Canadiens-Flyers: Michael Leighton's Third Shutout Pushes Habs to the Brink

Wow, was that the Habs from the playoffs or from the regular season?

While I know that yesterday's Game Four 3-0 loss by the Habs was a playoff game, that sure looked like the Jekyll and Hyde team that I remember from the regular season.

As has been the case all series long, the Habs came out of the gate determined to win.

Their speed was engaged, they were forechecking and taking the play to the Flyers. The problem, for the Habs, is that they didn't score during the first ten minutes.

Marc-Andre Bergeron took a holding penalty at around the mid-point of the first, that while the Flyers didn't score they grabbed the momentum.

From that point out, it was all Philly as they outshot the Habs 13-1 in the second period and 25-17 overall.

As the Flyers took the lead, the Canadiens became a panicked bunch: rushing passes, going to low percentage shots, and struggling to get the puck into the Flyers' zone.

While Michael Leighton earned another shutout, he was not tested very much except for early in the first period.

The Flyers got two goals from Claude Giroux—one into an empty net—and one from Ville Leino.

Final score: Flyer 3 - Habs 0. The Flyers lead the series 3-1.


Game Notes
1. A tale of two goalies
Once again, Michael Leighton earned a shutout—his third of this series—and Jaroslav Halak got no offensive support for his team.

While Leighton made some good saves early in the first period, he wasn't really tested. As much as the Habs drove hard to the net in Game Three, they completely avoided the dirty areas yesterday and were rewarded with no goals.

As for Halak, he did what he had to do, stopping all but two shots by the Flyers. The problem, once again, was that his team did not score in front of him.

This is something we have seen far too often this season and the Habs have to try and correct it going into Game Five.


2. In a game of inches, two mistakes was all it took
Yesterday's Game Four was the most tightly contested match between these two teams so far.

Every inch of the ice was under dispute and, until the Flyers opened the scoring, it was an outstanding chess match.

Ultimately, two mistakes did the Habs in and changed the complexion of the game.

The first was a terrible neutral ice giveaway by Maxim Lapierre that led to the first Claude Giroux goal. There was some bad luck on the play too, as Josh Gorges skate strap had come undone and he was unable to skate properly as a result.

The second was an offensive blueline turnover by P.K. Subban leading to a Leino breakaway and a 2-0 score.

From there, the Flyers hermetic defense kept the Habs to the outside and shut the door to earn the win.


3. Speaking of P.K., that was his worst game yet.
He's a kid. Young, exuberant but with a lot to learn. While Subban has shown periods of sheer brilliance, we all know that he will make mistakes given that he is a rookie.

Well, last night, was unfortunately one of his worst games in the NHL so far. P.K. made mistake after mistake, made poor decisions with the puck, and ultimately caused a turnover leading to the second Flyers' goal.

As Subban skated to the Flyers' blueline he failed to dump the puck in and opted to try for a deke instead. The result was a turnover that Chris Pronger fired down to Leino for the breakaway.

That second goal really was the final nail in the Habs coffin as the whole team seemed to slump after it.


4. Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta are great, but...
The Habs can't score.

It's been their problem all year long and their success so far this playoff season has been on the backs of Cammalleri and Gionta's scoring prowess.

Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Scott Gomez have now gone a combine 42 games without a goal between them.

That is simply not good enough.

While they do other good things on the ice, that is three out of the top-six players who aren't scoring. Throw Benoit Pouliot's scoring droughts into the mix, and you only have two out of your top-six forwards who are scoring.

With stats like that, it is a wonder that the Habs have gotten as far as they have.


5. Philly ain't no Caps or Pens
You've got to give credit to the Flyers. They simply have a crushing amount of depth up front and the most solid top-four defensemen the Habs have faced so far in the playoffs.

Couple that with a coach—Peter Laviolette—who is outstanding at making in-game and post-game adjustments, and you have what looks like a team that is destined for the cup finals.

Not to mention that with the additions of Ian Laperriere and Jeff Carter last night, they are getting healthy at exactly the right time.

Their own potential problem is the problem they have had for a decade, and that is suspect goaltending.

The Habs exposed Leighton in Game Three by going to the net, putting traffic in front of him, and generally making his life difficult. While the Habs have only done so in one out of four games, the Chicago Blackhawks—if they meet the Flyers in the final—will not return that favour.


Look Out Ahead!
How can you predict what we will see in Game Five on Monday from a team that is largely unpredictable?

You can't.

The way the Canadiens have played, I would not be surprised to see them put in their best effort of the season and pull out the win, forcing a Game Six in Montreal.

If the Habs can do that, anything can happen.

With the veteran leadership on this team, I can't see them throwing in the towel and I think, like all of the game so far, that whoever scores the first goal will win the game.


Next Game
The teams now fly back to Philadelphia for Game Five on Monday night. The Flyers hope to close out the series and, not wanting to come back to Montreal for a Game Six, are sure to bring their best effort yet.

What kind of game will the Canadiens bring? Can they force a Game Six? Do they have anything left in the tank?

In a little more than a day, we will find out.

NOTE: The Habs are currently 5-0 in elimination games. Let's see if they can keep the streak going on Monday!

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Live In-game Chat for Game Two - Habs v. Flyers

We're back!

By popular demand and a belief, whether misplaced or not, that our live chats bring the Habs luck, Steven Hindle (From HockeyBuzz.com) and I will be hosting another live in-game chat tonight. Take part below!

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Canadiens-Flyers: Can Montreal Rebound in Game 2 Versus Philadelphia?

We've seen this movie before, no? The one where the Habs come out flat and lose a game only to rebound triumphantly in the following match. Right?

That's the way the story goes, or at least the way it has gone thus far in the 2010 NHL playoffs.

So why is it then that the majority of Habs nation is feeling less confident than at any other point during the playoffs so far?

I mean, the Canadiens were down 3-1 in their first round matchup against the Caps. Shouldn't that have been more daunting?

Perhaps it was.

I think what is bothering Habs fans this morning, has more to do with the Canadiens current opponents than what the Habs themselves are capable of doing.

While both Washington and Pittsburgh presented formidable opposition for the Canadiens, they are both teams whose play is based largely on skill.

Now, both teams also bring a physical edge to their games, but their force majeure is skill and not force.

The Philadelphia Flyers, on the other hand, while extremely deep with talent, have a boatload of size, grit, belligerence, and scoring on all four lines.

That is something that the Habs have not yet had to contend with.

As evidenced throughout the regular season, the speedy, skilled Habs tend to play better against teams who employ skill first, rather than force.

The Flyers, to their credit, bring both to the table and the small Habs forwards had a lot of trouble contending with it in Game One.

Now, we must keep in mind that while the Flyers played a good game on Sunday, the Canadiens simply did not show up. So there is a lot of room for improvement.

I believe that the Habs will bring a much better game today and will make a much better effort to get to the net, screen goalie Michael Leighton, and try to get secondary scoring chances.

The problem, again, is that given the sheer size of the Flyers' players, this will be no easy task for the vertically challenged Habs.

While no one really wants to talk about it, there is a sense that the Flyers might bring a game to the table that the Habs cannot counter, despite their success at making between game adjustments so far.

I am sure that Coach Martin will want his players to dump the puck in more and create foot races that his nimble forwards can win. And, if they can move their feet enough, maybe they can even get the Flyers to take some penalties.

Who knows?

Tonight is Game Two of the series and while they say that you're never in trouble in the playoffs till you lose a game at home, I believe that the Canadiens performance tonight will go a long way in dictating how this series plays out.

If the Canadiens can get to the net, use their speed to their advantage, and fight through the larger Flyers to win the game, I think this series will go long. Six or Seven games, with the Habs having a legitimate chance at winning.

If, however, the Flyers crush the Canadiens again tonight, I think this series might be over in a hurry. Say, five games, with the Habs grabbing one at home.

So all of the "...we didn't bring out 'A' game..." and "...our level of compete wasn't where it should be..." and "...they wanted it more than us..." in the world just amounts to "...blah, blah, blah, blah, blah..." right now.

Make no mistake about it, the Canadiens have an enormous task in front of them tonight and I believe that their performance will dictate their playoff fate.

What do you think? Can they pull it off? Are the Flyers too much for the Habs? Is this series going to go long? Short?

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History Will Be Made - Brian Gionta - What if the Habs didn't believe?

In another in the series of "History Will Be Made" NHL commercials, the NHL's advertising people commemorate the Canadiens 4-3 series win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Awesome win, awesome game, and awesome commercial!

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Canadiens-Penguins: Pittsburgh Folds as Habs Advance to Conference Finals

Unbelievable. Can you believe it?

Incredibly, unbelievably, unthinkablely the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 5-2, in what was the last game ever at Mellon Arena.

The victory clinched the best-of-seven series for the underdog Habs, and sends them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1993—the year of their last Stanley Cup victory.

The Pens looked nervous and disorganized early in the game as they took bad penalties, missed defensive assignments, and let in bad goals.

The result was a 4-0 Habs lead early in the game.

Despite scoring twice to make it a 4-2 game and having several power play opportunities, the Pens couldn't complete a comeback and the Habs took the game 5-2.

The Canadiens got goals from Brian Gionta (2), Michael Cammalleri—his 12th or the playoffs in 14 games—Dominic Moore—he scored in the last Game Seven too—and Travis Moen. The Pens responded with goals by Chris Kunitz and Jordan Staal.

Final Score: Habs 5 - Pens 2. Habs win the best-of-seven series 4-3.


Notes
While I usually write about what certain players did well and what others did not do so well, I want to focus on the Habs as a whole today.

The Canadiens are playing like a team right now. Like one collective unit. To a man, the Habs have everyone pulling in the same direction and the ones who aren't are either healthy scratches or see little to no ice time.

While we all know that the Canadiens still need eight more wins if they are going to win the Stanley Cup and that doing so if far from a foregone conclusion, this team is eerily similar to the one that won it all in 1993.


In '93, the 102 point Habs played the 104 point the Quebec Nordiques in the first round of the playoffs.

After falling behind 2-0 in that series, something changed for the Canadiens.

The team seemed to come together in a way that they had never done over the course of that season. As such, they started playing like one five-man unit no matter who was on the ice.

While they had their scoring leaders in Kirk Muller, Vincent Damphousse, and Brian Bellows, they were, to a large degree, a team that scored by committee.

Led by the outstanding goaltending of Patrick Roy, the Canadiens seemed to have a new hero emerging every night with memorable goals by Gilbert Dionne, Benoit Brunet, Guy Carbonneau, and others.

Once they had turned the corner against the Nordiques, the Habs never looked back. They had a confidence in their abilities that was unwavering and it led them to the Promised Land.

This year, we are seeing shades of the same phenomenon.

Since going down 3-1 in their first round series against the Washington Capitals, something has changed with this team and it starts with the coaching.

As much as I have criticized Jacques Martin's rigidness over the course of the season, he has been employing a very different methodology since Game Five against the Caps.

No longer does he just roll four lines and give everyone a chance, but Coach Martin does not hesitate to shorten his bench and reward players who are playing well on any given night.

This is evidenced by the over 29 minutes of ice-time that rookie sensation P.K. Subban saw in Game Six versus the Pens.

Also like the team in '93, the 2010 Habs are led by an outstanding goaltender. While his counterpart, Marc-Andre Fleury, was horrible last night and let in three bad goals, Jaroslav Halak was called upon to do his part in the third period with the score 4-2.

As the Pens pressed on the power play Halak stoned Sidney Crosby and then a few shift later Evgeni Malkin from in close.

Like the '93 team, the Canadiens' scoring this year is lead by a handful of players—Cammalleri, Gionta, Scott Gomez, and Tomas Plekanec. Also like the '93 team, the current edition is getting timely contributions from the supporting cast—Maxim Lapierre has three goals, Dominic Moore has three goals, Travis Moen has two goals, and Tom Pyatt has one goal.

However the most important factor in the Habs recent success is that this team clearly believes, when many others do not. They have a solid dressing room and, like when at war, each man is sacrificing for the other.

The result so far, has been that their combination of structure and cohesiveness has allowed them to compete with and get the better of superior skilled opponents.

We won't know who the Canadiens third round opponent is until tomorrow night's Game Seven between the Bruins and the Flyers is over.

I think that way this team is playing, it almost makes no difference who their opponent is because the Canadiens believe. They believe in themselves and in each other and feel that they can compete with any team in the league.

The way they are playing right now, I'd have to agree. The Canadiens are so tight that I believe that they'll play well against any opponent.

Whether they win or not going forward, remains to be seen and winning a potential 25th Stanley Cup—as some are starting to talk about—is still a long way away.

But suffice it to say that after pulling off two of the most stunning upsets of our generation over the first two rounds, I have two words for you all:

I believe.

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Canadiens-Penguins: Can Montreal Pull Off a Miracle at Mellon?

The Pittsburgh Penguins debuted in the NHL at the Civic Arena (now called the Mellon Arena) on October 11, 1967.

Their opponent was the Montreal Canadiens and the result was a 2-1 loss by the Pens.

With the Mellon Arena being retired at the end of this NHL season, tonight's game could be the last NHL game played in the "Igloo".

Tonight, the Canadiens and the Pens clash once more in the Mellon Arena, with the Habs having the chance to close out the old rink the same way they opened it: with a win.

It seems almost too perfect a story for the Habs to bookend the Mellon Arena by beating the home team again tonight, but stranger things have been known to happen.

The battle hardened Pittsburgh Penguins know what to expect tonight and will come out ready to win.

For the "nothing to lose but the game" Habs, they want this win badly and they believe that they can get it.

With the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin ready to lift their games to another level, the Canadiens will have to play their best game of the playoffs in order to eliminate the Pens tonight.

As has often been the case, the first ten minutes of this game will go a long way towards determining a winner.

For the Habs, they know that the Pens will come out with fire in their eyes, and they must weather the storm. If the Canadiens can come out of the first ten minutes tied or even up by a goal, things will be looking good.

If, after what is expected to be an early barrage by the Pens, the Canadiens are still hanging around, then things might start to get interesting.

Imagine if you will, the Canadiens even holding a lead going into the second or third periods. While I don't see the Pens as a team that will be nervous, the longer the game goes as a tied or one goal game, the more it will play into the Canadiens favour.

But who knows. Maybe this will be a surprising early blow out. I doubt it, but you never know.

As is often the case in Game Sevens, it is obscure players that end up being the heroes. The Matt Cookes and the Glen Metropolits of the world.

Who will step up tonight? Who will get that good break, lucky deflection, or gift wrapped rebound.

Only time will tell but whatever happens, this is sure to be a memorable game. Can the surprisingly Canadiens keep the party going or will the back-to-back Stanley Cup finalist Pens' experience carry them to victory?

In a little more than seven hours, we'll start finding out.

Enjoy the game everyone and don't forget about the live in-game chat tonight!

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Live In-game "Do or Die" Chat for Game Seven - Habs @ Pens

Here we go again, folks. Another Game Seven with your Montreal Canadiens being the underdogs.

Can they do it? Will the Pens triumph? Will Gill be in the lineup? Join the conversation today!

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Canadiens-Penguins: Michael Cammalleri Leads Habs to Win Forcing Game 7

Well, they did it. The Canadiens forced a Game Seven against the Penguins.

For all of the Pens fans who have argued with me since this series started that the Canadiens were a write off, a team that couldn't even skate in the same rink as the Pens, consider this your wake up call.

In beating the Pens 4-3 at the Bell Centre, last night, the Canadiens have done the improbable two rounds in a row, in forcing a higher seed to a decisive Game Seven.

And while the Pens have been here many times before and they are not about to lie down for the Canadiens, make no mistake that the pressure is squarely on their shoulders.

After Michael Cammalleri opened the scoring on a beautiful give-and-go with Tomas Plekanec, the Pens stormed back to take a 2-1 lead.

Undaunted, and buoyed by the frenzied Montreal crowd, the Canadiens roared back and dominated large stretches of play with Maxim Lapierre scoring the winning goal in the third.

Jaroslav Halak faced 37 shots on the night and stopped 34 for the win.

The Habs got two goals from Cammalleri (10th and 11th) and one each from Jaroslav Spacek (1st) and Maxim Lapierre (3rd). The Pens goals were scored by Sidney Crosby—his first of the series and 6th of the playoffs—Kris Letang (5th) and Bill Guerin (4th).

Final score: Habs 4 - Pens 3. The series is tied 3-3.


Game Notes
1. Halak's record when facing 35 or more shots against is now 16-0-1.

That is an absolutely insane stat and one that keeps getting updated seemingly game after game. There's not really too much more to say about Halak that has not already been said except that yesterday was the first time that Halak has let in a bad goal in a long time.

The second goal by the Pens, by Kris Letang, was a bullet of a slapshot from about 30 feet out. On the play there was no one screening Halak and there was no deflection on the play. Yet as Halak came out to stop the puck, it seemed to squeeze under his arm and dribble into the net.

You're, generally speaking, not going to score many, if any, goals like that against Halak so the Pens will take it!


2. Michael Cammalleri continues to lead the offensive charge for the Habs.

In scoring two more goals last night, Cammalleri now has 11 goals in the 13 playoff games he has played. That is also an incredible stat.

As of the writing of this article, Cammalleri is fourth in playoff scoring with 16 points—three less than Crosby's 19—and is first is goals scored—two more than Joe Pavelski's nine.

For all of the doubt surrounding this guy in the offseason and all the questions of whether he "could do it" without Jarome Iginla by his side, Cammalleri is showing that he can not only do it, but he can do it all by himself.


3. Welcome back, Jaroslav Spacek!

After missing the last nine games with an inner-ear/vertigo problem, the Canadiens got some well needed defensive reinforcement last night, in the form of Spacek.

Paired with his countryman, Roman Hamrlik, Spacek saw a cool 18:25 of ice time including six seconds on the power play where he scored the go ahead go–making the score 3-2.

While Spacek had a tenuous early shift or two, he quickly settled into a groove making excellent defensive plays, great first passes, and overall bolstering the Habs' back end immensely.

The ancillary benefit of having Spacek back was that Roman Hamrlik played one of his best games of the series. Those two make an excellent second pairing for the Habs and it showed last night.


4. The "Little Pest That Could" is back.

Playing just over 13 minutes last night and scoring another third period goal—his third of the playoffs—Maxim Lapierre showed that he can still be an effective third line player for the Habs.

Remember that it was Lapierre who scored the tying goal in Game Four which started the Habs comeback win.

Lapierre seems to have rediscovered the confidence that made him one of the best third line centers in the league last year.

Not surprisingly, the recipe is very simple for Max: move you feet and not your lips, and good things will happen.

The one thing Lapierre continues to do poorly is taking bad penalties at bad times and it is hurting his team.

Yesterday, with the game tied at one, Lapierre took a bad offensive zone holding penalty on Alex Goligoski. While the Pens didn't score, it turned the momentum in their direction and they were on the board a few minutes late to make it a 2-1 game.

Someone needs to tell Lapierre that he is only effective when he is moving his feet and that he should leave the rest of his antics at the door.

His goal last night was a thing of beauty as he used his size, speed, and soft hands to undress the Pens defender. Here, take a look for yourself:



Look Out Ahead!
So now what? This wasn't supposed to happen right? Just like it wasn't supposed to happen against the Caps in Round One. But here we are, about 36 hours away from Game Seven in Pittsburgh.

With the Pens' Mellon Arena being retired at the end of this season, will this be the last game in that building? Will the Pens, who have been here before and know what it takes to win, come out like lions and beat the Canadiens? Or, will the pressure that is on their shoulders start to suffocate them if they go down early.

Whatever happens, it is sure to be one of the best games of this series and maybe even the playoffs.

For the Habs, there is the added possibility that they have both Hal Gill and Andrei Markov back in the lineup for tomorrow night's game. Having one or both of those players back in the lineup would be a huge boost for the Habs and might be enough to push them over the top.

Keep in mind that including last night's game, the Habs are 4-0 when facing elimination so far in the playoffs. And, they have shown us all that they believe in themselves and believe that they can win.

With an almost guaranteed minor amount of doubt that must be in the Pens' heads, that could be the difference between winning and losing the series.


Next Game
The teams now fly back to Pittsburgh for a one shot, one-and-done, winner-takes-all affair on Wednesday.

Will the Pens be going back to the conference finals for a third time in three years or will the Habs be going there for the first time since 1993?

Tune in Wednesday for what is sure to be a spectacular game.

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Canadiens-Penguins: Game Six Live In-Game Chat!

Game Six tonight. So many story lines...will Hal Gill play, is Markov coming back, looks like Spacek is in the lineup.

Join the conversation with out LIVE in-game chat for tonight's game!

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Canadiens-Penguins: Will Habs' Passengers Wake Up for Pivotal Game Six Versus Pens?

Will they do it? Can they do it? Is it even possible?


The Habs wake up this morning in the familiar position of having their backs against the playoff wall. Lose tonight in Game Six against the Pittsburgh Penguins and go home. Win and they live to fight another day—Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

But can they do it? Do they have enough left in the tank to push the Pens back to Game Seven?

I think so. But that doesn't mean that it will happen.

The Canadiens are having success this postseason by employing a structured system and that is allowing them to compete with teams who have far more skill than them.

In addition, the leadership core of this team is showing how much more heart they have than the leadership core of last year's team.

For the past two seasons, the Canadiens had teams that were long on talent but short on heart. This year, the Canadiens are almost the opposite. While they definitely have a talent on their team, their depth is paper thin as many of their "key" players are firing blanks.

Andrei Kostitsyn and Benoit Pouliot are shells of the players that they could be and are basically playing the roles of ball and chain on their respective lines.

Tomas "I want a big contract in the offseason" Plekanec has been completely invisible through the Pittsburgh series. Whereas he was perhaps the most consistent Canadiens during the season, Pleky has become a ghost, a shadow of the dominant player he was during the season.

Is it, as suggest on the Team 990 this morning, because he tends to hit a wall around the 90 game mark? Is it because he can no longer fight through the additional physical attention that comes with being a No. 1 center during the playoffs?

Whatever it is, Pleky has once again become a perimeter player and, as such, is completely useless on the offensive side of the puck.

On the defensive side, Tomas is still Tomas. That is to say an incredibly responsible player who won't get you into trouble.

The problem for the Habs is that what they need more than anything right now is offense.

When all of the offensive responsibilities are being left to two players—Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta—that is a recipe for disaster.

So, will the passengers on the good ship Canadiens wake up tonight? Will the supporting cast be able to start contributing and help the Canadiens force and perhaps even win a Game Seven in Pittsburgh?

Only time will tell. But if there is one thing that is certain it is that the time for these players to wake up is now. Win tonight and you have a chance to eliminate the defending Stanley Cup champions on Wednesday and go to the conference finals for the first time since 1993.

Lose, and the golf course awaits.

What's it going to be guys? What's it going to be?


Injury Updates
- As of the writing of this post, the Habs were looking for a knee brace for Andrei Markov suggesting that they would like to get him back into the lineup tonight or Wednesday—if there is a Game Seven.

- Jaroslav Spacek was part of the game-day skate and should be in the lineup tonight.

-Defenseman Paul Mara also skated this morning but is not yet ready for a return to action.

- Hal Gill was not on the ice for the game-day skate suggesting that he will either not play tonight or will be a game time decision.

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Canadiens-Penguins: Pittsburgh Wins Pushing Habs to the Brink of Elimination

Yesterday's game was a mix of good and bad for the Montreal Canadiens.

They blanked the Pens big guns—Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin—again last night, which was good. But they let the Pens defenders score twice, which was bad.

The Habs, for a rare occasion, outshot the Pens 33-25, which was good. But they still lost the game 2-1, which was bad.

Despite beating the Canadiens last night, the Pens again looked like a slow, tired team. The problem is that for long stretches of the game, so did the Habs.

The result was the Habs scoring on the power play with 29 seconds to play in the game, to make it a one goal game. With Jaroslav Halak still on the bench for the extra attacker, that Habs were unable to tie the game.

The Canadiens lost defensive stalwart Hal Gill to a skate cut to the back of his knee, during the second period of the game. Gill did not return and went to the hospital. His condition will be reevaluated today.

With Andrei Markov and Jaroslav Spacek already out of the lineup with injuries, the Canadiens cannot afford to have Gill, their shot blocking machine, out for Game Six in Montreal on Monday.

Final score: Habs 1 - Pens 2. The Penguins lead the series 3-2.


Game Notes
1. Halak was solid, as usual.

Despite only facing 25 shots on net, Jaroslav Halak did what he had to do. As has become the norm for him, he was making great saves, limiting the number of rebounds, and just looking like the old dependable Halak we have come to expect.

The two goals that were scored on him were both on slap shots by defensemen through screens. If Halak see the puck, he stops it. It's as simple as that.


2. Marc-Andre Fleury was good but the Habs made his life easy.

Yes, Fleury stopped 32 out of 33 shots thrown his way for an excellent .970 save percentage, but how many of those were secondary scoring chances? A handful, at best.

While Fleury did what he had to do on the first chances, he also let out a ton of rebounds, none of which the Habs were able to capitalize on. The Canadiens almost never had a man in front of Fleury for a screen, deflection, or to pick up the rebound.

In addition, the Canadiens didn't win many battles to rebounds and loose pucks. If they had, even once or twice, they could easily have won the game.

So, while everyone is glowing about Fleury's performance, I would temper that enthusiasm by saying that the Habs made his life easy. You don't score many goals in this league on first chances, as the Washington Capitals learned in the first round against the Habs.

If the Habs want any chance of winning Game Six on Monday, they have to do a better job of going to the net and winning the battles for loose pucks. If not, it will just be more of the same and likely another Habs loss.


3. Marc-Andre Bergeron has no place in the NHL.

I think a lot of people fell in love with this player when he was scoring goals on the power play during the season. The problem is that in doing so people forgot the fact that not one of the 30 NHL teams saw fit to offer Bergeron a contract before the season started.

The Canadiens, who were decimated by injuries to defenseman to start the season, reached out to Bergeron as a stop-gap solution.

Bergeron is a one dimensional player and his one dimension is a booming slapshot. I will not take that away from him either, as he has one of the hardest shots in the league. The problem is the Bergeron has the defensive skills and on ice awareness of a career minor leaguer.

It is embarrassing and frustrating to watch him continuously turning the puck over to the opposition, making horrible passes that put his teammates in vulnerable positions, and generally making things easier on the opposing team.

His league worst minus-10 rating over 12 playoff games shows how much of a liability he is. Even on the power play—where Bergeron only has one goal in the playoffs so far—he is constantly turning the puck over at the blueline under pressure.

The problem is that with all of the injuries to Canadiens defensemen—Markov, Spacek, and now Gill—the Habs have no choice but to play him more and more. If the Habs don't get at least a few bodies back on the blueline for Game Six, the fact that they will have no choice but to lean more on Bergeron might end up being their Achilles Heel.


Look Out Ahead!
The Habs now have their back against the wall again and a loss Monday will send them to the golf course.

With the leadership group that this team has, I don't think there is any chance of losing that room to doubt. I think that the Habs feel that they can win Monday and force a Game Seven in Pittsburgh. Plus, there are worse things than fighting for your playoff life with the raucous Bell Centre crowd behind you.

The Canadiens will undoubtedly come out like lions and would do well to score the first goal. The critical factor to their success will be to see if they can get bodies to the front of the net and win battles to loose pucks. The inability to do so cost them both Game Three and Game Five.

The two time Stanley Cup finalist Pens know how to close out a team and will do everything to weather the expected Montreal storm, on Monday night. If they can escape the first ten minutes unscathed or even with a one goal lead, they will have the Habs right where they want them.


Next Game
The teams fly back to Montreal for a highly anticipated Game Six on Monday night. The Canadiens are determined to push this series to seven games and still feel that they can win.

The Pens will be trying to knock off the Habs and go to a third straight conference final.

Can the Canadiens pull off the win on Monday? Will the Pens shut them down and send them packing? Will the Canadiens get any of their wounded defensemen back from Monday night? Can this series go to seven games?

In a little more than 24 hours we will find out. If you're a superstitious person in Montreal this morning, and you woke up to the sight of snow falling in the city, you might see it as a sign.

The last time it snowed, the Canadiens eliminated the Washington Capitals in the next game and the joke was the hell must have frozen over.

Perhaps, again, hell is taking a dip into sub-zero temperatures to give the Habs the added incentive to ice the Pens on Monday.

Tune in tomorrow to find out.

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Canadiens-Penguins: Pittsburgh's Power Play Sinks Montreal in Game One

Well that was a letdown, wasn't it?

After the spectacular high that was provided by the Habs incredible Game Seven comeback win over the Caps, the Canadiens came out flat against the Pens.

To be honest, last night's 6-3 loss to the Pens was entirely predictable. It is difficult for a team to ground themselves so quickly after such an emotional high. Having to turn things around two days after their Washington victory didn't work to the Habs' advantage.

Compared to the Capitals series, last night's game was much more balanced but the Habs looked slow and tired, all night long. Even Jaroslav Halak—author of three straight wins versus the Caps—looked to be lacking focus.

That, plus the Habs indiscipline lead the Canadiens downfall as the Pens scored on all four power play's they were given to take a 1-0 series lead.

The Pens got scoring from Sergei Gonchar, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Craig Adams, Alex Goligoski, and Bill Guerin into an empty net. The Habs got goals from P.K. Subban—his first in the NHL—Michael Cammalleri, and Brian Gionta.

NOTE** - The Habs lost Andrei Markov on a clean Matt Cooke body check early in the game and he did not return. He will be reevaluated today but the injury to his leg did not look good. His loss could be a crippling blow to the Habs playoff chances.
Jordon Staal also went down with a leg injury shortly after Markov left the game, and he did not return.

Final score: Habs 3 - Pens 6


Game Notes
1. Like the rest of the team, Halak was nothing special.

As much as he was spectacular over his last three games, Jaro Halak was completely ordinary last night against the Pens.  Letting in five goals on 20 shots for a .750 save percentage, Halak was a shadow of the player we saw against the Caps.

Not that the goals were really his fault as the Canadiens let the Pens skate freely in their zone.  Missed assignment, cross ice passes, and poor gap control meant that Halak was left to his own devices on for too many occasions.

Halak was pulled in favour of Carey Price, when the score was 5-2 in order to give him a rest.

On an interesting note, the Pens only managed 20 shots on Halak and he tends to excel when he is seeing 30 or more shots a night.


2. Subban continues to impress.

While the loss of Andrei Markov is potentially crippling to the Canadiens chances in this series, it allowed Subban to take on a bigger role last night.

Playing alongside Marc-Andre Bergeron on the first wave of the power play—after Markov's was injured—Subban was thrust into a much more important role on the team.

With Spacek possibly returning for Sunday's Game Two and Markov likely out for at least the next game, Jacques Martin is sure to lean more heavily on the young Subban and he has the skill level to be able to pick up the slack.


3. The team needs some rest.

The biggest factor in the Canadiens loss last night was their visible fatigue.  They were missing that spark and jump that allowed them to score timely goals against the Caps.  The Canadiens will need to rest up and refocus themselves on the Penguins because if last night was the best that the Pens have to offer, they are a extremely beatable team.

Don't get me wrong, because I do think that the Pens are an excellent team.  However, they are not the Penguins from 2009 and Marc-Andre Fleury looked shaky on many of the saves he made.  I think that whatever happens in this series, that it will end up going six or seven games.


Look Out Ahead!
Last night's game was a write off from the Canadiens and entirely predictable result.  That being said, I believe with the veteran leadership in their room, the Canadiens will regroup and challenge the Pens for the split in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Jaroslav Spacek could be making his return to the lineup on Sunday and not a moment too soon!


Next Game
The team have today off before playing a Sunday afternoon Game Two at 2 pm EST.  It will be interesting to see how the afternoon game affects the players.  It tends to throw their usual schedules off and you never know how they will react.

Suffice it to say, however, that I expect a much stronger effort from the Habs on Sunday.

so what do you all expect? A better effort from the Habs in Game Two? More of the same? Can they compete with the Pens?

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Pre-Game Primer: Can Habs force Game Seven versus Caps?

Enjoy the weekend everyone? I know I did.

As much as I love watching the Canadiens, I have to say that the two days off between games were a welcome reprieve from the playoff stress. And, like the Habs and Caps, I got to enjoy a little R & R.

Well, the Habs and Caps likely didn't enjoy as much R & R as I did, but during a playoff stretch where games are played almost every second day for months, I am sure the players welcomed the additional day off.

So, all are rested and feeling good in preparation for tonight's Game Six in Montreal.

So what happens now?

The Canadiens who were never supposed to have any chance in this series, pulled off a surprising, nail-biting win on Friday in Washington, to force Game Six.

But can they do it again, forcing a decisive Game Seven in Washington on Wednesday?

As for this morning, it looks like Habs defenseman Jaroslav Spacek is still suffering the effects of a virus, and will likely not play tonight, or be a game-time decision.

As well as the Habs played on Friday, they will need all hands on deck if they are to win tonight. So far in this series, the home team has lost four out of the five games played.

That doesn't bode very well for tonight and the Habs will have to leave it all on the ice against a Washington team who knows they blew a great chance to advance, on Friday.

Moreover, this is a Caps team who desperately wants to avoid playing another game against the Habs, in Washington, for all the marbles.

If the Habs can somehow win tonight, they will not only force a Game Seven but they will do so with momentum clearly on their side and more than a modicum of doubt installed in the Caps heads.

Lose and they go golfing, like everyone thought they would. So the pressure is clearly on the Caps. It will be interesting to see if they can rise to the occasion or if they buckle under the pressure.

So once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

Tune in tonight to see if the Habs have a date with destiny or the golf course.

So what do you all think? Can the Habs force a Game Seven? Will they fall to the Caps tonight?

NOTE - as of 9:59 AM EST, Montreal media outlets CKAC and the Team 990 are both reporting that the Habs have recalled P.K. Subban from the Hamilton Bulldogs and that he will play tonight.

This has not yet been officially confirmed, however if he does play, he will add a wildcard, X-factor to tonight's game that might tilt the table in the Habs favour.

10:23 AM EST - It's official: Habs recall P.K. Subban. Click here to view the official Habs press release.

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Pre-Game Primer: Changes Abound But Can Habs Win?

So far this morning—and according to Pat Hickey from the Montreal Gazette—the Habs are making several changes to their lineup as follows:

1. Carey Price will be in the net
2. Ryan O'Byrne will be back on D
3. Marc-Andre Bergeron will be on the 4th line and power play
4. Mathieu Darche seems like he will be the one giving his place up to MAB

Personally, I think all four of these things will be good for the Canadiens. Price, because he is bigger than Halak and better suited to the physical abuse that is being dolled out in the Habs crease.

Also, Price seems to have a much better, more mature, more humble attitude. I think Halak's rise to stardom served Price up a big slice on humble pie and maybe helped to get his head screwed on straight.

The Ryan O'Byrne decision is a no-brainer and I am not sure why it took Jacques Martin three games to figure out that he should be in the lineup.

O'Byrne is the ONLY Canadiens defenseman who brings a physical aspect to the game. He is big and strong and will be more effective than MAB in clearing the front of the net.

MAB should never have been playing as Markov's defense partner on the first pairing. This is another hair-brain scheme hatched by Jacques Martin. While there is no question that MAB, and his bullet of a slap shot, make an excellent addition to the Habs powerplay, he is a major liability 5-on-5.

You just have to look at his minus-3 rating last game. He was the only Habs defenseman who was worse than a minus-1.

MAB is a player that should simply play about five minutes per game on the fourth line plus whatever minutes he gets on the first power play unit.

Lastly, Mathieu Darche seems like he will be a healthy scratch. While I like Darche a lot, he really hasn't done anything in this series to keep himself in the lineup. The Habs bottom two lines need to bring more to the table and if Darche isn't doing it, then switching him out is a good call.

So the Habs are making changes. That much is clear. But will it bear fruit on the ice? Will it enable the Habs to play a full 60 minutes and to win another game in this series?

Only time will tell, but if the Habs cannot win tonight—in the friendly climes of the Bell Centre—I fear that this series will be over in five games.

If, however, they can shutdown the Caps, use their speed and skill, play an attacking style, get traffic to the net to disrupt Varlamov, keep scoring power play goals while stifling the Caps PP, and get outstanding goaltending from Price, they should be able to tie the series.

That sounds like a lot to ask for, and maybe it is, but I truly believe that they can do it. By around ten pm tonight we should know if I am right or not.

---
Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

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Pre-Game Primer: Is Tonight the Defining Moment in Jaroslav Halak's Career?

As we await tonight's third game in the Montreal-Washington first round playoff matchup, most of the conversation is focused on the goaltending in this series.

As my colleague from HockeyBuzz.com, Steve Hindle, astutely pointed out before the series started, we have seen three goaltenders so far.

Steve is also reporting this morning that it looks like Theo will be in the net tonight. If this turns out to be true, I think this is a decision that plays nicely in the Canadiens' hands as Theo just doesn't seem to play very well in Montreal.

As for the Habs, Alexander Ovechkin got things going yesterday when he said that he noticed that Halak's hand was shaking every time he grabbed the water bottle in the last game. Halak must be nervous and that is a good thing for the Caps.

Now, Ovechkin is a smart guy and is clearly playing psychological playoff games, and why not? What's to lose in making a comment like that, which will surely get back to Halak? At worst, he ignores it, is unaffected, and goes out and does his thing.

At best, however, Ovie's comment seeps in Halak’s mind, poisons him, and makes him nervous for tonight's game. If this scenario plays out, the Habs will be in big trouble.

An RFA at season's end and clearly gunning for a big contract, Jaroslav Halak will be playing the most important game of his relatively young career tonight. While he let in a couple of soft goals last game that helped the Caps tie and win the game, I think that in my mind, it is a no-brainer to go back to Halak tonight.

If it wasn't for Halak the Habs wouldn't even be in the playoffs in the first place. Also, Halak has shown the ability to bounce back from a weak performance when given the chance—however sparingly he was given that chance this year.

Tonight's Game Three could be THE defining moment in Halak's career and I fully expect him to produce one of his best efforts of the season so far. And don't kid yourself, because a lot of GM's around the league will be watching to see how Halak responds.

It is in times like this, during the playoffs, that you get to see a player's true colours and how well or poorly Halak responds to the pressure will help determine how valuable an asset he will be in the offseason.

If he falters badly, however, I would not hesitate to go with Carey Price in Game Four.

So, while like many Habs addicts, I sit here with that sick, nervous, seven-and-a-half-hours-till-game-time-feeling in my stomach, I hope that Halak will succeed tonight. However, I am also aware of the fact that the Washington snipers have now figured out that they have to shoot high to score on Halak.

The last two goals—from last game—were evidence of this fact as Carlson and Backstrom scored identical goals from about 30 feet out, by whipping the puck high, glove side.

Tonight's game is pivotal in the series and I think that the winner will very likely go on to win the series.

Here's hoping Halak can recover, the Habs can keep the Caps from running his crease, and that the refs can find their whistles if they do.

Enjoy the game folks!

UPDATE: Halak and Varlamov are getting the starts tonight, Glen Metropolit is back in the lineup, and Sergei Kostitsyn is a healthy scratch.

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Montreal-Washington: Nicklas Backstrom's Hat Trick seals OT win for Caps

Oh man, was that every close!

In losing 6-5 in overtime to the Washington Capitals, last night, the Montreal Canadiens came within one goal of taking a 2-0 series lead.

Despite having a 4-1 lead nearing the end of the second period—albeit for approximately 40 seconds—the Canadiens could not hold on as the Caps stormed back in the third.

With third period goals by Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson—with 1:21 to play in the game—the Caps bombarded the Canadiens and roared back to send the game into overtime.

Despite getting a hat trick from Andrei Kostitsyn, the Caps came away with the victory only 31 seconds into overtime as Backstrom scored his third of the night to seal the deal.

Final score: Habs 5 - Caps 6 (OT)
Series: Tied 1-1


Game Notes
1. For a rare occasion, Jaroslav Halak was not on top of his game.

Despite making some great saves in the game, Halak let in a few softie's tonight—more specifically the tying and winning goals.

On both plays, Halak was too deep in his crease and while both were good shots, they ultimately came from a good 20-plus feet out and were eminently stoppable.

The other problem for Halak is that the Caps were crashing his net all night long. that is not necessarily a problem however on one of the goals Halak was clearly interfered with—as was pointed out by TSN's game crew.

While I am not generally one to blame the refs—as I understand that they have a difficult job to do and are only human—last night, there were some very bad missed calls and they might have contributed to the Habs losing the game.

Ultimately, the Habs were masters of their own destiny and let the Caps back into the game. But, suffice it to say that Halak let in a few goals that he would like to have back. Six goals on 36 shots is not very good.

2. Speaking of goaltending, I thought Jose Theodore was not on a short leash this year?

After letting in two goals on the first two shots by the Habs, Caps Coach Boudreau pulled Theodore in favour of Semyon Varlamov. This despite coming out publically before the series to say that Theo was not on a short leash.

I guess Coach Boudreau's definition of a short leash is different than mine.

3. Alex the Gr8 woke up.

Of course he did. Would you have expected anything less? Did you expect him to be held shotless two games in a row?

No, last night, Ovie was intent on making a difference in the game as he came out on his first shift like he was shot out of a cannon.

The result was one goal, three assists, a plus-3 rating, and six shots on net. Pretty much exactly what was expected of him and the Caps were able to win as a result.

4. Hello, Andrei Kostitsyn, and welcome to the party!

In score a hat trick last night, AK46 moved into a first place tie for points in the playoffs, with five.

As of this morning, he sits tied with the Caps' Nicklas Backstrom and the Pens' Sidney Crosby.

Not bad company to be hanging with.

It's great that he is scoring but I get the sense that Habs fans are holding their breath. And why not? Andrei's skills have never been in doubted but his consistency is something that has always been a problem.

Here's hoping he can keep it up because the Habs will need him to be scoring if they hope to have a chance with the Caps.

5. Speaking of hat tricks, Nicklas Backstrom is a sick player!

While the Caps were ecstatic to see Ovie get back on the scoreboard, it was actually Backstrom that stole the show.

Scoring twice in regulation and sniping the winner 31 seconds into overtime, Backstrom showed exactly why the Caps are categorized as a "quick strike" offense.


Look Out Ahead!
On the RDS post game show last night, former Habs coach Jacques Demers said that while he thinks Halak is not to blame for the loss, he would put Carey Price in the net next game.

And cue the goaltending controversy. I am sure this means that the talk over the next 48 hours will focus largely on this aspect of the Canadiens game. And, while Halak did let in two soft goals, we have to keep in mind that the Habs held a 4-1 lead with less than three minutes to play in the third period.

While I don't think the Habs can go wrong with either Price or Halak, I think that Halak, as the unofficial No.1, should get the next start. If he falters in game three, then and only then would I look to bring Price in. Give Halak a chance to redeem himself.

As for the Caps, I think it is pretty likely that we will see Semyon Varlamov starting the rest of the Caps' games.

Short leash indeed.


Next Game
Both teams now fly to Montreal for game two on Monday night at the Bell Centre. While I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with the noise and passion level demonstrated by the Capitals fans in their building, suffice it to say that they ain't got nothing on Montreal.

Despite Habs fans feeling depressed this morning with what could have been, we must keep in mind that the Habs barely squeezed into the playoffs while the Caps are the best team in the league.

As such, leaving Washington with a split is actually a great outcome. So trust me, Habs addicts, the disappointment of what got away will fade and the realization that the Habs still have skated with the Caps for two games will emerge.

Moreover, the realization that despite the Caps being an offensive machine, the Habs can still very much win this series. Or rather, after coming out of Washington with a split and almost up by two games, the Habs actually have a chance of winning this whole thing.

As is usually the case, Game Three in any series tends to be one of the most pivotal and it will be fun to see who takes the lead Monday in Montreal.

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Pre-Game Primer: How Will Alex Ovechkin and Caps Respond in Game Two?

The nervous excitement in the city of Montreal is palpable this morning. The surprise of the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday has morphed into cautious optimism.

And why not?

The Habs were supposed to be swept in four games, right? And, despite playing a horrible first 20 minutes, last game, the Habs finished strong and pulled out the victory in OT.

The focus, since Thursday, has clearly been on Caps superstar, Alex Ovechkin. Questions as to why he played so poorly mixed with whispers of him not being 100% have been the talk du jour at press conferences.

Despite Cap coach Bruce Boudreau telling the media hordes that Ovechkin just played a bad game and is not injured, many people are still scratching their heads.

Ovechkin too took full blame for his poor performance and said he needs to be better tonight in Game 2.

So now the stage is set: Ovechkin HAS to be better tonight.

He said it, his coach said it, and the media, and the Canadiens expect it. So can Ovechkin deliver?

Given his skill level and determination, I think the answer is likely 'yes'. That being said, there is always the possibility that the Habs shut him down again.

What then, for Washington?

While I fully expect Washington to play a much stronger game against the Habs tonight, I don't think that they exactly played a bad game last time.

So does this mean that the Habs just played a system that worked in neutralizing the Caps' potent offense? Maybe. The fact that Halak stood on his head, yet again, also helped.

Despite having 47 shots against, last game, very few of those shots were second chances or rebounds. This points to the Habs been good and collapsing down-low around Halak, giving up shots from the outside and the point and working to make sure that there are no rebounds to jump on.

So how will the Caps counteract that strategy tonight?

We'll have to see what Boudreau has in store, but suffice it to say that if they decided to try and create more offense off the cycle they would have a much easier time against the smaller Habs players.

So what happens if the Caps lose tonight?

While I think the chances of the Habs winning a second straight game in Washington are low, there is always the possibility that they will reproduce their result of the last game. And then what? Can you imagine the Caps being down by two games and having to play game three in Montreal?

That is a scenario that they would do well to avoid. As such, I believe that tonight's game is the most important game of the season for the Caps. I know they say that game three tends to be one of the most important in a series, and that still holds true, but given the pressure on Ovechkin and the Caps, I truly believe that they cannot afford to go down 2-0 in the series.

Moreover, while I still think the Caps will win this series I think that IF the Canadiens can somehow win tonight's game, all bets are off.

A Habs win tonight, in my opinion, will turn all predictions—and the series itself—on its head. The Habs have already taken home ice advantage away from the Caps and winning tonight will give them the confidence to know, not think, that they can beat this team.

That being said, I fully expect a Herculean effort from Ovechkin and the Caps tonight and for the teams to go back to Montreal tied 1-1 in the series.

However, this is the playoffs and anything can happen. Let's see if the cautious optimism turns into inspired confidence or comes back down to Earth in the form of grounded reality.

Your move, Ovechkin. Rise to the challenge or crumble under the pressure.

Tune in tonight to find out.

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Montreal-Washington: Tomas Plekanec's OT Winner Draws First Blood for Habs

With all the talk the past few days and all of the supposed controversies between Plekanec and Theodore, all of the question marks surrounding goaltending and all of the pundits—this one included—giving the Habs no chance in this series, the Canadiens decided to shake things up a bit by winning game one versus the Capitals.

The Caps came out flying in the first period and shelled Jaroslav Halak for 19 shots. However, Halak held the fort until the Habs could get their legs under them.

After weathering the Capitals' storm, the Habs came to life and actually started to push back during the second period. The result was a 2-2 game that was, fittingly, ended by Tomas Plekanec in overtime to give the Habs the 1-0 series lead.

The story, or should I say stories, of the game were the Capitals getting 47 shots on goal with Halak saving all but two and Alexander Ovechkin firing none of them. That's right; the Habs played an excellent team defense and shut down Ovechkin in the process.

The Canadiens got goals from Scott Gomez, Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec, while the Caps got scoring from Joe Corvo and Nicklas Backstrom.

Final score: Habs 3 - Caps 2 (OT)


Game Notes
1. For all the question marks, Halak brought his A-game.

What question marks, you might ask? Well, while Halak was as constant as a metronome, throughout the season, he looked a little shaky in his last few games of the season. So much so, that some people were questioning how he would play in the playoffs.

Well, last night Halak showed that his shaky play over the last three games was a mere aberration. This guy is for real.

In stopping 45 of 47 shots last night, Halak pushed his record when facing 35 or more shots against, to 10-1 this year.

Unbelievable.

After stopping 19 shots in a first period where the Habs weren't even in the same rink as the Caps, Halak was wholly responsible for the Habs win last night. Without him, this game was over in the first frame.

2. Jaroslav Spacek played one for the ages.

Clearly tasked with being "the" guy to shadow Ovechkin, Spacek played his best game of the season.

With 19:51 of ice time, Spacek was not the most used Canadiens defenseman—Andrei Markov was at 27:38 of ice time—but he was arguably the most effective.

Time and again he was on the ice taking away Ovechkin‘s time and space, making great first passes and even better defensive plays.

His best play came as he completely neutralized a Caps 3-on-1 break in overtime. A few minutes later the puck went the other way for the winning goal.

3. Gomer is a gamer.

Along with Travis Moen, Brian Gionta and Hal Gill—all of whom have Stanley Cup rings—Scott Gomez pushed his game up to another level last night. It is in the playoffs that we get to finally see why Bob Gainey signed many of the players that he did last summer.

Gomez was brought on board for his two Stanley Cup victories. That is invaluable experience that can be used on the ice and in the dressing room to calm younger players.

Last night, Gomez was the sparkplug in tying the game for the Habs as he weaved beautifully through the neutral zone to setup a give-and-go with Gionta for the tying goal.

If he keeps playing like he did last night, the Canadiens should be able to continue competing with the Caps.

4. The Habs best players were their best players.

Looking at the score sheet, the Canadiens got goals from Gomez, Cammalleri and Plekanec with assists from Markov, Andrei Kostitsyn, Gionta, Pouliot and Spacek.

That is pretty much all of the Habs' top players contributing on the scoreboard and exactly what the Habs need in order to compete with the Caps.

A very important point that can be easily overlooked from last night's game was the Michael Cammalleri scored his first goal since coming back from injury.

You could see a much more relaxed Cammalleri in the post game interviews and that is a good thing for the Habs. Cammalleri is sniper and when he is scoring they tend to go in in bunches.

5. Team defense rules the day.

While Spacek might have been the most prominent figure in shutting down Ovechkin, the reality is that the Habs stuck to a strict team defense plan and it worked.

Every time Ovechkin was on the ice, all five Habs players were aware of his presence and they worked as a unit to shut him down. Ovechkin was repeatedly frustrated as he had no time or space to fire shots or make moves. The result was zero shots on goal by Ovie and a 3-2 Habs win.


Look Out Ahead!
While the Habs ultimately won the game and likely gained some confidence from the victory, I caution fans from getting too far ahead of themselves.

Keep in mind that without Halak stopping 18 shots in the first period, this game could have been out of reach early.

I fully expect the Caps to adjust their game in order to try and create more room for Ovechkin. Moreover, I fully expect a pissed-off Alex Ovechkin to take him game to another level on Saturday night.

He will simply not be held shotless two games in a row.

I wonder if the Caps will switch to a dump and chase style and try to create offense off of the cycle instead of the rush, next game. While that might sound counter-intuitive, the cycle style is one the Habs have a tough time defending against while the rush-style is one that works better for their smaller players.


Next Game
The Habs take their 1-0 series lead into Saturday night's second game in Washington. Conventional wisdom would have us believing that the Caps will be hungry for revenge and will decimate the Canadiens on Saturday night.

While that is quite possible, there is also the possibility that the Canadiens win again. Can you imagine them holding a 2-0 series lead coming back to the raucous climes of the Bell Centre?

I dare not think such a thought.

Please remember, Habs addicts, that one game is far from a series and while it is reason to be happy, there is a long road ahead. One game at a time people. One game at a time.

So by all means bask in the victory, just don’t let it get to your head.

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2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Montreal-Washington Series Preview

You hear that sound? That annoying beeping sound? That's the sound of Montreal Canadiens backing into the playoffs.

Beep, beep, beep...

And, just like a delivery truck slowly backing up, steering by looking in the rear view mirrors and trying not to hit the delivery door too hard behind them, the Habs finally and tenuously qualified for the post-season in Saturday's 4-3 loss to the Leafs.

Their reward? A first round playoff series against the Washington Capitals—starting Thursday in Washington.

One of the saddest parts of their playoff birth has got to be the handful of Habs fans running around downtown Montreal like the Canadiens had just won the cup.

Wow, that was sad.

Have Habs fans really sunk to that level? Have they, like many in Leafs nation, become so desperate for any sign of success that they will take to the streets in celebration of a playoff birth clinched in the final game of the season, on a loss?

Oh, how this franchise has fallen from glory.

While there is every reason to be happy that the Canadiens qualified for the playoffs, we have to look at the situation in its proper light.

So here's the skinny...

Offense
Hope springs eternal in Montreal today. And why not? The Habs do after all have a 2-1-1 record against the Caps this year.

The sad reality, however, is that the Canadiens blew several opportunities to clinch a playoff spot over the last two weeks of play, and have won only three of their last 11 games.

In addition, Michael Cammalleri, their No.1 sniper, has only two points—both of them assists—over his nine games since returning from injury.

The Canadiens have managed three or more goals only four times over their last 11 games, scoring two goals on four occasions, one goal on two occasions, and getting shutout once.

The Habs have three players with 25 or more goals—Michael Cammalleri (26), Brian Gionta (28) and Tomas Plekanec (25) and their 217 goals-for are the second lowest—Boston is the lowest with 206—of all teams that qualified for the playoffs.

The Caps, on the other hand, finished first in the league with a 54-15-13 record, good enough for 121 points. With 318 goals-for, the Caps are the only team in the league to score more than 300 this season.

They have seven players with 20 or more goals, three with 30 or more, two with 40 or more and one, Alex Ovechkin, with 50.

In addition, the Caps boast the top-scoring defenseman in the league—Mike Green—who had 76 points including 19 goals, this season.

This is a team that is built for offense—much like the Oilers of the 80's—and as such, rely on devastating their opponents offensively rather than shutting them down defensively.

The Caps' fire wagon style is actually a system that suits the Canadiens, given their speedy, attacking forward corps. The problem, as always, will be to see how the Canadiens respond to the much bigger Capitals forwards and defensemen.

The Canadiens will need Cammalleri and Pouliot to shake off their scoring slumps in addition to getting regular contributions from the third and fourth lines—like they received during their 6-game winning streak—in order to have any chance of winning.

Advantage: Washington


Defense
With Andrei Markov, Ryan O'Byrne, Roman Hamrlik, Jaroslav Spacek, Josh Gorges and Hal Gill patrolling the Habs' blue line, the Canadiens have an average back end.

With the exception of Markov and maybe Gorges, the Habs have a lead-footed blue corps that could be exposed by the Caps speed up front.

Markov, as always, will be counted on heavily to be the offensive catalyst for the Canadiens and will be clearly targeted by the Caps, for physical punishment.

The only physical dimension to the Habs' back end is Ryan O'Byrne. He will be called upon to move the much larger Caps players from in front of the net.

Aside from a major size advantage, The Caps defense is not unlike the Habs' in that aside from the offensive prowess of Mike Green, they are perhaps only slightly better than average.

The major difference is that the Caps don't need their defense to be much more than that in order to win while the Jacques-Martin-coached Habs do.

Advantage: A push, with maybe a slight edge to the Caps given that their game does not rely on defense and the Habs' does.


Goaltending
When the season started in Montreal, the hope was that this was the year that Carey Price would truly seize the No.1 goaltending spot in Montreal. 82 games later, the exact opposite has happened with Jaroslav Halak emerging as the clear starter for the playoffs.

With a 2.40 GAA and .924 save percentage, Halak has become a top net minder in the league this year. In addition, he has the added psychological advantage of knowing that he was single handedly responsible for the Slovaks defeating Alex Ovechkin and Team Russia, in the Olympics this year.

If the Capitals have an Achilles Heel in the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, it is their goaltending.

While both Semyon Varlamov and Jose Theodore—who rose like the Phoenix from the ashes this year—have played well this season, I am not convinced that either of them can take the Caps to the promised land.

The advantage for both goalies is that, like their defense, they don't usually need to be all-stars in order for the Caps to win.

Theodore seems like the logical choice to be the Caps playoff starter with 47 games played and a 30-7 win-loss record this year. But, with an acceptable 2.81 GAA and .911 save percentage show, he doesn't necessarily shut the door on the opposition when the Caps win.

If Halak can bring the kind of game he has played all season—and especially in the Olympics—the Caps, like the Russians in Vancouver, could become frustrated.

That frustration could lead to penalties and mistakes that the speedy Canadiens forwards might be able to capitalize on.

Goaltending could actually be the deciding factor in this series as Halak has shown the ability to win games all by himself this season.

Can he now win a series too?

Advantage: Montreal


Special Teams
The Washington Capitals have the No.1 ranked power play in the league, clicking at a frightening 25.4 percent efficiency rate while the Canadiens are second with a 21.8 percent efficiency rate.

The problem for the Habs is that over their last 11 games, they have gone 5-for-40 on the power play (12.5 percent efficiency). That is simply not good enough and if the Canadiens are going to have any chance of winning, they will need to be averaging at least one power play goal per game.

The Canadiens have the 11th overall penalty killing unit in the league (83 percent)and Hal Gill will be counted on heavily to shut down the left side.

The Caps, on the other hand, have the 25th overall penalty kill operating at a 78.9 percent efficiency rate.

Advantage: Essentially a push. Both teams, at least statistically speaking, have the other team by the throat on the PP. That being said, the Habs PK is stronger than the Caps and their goaltending is also better so I would give the Canadiens a razor thin edge.

If they can find their mid-season power play form they might able tip the scales in their favor.


Key Matchup
The defensive duo of Roman Hamrlik and Jaroslav Spacek versus Alexander Ovechkin will be the key match up in this series.

During their first game of the season, the Hamrlik-Spacek duo simply shut down Ovechkin as he was held to five shots on goal and no points. It was during that game that the Canadiens found a formula for success against the Caps.

In subsequent games, Ovechkin was able to get the better of that duo and the Caps won as a result.

While there will be plenty of other X-factors during this series, if Hamrlik and Spacek can shutdown Ovechkin in two, three, or more games, that could shift the advantage to the Habs.

If, however, Ovechkin completely over powers the two 35 year-old defensemen, the Caps will make short work of the Canadiens.

How They'll Win
The Habs will win the series if Cammalleri starts scoring again, if the third and fourth lines start contributing regularly on the scoreboard, if the Canadiens score at least one power play goal per game, if they play disciplined hockey and minimize the number of penalties they take, if Hamrlik and Spacek can shutdown Ovechkin, and if Halak steals the show.

The Caps will win if they exploit their physical advantage, if Ovechkin dances circles around the Hamrlik-Spacek defensive dragnet, if their power play continues to operate at a 25 percent click and if they basically play the way they have played all season long.

Outcome
While the season series has been close between these two teams, logic would dictate that the Caps will roll over the Habs.

A lot of things have to go right for the Canadiens to have any chance in this series but, if there is one thing we have learned from this team this year, it is to expect the unexpected.

When you think they are down they surprise you with an outstanding effort and when you think they'll win, they pull out a stinker.

So while, on paper, the Caps should sweep the Canadiens in four straight games, don't be surprised if the Habs make a series out of this one. A first round upset is highly unlikely, in my opinion, but not out of the question.

That being said, I believe that the Caps will simply be too much for the Canadiens and that their physical and offensive advantages will simply win out over the course of a best-of-seven series.

Prediction: Washington in 5 games

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