the case today, as well. They are not the most skilled hockey team, but they played the body and committed to it, especially in the first period. However, the rest of the game could be titled "The Kristers Gudlevskis Show" (it has a certain ring to it, no?), as the Tampa Bay Lightning prospect stopped 55 of 57 shots fired at him, giving Shea Weber and the Canadian hockey team their second goal only on the 54th shot. 

Latvian Netminder Gudlevskis
(AP / Mark Humphrey)

Anyone watching the game could see how tired Gudlevskis was midway through the game, lying down, face to the ice, holding onto the small breaks in between plays. All in all, kudos to Latvia and Gudlevskis on making it all the way to the quarters, and making a game out of a match-up that could have been a complete thrashing from their Canadian opponents.

Speaking of which, who here is kind of (really) worried about the lack of offensive output displayed by our Canadian team? In fact, it's not much of a question. On paper, this should be the team scoring the most goals, but they have produced 13 thus far, 7 of which were from defensemen. Captain Crosby has changed lines as many times as the host of the Oscars, and there seems to be some chemistry  between him, Kunitz, and Bergeron. Heading into the semis against a hot American team, the Canadians need to start producing offensively if they want to beat a team that wants redemption from Vancouver. That being said, I know that it's not about a lack of effort or talent. With 57 shots on goal, many of which were quality scoring chances, team Canada didn't give up and panic. 

As a Montreal Canadiens fan, I don't think Subban will be in the line-up when we face the Americans. But he does offer that offensive flair and spunk that this team desperately needs. He is a risk taker, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Carey Price made the saves he needed to make yesterday, stopping 15 of 16 shots. Pundits will probably pick on him for that lone goal, talk about his technique, or how shaky he may have seemed throughout the game. Listen, even if his shoulders should have been held higher, it was still a breakaway that shouldn't have happened. Moreover, the fact that he was able to keep his concentration while his counterpart was being bombarded with pucks, is something that should not be overlooked. The real problem here, as previously discussed, is our lack of offensive production. However, with the effort the boys put into today's game, they are bound to grow from this experience. Hopefully, they will be able to perform up to their potential on paper, Friday at noon.

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Montreal Canadiens: Depth Chart and Player Movements

One week after the opening of free agency, the Canadiens' roster is most likely settled for the beginning of the 2013-14 season, unless GM Marc Bergevin manages to trade a big salary. There won't be many surprises in training camp like last season when both Galchenyuk and Gallagher managed to stick with the team following the lock-out.

The only spot that could open at forward barring a trade, is if captain Brian Gionta begins the season on the injury reserve recovering from a torn biceps. Including Gionta, the Habs currently have 13 forwards slated to begin with the season in the NHL following the acquisition of enforcer Georges Parros last week. Should Gionta's become available, look for the Canadiens to call up Gabriel Dumont or Christian Thomas to fill the 13th forward role.

On defense, the team seriously lacks grit and physicality with Alexei Emelin due to begin the campaign on the injury reserve and miss at least two months recovering from a serious knee injury. Unless the Canadiens decide to sign a veteran free agent to compensate Emelin's loss, rookie Jarred Tinordi is the likeliest candidate to begin the season in the top-6, relegating Davis Drewiske to a reserve role.

Finally, the rumors are swirling that UFA Brenden Morrow is currently talking to the Canadiens about the possibility of signing with the team. In 44 games last season, Morrow, 34, notched 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points with a -3 plus/minus ratio. Morrow recorded 4 points in 14 playoffs games with the Penguins after he was acquired from the Stars at the trade deadline. Morrow, who is married to Guy Carbonneau's daughter, Anne-Marie, has a personal interest in signing with the Habs, but the gritty forward has more than one offer on the table at the moment.

Habs Depth chart:

Left Wing              Centre                      Right Wing
Max Pacioretty      David Desharnais      Daniel Brière
Rene Bourque       Tomas Plekanec        Brian Gionta
Alex Galchenyuk   Lars Eller                  Brendan Gallagher
Travis Moen         Ryan White (RFA)    Brandon Prust
Extra: George Parros

Defensemen:
Andrei Markov    Francis Bouillon
Josh Gorges         P.K. Subban
Jarred Tinordi      Raphael Diaz
Extra: Davis Drewiske

Injury Reserve: Alexi Emelin (knee)

Goaltenders:
Carey Price
Peter Budaj

The Canadiens really improved their AHL depth during the off-season, signing career AHLers Nick Tarnasky and Martin St. Pierre, and adding a few more players from the QMJHL, namely Stefan Fournier, Stephen MacAuley and Ben Duffy.

With the arrival of new prospects, transitioning from Europe and the CHL, Hamilton will be much more competitive than last season. The team still needs to add depth on defense, especially a left-handed defenseman able to mentor the younger defensemen, something that was lacking last season. With the departure of Frederic St. Denis and Jason DeSantis, Bergevin really needs to address that weakness now.

Bulldogs Depth chart:

Left Wing              Centre                     Right Wing
Nick Tarnasky      Martin St. Pierre       Christian Thomas
Patrick Holland        Gabriel Dumont        Louis Leblanc
Mike Blunden       Michael Bournival     Sven Andrighetto
Steve Quailer        Joonas Nattinen        Stefan Fournier
Extra: Stephen MacAuley, Ben Duffy

Defensemen:
Nathan Beaulieu   Morgan Ellis
Greg Pateryn        Magnus Nygren
Darren Dietz         ?
Extra: ?

Goaltenders:
Dustin Tokarski (RFA)
Mike Condon
Robert Mayer

I hope the above gives you a bigger picture of the organization's depth chart and shows you that the team is making every effort to rebuild its pool of quality prospects through the draft and the free agency.

Follow me on Twitter @FredPoulin98 if you want to talk puck and Habs.

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If It Was A Full Season, Things Would Be Different

This season started off with a lockout. Then finally they came to a conclusion, and the season would go on with forty some games.

Do you think with a full season the Montreal Canadiens would be at the same position there are in? In my opinion , I don't think so. The Habs are known to perform well the first half of the season, so consider this the first half of a regular season .

Surprises This Year

Many might say being first place is the biggest surprise this year, and yes it is. P.K. Subban is yet another one that really shocked the media and the fans . He has changed his game playing methods, Therrien has molded him into a d-man that has ten years experience already.

The youngsters like Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher , Lars Eller just too mention a few have grown into great players. They have been giving the ice-time required to prove themselves. Eller was sitting on the edge of the bench sometime this time last year.

Peter Budaj, a goalie that game in game out has been winning games that no one thought he can win, and not only that he wins them big. Budaj is a great secondary goalie to Price, he his not as talented as other back-up goalies in the Nhl, but he's getting the job done this year.

The management and staff that are behind the scenes at games. Jean Jaques Daigneault, the coach for the d-men, far from others might think, Daigneault has been teaching his way through all the defencemen. His vision is very simple and easy to understand, keep it away from you, dump the puck, get the first pass out of the zone, slow down the game, the d-men keep the game under control.

And finally Michel Therrien, well what can we say . Therrien has brought this group of guys closer than before. He has turned this team into a serious machine that can compete versus the best of the league. Therrien 's
philosophy must not be hard to understand for the players.

On a final note thus being a short season the Habs are on top. If this year was a full season I personally don't think the team would be at the same position they are now.

(My2cents)
Terry  Argiroudis

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Habs Top Capitals, More Subban News, More...

T.G.I.F. HabsAddicts!!!

The Habs kept rolling along, going into Washington and beating the Capitals 4-1. The Canadiens scored early in the second period and never looked back.

Washington looked totally out of sorts, rarely generating any speed through the neutral zone and creating very few scoring chances. Capitals' captain Alex Ovechkin had only three quality shots on goal. Carey Price was solid once again in the Montreal goal, only allowing a single shot to be him off the stick of Joey Crabb with 2:23 left to play. Price stopped 30 of 31 shots he faced.

Offence from the back-end was once again front and centre, as both Andrei Markov and Josh Gorges beat Washington netminder Michal Neuwirth. Markov now leads the Habs with three goals on the season, while Raphael Diaz , who added two assists on the night, leads the team in points with five.

Habs and Hockey News and Notes;

- Jimmy Murphy had some news about the P.K. Subban contract impass, and he joined Corey Collard, Dave Kellerman and Kamal Panesar on Montreal Hockey Talk to discuss it.

- The Edmonton Oilers found a way to squeak out a 2-1 overtime win against the L.A. Kings, as Nail Yakupov scored with only five seconds left in regulation, and Sam Gagner scored his first of the season in overtime. The highlight of the night was the celebration by Yakupov after scoring the tying goal.



- Jamie Benn finally signed a five-year, $26.25 Million contract ($5.25 Million AAV). According to sources, the Stars had made this initial offer weeks ago, but Benn's agent, Rich Evans, never advised his client that this offer was tabled by Dallas.

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Montreal-Philadelphia: Flyers Hang on to Beat Habs 3-2

In losing 3-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers yesterday, the Habs put a damper on an otherwise exciting evening.

The list of interesting plot twists was plentiful as the Habs prepared to dispute two huge points in the standings: Carey Price playing his first back-to-back games since January, Josh Gorges in the lineup after taking a puck off the back of his head the previous game, P.K. Subban playing his first NHL game—as Markov was scratched due to injury—newly acquired Dominic Moore playing his first game in a Habs uniform, and the whole thing taking place with the Olympic opening ceremonies only hours away.

The Habs came out flat, however, from the drop of the puck, and hung Carey Price out to dry. Sadly, this has become an all too familiar pattern.

While Price was looked shaky and unsure of himself during the first two periods, the Habs defensive zone coverage was atrocious for most of the game, making him look even worse.

The Flyers opened the scoring at 18:14 of the first with a shot that Price stopped, resulting in a goal-mouth scramble. Philly's Hartnell was tussling in the crease and pushed Price into the net with his stick. This left an opening for Jeff Carter to shovel the puck into the open net for his 25th of the season.

The Habs went to the first intermission down by one and it didn't take Philly long to extend their lead.

At 1:17 of the second, Jeff Carter fired a rocket from the point which went through Price's five-hole to make it 2-0 for the Flyers. Price was unscreened on the play and should clearly have stopped that shot. With such fragile confidence, however, Price tends to fall apart after getting scored on.

The Flyers weren't done, potting a third goal only two minutes later as a harmless looking Matt Carle shot from the point was deflected by Ryan O'Byrne past Price.

Philly simply dominated the rest of the second frame, outshooting the Habs 12-7 and 23-13 after two.

The third period started differently as Price seemed to settle into a groove, coming up with several excellent stops to keep it a three goal game.

P.K. Subban played an excellent game and his hard work led to the Habs first goal. Using what will soon be known as his patented end-to-end rushes, Subban brought the puck into the Flyers zone and passed it behind the net. The Habs' Glen Metropolit jumped on the puck and just threw it out front, bouncing it off of Daniel Briere and into the net. 3-1 Flyers.

This goal gave the Habs a lift as Dominic Moore scored his first goal in a Habs uniform, less than a minute later off of a scramble in close.

With less than a minute to play in the game, Philly's Darroll Powe slammed Jaroslav Spacek into the board resulting in an injury to Spacek and a five minute major penalty to Powe.

Despite the powerplay and carrying the momentum to the final buzzer, the Habs were not able to score that elusive tying goal and lost, 3-2. The game ended with a melee of players in the Flyers zone none more prominent than Gomez who attacked Kimmo Timonen.

Tempers flared and blood boiled and I am sure it will only carry over into today's grudge match at the Bell Center.

Final: Habs 2 - Flyers 3


Game Notes
1 - Like Rodney Dangerfield, Price gets no respect. Yesterday was the same old story that we have gotten used to: Price in nets, no support in front of him, terrible defensive zone coverage, no shots on net, tons of turnovers and Habs can't score more than two goals.

While there is no question that the second goal was one that Price would like to have back and that he looked very shaky for the first two periods, my question is where was the team in front of him?

Price's fragile confidence is evident and I think that the team knows it. As such, they don't generally play the same in front of him as in front of Halak. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a vicious cycle and Price has to figure out a way to get out of it.

2 - Ryan O'Byrne is finding his game. Last night, OB looked solid out there and you can see his confidence growing each game. OB delivering solid hits, made great, unhurried first passes and exhibiting good defensive zone coverage.

The best illustration of his confidence was when he and Simon Gagne were racing for a loose puck in the neutral zone. Gagne got to the puck first but O'Byrne dove and knocked it away from him, preventing a clear breakaway. It's nice to see him settling down and finding his groove.

3 - P.K. Subban was the best player on the ice for the Habs. Not only does he look NHL ready, but he has the swagger of a veteran. Paired with Hal Gill, Subban made great plays, he looked calm with the puck and he's not afraid to try dynamic things offensively.

His offensive prowess was on display as he made a spin-o-rama at the blue line to lose his checker, leaving him open for a great shot from the point.

Subban looks like a mini-Markov.

The other thing that was apparent was that Subban was rearing to go every time he stepped on the ice. He just wanted to make things happen and often did, whether it was with solid defensive plays or his end-to-end rushes.

Give this guy a little time to season at the NHL level and he will become a star.

The last note on Subban is that it's nice to see how confident he is. When interviewed during the intermission by RDS, Subban was asked why he didn't look nervous. His answer was "...why should I be nervous? I've been playing hockey since I was three.."

Love it!

4 - Habs cannot play against physical teams. While the Habs seem to play well against teams skill-based teams such as Washington and Vancouver and Pittsburgh, they tend to have a tough time against physical teams like Philly.

Philly plays a physical brand of hockey that puts a lot of duress on the smaller Canadiens' players. As a result, the Habs lose more battles than they win and tend to have difficulty getting things going in the offensive zone.

If there is one thing that Gauthier should try to address at the deadline it is the Habs lack of size.


Standings and Next Game
The loss leaves Montreal with 64 points in 62 games good enough for seventh overall in the East.

Philly leapfrogged the Habs and are now one point ahead at 65, with three games in hand.

Behind the Habs are Boston and Tampa with 63 points and three games in hand each.

The Habs now take on the Flyers again in Montreal in their last game before the Olympic break.

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Daily Habs Links - Stars, Subban #3, Price gets the call, Pouliot thriving and much more

We're baaaaaack! Fresh off a nice warm week in Mexico, Habs To The Top is back in action and ready to roll for the second half of the season. Hope you all had a great holiday season and a fab new years. Ok, on with it then...

Gameday - Stars @ Habs:
Habs Inside/Out Preview:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/27574

24 Cups looks at the Stars (from Habs Inside/Out):
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/27572

Price gets the call - Habs Inside/Out:
http://www.habsinsideout.com/main/27575

RDS:
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/289963.html

TSN - Gameday:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/scores/gameday/?hubname=nhl-canadiens

ESPN.com:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/preview?gameId=300114010

Other Habs News:
The Hockey News rates PK Subban as the 3rd best prospect in the AHL:
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/30733-THNcom-Top-10-AHL-rookie-prospects.html

TSN - Pouliot thriving in a fresh start with Habs:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=305960


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