Habs Beat Bruins, Mike Condon Now 6-0-1

Even the most anti-Habs fan has to be impressed by the start of the team and Mike Condon this season. Most people would admit to knowing the Canadiens would be a good team, but very few would tell you they had expected them to hold a 10 point lead in the Atlantic Division before mid-November. That’s impressive.

Mike Condon is a huge part of the reason they’ve been able to maintain this winning streak. If you think about it, the Habs have continued their hot start without their best and most important player – Carey Price. You know, the guy who took home all of the hardware last year and really wants to bring a Stanley Cup to Montreal this season. Needless to say, Condon’s 1.57 GAA and .940 Save% came at the perfect time for the Habs and they need this to continue while they wait for Price to heal fully.

After 16 games this season, the Habs goal differential is an amazing +30. The nearest to that total are the New York Rangers who are at +17. When your goal differential, this early in the season, is +13 above the second best team, you know you’re doing some wonderful things on the ice. And after the Rangers the next highest are at +12 (Dallas and Washington).

BOSTON vs HABS NOTES: 4-2 WIN

• Condon stopped 29 of 31 shots and can’t be blamed for the 2 goals he allowed. The first was a beautiful one-timer from Patrice Bergeron who aimed in perfectly short side, about 2 feet off the ice. The second was a screened shot from the point. Condon was outstanding the rest of the way and allowed the Habs to get back into once they were down 2-1.
• David Desharnais continues to play his best hockey and as we stated yesterday, his third period play has been best of all. It’s a welcomed sight to see him shoot more often, and we hope he keeps it up all season long.
• Alexei Emelin continues to lead the Habs in hits with 7 yesterday but got some help from the mighty Paul Byron who chipped in with 5. Nathan Beaulieu also got a decent hip check in on Bergeron. Those were welcomed additions to Habs hits because they were severely outhit in this one 42 to 24.
• Alex Galchenyuk had a better game and chipped in 2 assists while winning 75% of his face offs. It did look like he was in Therrien’s doghouse during the first period, but that seemed to thaw as the game wore on.
• Lars Eller looked like the happiest guy on the ice when he scored his 5th of the season. His instincts on the ice are getting better.
• Brendan Gallagher continued to cause chaos and although he was called for goalie interference, he is definitely getting the most out of his around-the-net play. His first assist was a beauty to Tomas Plekanec who scored his 7th of the season and is now a hair behind having a point-per-game.
• The Habs made the best of the Power Plays, improving their totals by scoring twice in three tries on the PP.

The Habs now lead the NHL in goals per game at 3.69 GPG. The league average is 2.62. The PP is 3rd in the NHL at 27.3%, the PK is also 3rd in the NHL at 88.9%, and the team now boasts 6 players in the top 20 scorers in the NHL.

To say things are great in Montreal is a major understatement. This are amazing, and it’s beginning to look like a season for the ages. As a side note, Brett Lernout scored his first professional goal last night for the IceCaps who won in a shootout. Congrats to Brett for that feat!

The Habs have a few days to get set for their next matchup which means facing Sidney Crosby, Evegni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. Hopefully Mike Condon will be on his best game for that one as well!