Losing Habits: Lowly Sabres Beat Montreal Canadiens
By Jon Chauvin
When the 1st place team plays the last place team, the outcome shouldn’t be in doubt. But that’s why they play the games. How did the the Canadiens manage to squander what should have been a free 2 points? Let’s take a closer look.
Nov 28, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Chris Stewart (80) and Montreal Canadiens right wing Brandon Prust (8) fight during the first period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Fist off, let me be brutally honest. If not for a horrendous bounce with less that 2 minutes on the clock, I think the Habs manage to at least pick up 1 point. But in truth the outcome of the game should never have been in doubt in the first place. The Habs didn’t step on the throat of a team that is trying it’s hardest to end up winning the McDavid sweepstakes. There really is no excuse to not find the effort after a 5 day layoff between games.
Let’s give credit where it’s due, and take a look at this goal by Tyler Ennis! The team he plays for might be horrendous, but this is easily a goal of the year candidate. If you haven’t seen that goal then you’re doing yourself a disservice. That is the kind of drive that was missing from the Habs last night.
http://sabrenoise.com/2014/11/28/tyler-ennis-scores-goal-year-buffalo-sabres/
Nov 28, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres center Torrey Mitchell (17) and Montreal Canadiens left wing Jiri Sekac (26) fight for position during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Once again the Habs allowed their opposition to set the tempo of the game by allowing the Sabres to score the first goal of the game in the first period. Yes, the goal was a beauty, but that fact is that the Habs can’t seem to start a game with the tempo that is needed to put teams away early. If the Habs have a fatal flaw, that’s it. It’s on the coach to ensure that his players are ready to go, and so far this season the Habs just aren’t ready to go when the puck drops.
Let’s take a look at the players who I want to single out after last night’s “performance”;
- Max Pacioretty – He had a season high shots on goal, and was implicated in a bunch of chances that the Habs just didn’t bury.
- Jiri Sekac – He needs more ice time. It’s obvious that he’s offensively gifted, but needs the opportunity to play.
- Carey Price – There are some losses that are on your team, this is one of them. Bad bounces happen, he’s the Habs rock.
Alexei Emelin is having a hearing today on the hit he gave to the Habs former captain Brian Gionta late in the 3rd period which led to the eventual game winner. I’m not sure what to make of the hit. I don’t like hits to the head, but Gionta is bent over and he’s 5’6″ standing in his skates on blocks. Emelin keeps his elbow in tight to his body and his skates don’t leave the ice. You have to be able to hit the puck carrier, so I’m not completely sure on this one. If they judge that it warrants a suspension, then I can live with it, but if they don’t, I can live with that too.
If anyone knows why Prust got a 2 and 10 minute penalty before the faceoff please leave a comment. It was one of the oddest calls I’ve seen all year, and it killed the momentum that the Habs had been creating up to that point. Seriously, can someone let me know.
Nov 28, 2014; Buffalo, NY, USA; Buffalo Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth (1) makes a save on a shot by Montreal Canadiens right wing Brendan Gallagher (11) during the second period at First Niagara Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
Finally if there was a night to gain ground on those chasing the Habs it was last night. With so many good teams losing it was the perfect time to create some space atop the standing. Then again, maybe losing when everyone else did isn’t so bad.
Thanks for reading!