Fear Strikes Out

Jimmy Piersall‘s mental illness was chemical. Subban is not mentally ill. Give it time…

Returning to the final six goals scored against the Habs , P.K Subban was on the ice for everyone of them. Prior to his benching , he was a plus five in this crucial department for a defenceman. Negative six since. Positive five before. Any Math teacher will tell you – what Martin is doing to the Habs does not add up.

P.K Subban must have more than one shoulder because no MATTER WHAT HE DOES , the criticism is everywhere. If this keeps up – two things will happen. One – he will overcome all this and prosper for the Habs and in the league in general. Two – he will be traded and live forever in Islander -esque obscurity and be the twin brother of Ron Hainsey. The Canadiens more than ever need a voice of reason to sit and talk with the rookie defenceman and let him know NOW that everything is okay – with him .

The Game

The Flyers arrived in town fresh off of ending the Penguins winning streak. They could not stop Crosby and Malkin yet who’s perfect ? The Flyers are not but lately they are pretty close. Going into the game against the Habs , they had lost only eight times and are atop the NHL – the same place the Montreal Canadiens should be if they hadn’t squandered the ten points against the inferior teams in the league.

The Flyers showed their colors in the first period and up to the midway point of the second. They did not allow the Habs  many chances and led 1 – 0 going into the second on a goal by perennial Hab killer – Jeff Carter.

What Just Happened ?

The Habs started the period where they left off yet noone told the Flyers  that they were supposed to succumb to the Montreal atmosphere. Nikolay Zherdev scored on a wrap around on a goal that Price would love to have back and suddenly the Habs were down 3 – 1 . A two goal deficit once again. Game over ? Not on this night.

Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta scored two and a half minutes apart. Gionta’s goal , the equivalent of Carey Price’s ‘ give that back ‘ – launched the home crowd into a frenzy. The game was tied and Scott Gomez had tallied two points in his return to the line-up. Subban also picked up an assist on Gionta’s goal for his second point. All positive for the Habs as the entered the home stretch and Flyer goalie ‘ Bob’ showing some weakness. The Flyers forwards and team then showed why they are where they are in the standings.

Champions do not fold as resiliency  becomes the glue of a team with a mission. van Riemsdyk scored the eventual winner on a rebound from the slot and a heartbeat later – Giroux netted his sixteenth of the year. P. K gave up a pass at the blueline and did not give himself ample enough time to get back in the play. Richards passed the puck to Giroux in front of Price and the Quebec native pulled a forehand to backhand move on Price.

The Habs have lost three in a row for the first time this season. They outshot the Flyers 41 – 30 and the two teams played a fairly evenly matched game. The difference was the Flyers veterans showing poise and the play of ‘ Bob ‘ , especially in the first. Things do not get easier for the Habs as they face a Bruin team that will be a tad angry after their loss to Buffalo. Three strikes and you are normally out. Four strikes and you are in a slump.

Habs Notes

Carey Price is still leading netminders in voting with 250,256 votes and  is currently the third-highest vote-getter in the league.  Marc-Andre Fleury is second with 218,350 votes and catching up fast.

Michael Cammalleri is seventh among forwards. Plekanec is eleventh and Gionta is in fourteenth. Gomez is just ahead of Ilya Kovalchuk – barely….

P.K Subban is seventh among Defencemen

Louis Leblanc has been selected to represent Team Canada in the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championships.