Montreal 3 Washington 1 (Mellon Arena) The series is tied 1-1.
I’m reminded again of my childhood neighbour, and his Dad. Mr. Webb was a not-very-svelte 250 pound guy who wore hip waders and a baggy army parka on the backyard rink. The teams for hockey were the same each day we played. My brother and I would line up against Mr. Webb and his son.
The Webb team would always get an early lead. Mr. Webb didn’t stray far from the net. In his unique style, he would lie across the goal line whenever we got a scoring chance. While my brother and I could easily advance past our friend, raising the puck over this hulk with hip waders was an entirely different matter. We hammered away, ran up the shot totals, and usually lost four or five to nothing.
The Webb winning streak continued for a few years until we learned to raise the puck, and then the hip waders were unavailable to come out to play.
As opposing teams outshoot the Canadiens by wide margins, and continue to lose, some speak of a “winning formula.” Tonight, the Canadiens outshot the Penguins 12-to-9 in the first period. For the next 40 minutes, the shots on goal were 30-to-9 for Pittsburgh. Is this really a sustainable system?
After the game, coach Martin said that he was happy with his team’s “puck management.” The coach must own a custom dictionary.
Just as my brother and I figured out the Webb barricade, a smart coach will break down Fortress Habs. In addition, It’s tremendously fatiguing for the players, especially now that injuries have taken key players out of the line-up.
It is amusing to me that many believe that Jaroslav Halak plays better when he faces a large number of shots. They reference his record and ‘rationalize’ that he doesn’t have time to get cold, or distracted with non-game thoughts from inaction. It’s nonsense.
Halak has a good record when he has the assistance of five other defenders. When his teammates are fully committed to defense by blocking shots and keeping chances to the perimeter, they are spending most of the game in their own end. It’s rather difficult to play offense and get shots on goal when so little time is spent in the offensive zone.
Playing Fortress Habs leads to lopsided shot totals.
But when it’s working, why change? You know, “if it ain’t broke,…”
A successful NHL coach can’t be thinking one game at a time, nor one period at a time. He must anticipate two shifts ahead, be thinking about next period adjustments, and be strategizing about the next game. That’s a proactive coach.
A reactive coach will use the same system even with its flaws exposed because it happens to work for one game. A reactive coach will play his top three lines almost exclusively without any regard to how it affects his team for the rest of the series. A reactive coach will punish his fifth leading scorer of the playoffs which may satisfy his personal anger but do nothing for his team.
Once getting past the first round, some are happy with token wins or moral victories. So, in their minds, the manner is irrelevant. But with the top three seeds in the Eastern conference eliminated from the playoffs, there is a real opportunity for the Canadiens. So, its not only good enough to win, but to prepare for the next win as well.
A game like this may frustrate the Penguins but does nothing to erode the confidence that they are the superior team. As Penguins’ assistant coach Tony Granato, said after the second period, “Keep doing what you’re doing, we’re all over them.”
Mike Cammalleri described it as “hangers-on hockey.”
A great deal of credit must go to all the forwards who played more than 20 minutes: Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Mike Cammalleri, and Tomas Plekanec.
The defense corps was superb: Josh Gorges, Hal Gill, Roman Hamrlik, Ryan O’Byrne and P.K. Subban.
Penalty-killing was perfect for the Habs, and a power-play goal ensured that they won the special teams battle.
The Canadiens and Penguins head to Montreal for Game 3 on Tuesday night.
Rocket’s three stars
1. Scott Gomez
2. Mike Cammalleri
3. Jaroslav Halak
Special mention: Alex Goligoski, Brian Gionta, Hal Gill
Player quotes from wire services were used in this report.
(photo credit: Getty)
You know what amuses me? The Habs fans who, because the Canadiens beat the Capitals, are now happy with whatever the outcome of this season is. I don't get this. I know they've already gone further than anticipated. But that the expectations were to do no better than perhaps get out of the first round? I find that sad.
Now, as mentioned, the Canadiens have a real chance to advance further than anyone thought they'd go. The Devils and Sabres are both toast. If they can somehow knock off the Pens, well the road to the finals at least *looks* a lot easier, doesn't it?
As for the game plan…I don't know what to make of it anymore. The Canadiens have been laughing in the face of the hockey gods all year long. Getting massively outshot while clinging to a tiny lead, to me, is a dubious game plan at best. Yet it's getting the W's and Halak continues to stop millions of shots in wins, and gets horribly exposed in losses. I guess there's some unity in this bunch. Stick to the "plan", and nobody will falter. Get away from it, like in game 1, and the house of cards comes down. Just take a look at the disparity in save percentage (and performance) when the Habs have won a playoff game, or lost one. The divide is shocking. On one hand, when the Canadiens win, Halak's numbers seem otherworldly. When they lose, they seem fit for the ECHL.
It's pretty evident that Martin is going to go with this strategy for as long as it works. He's probably shooting his team in the foot, as this sort of style cannot last forever and be successful.
As for his benchings…I'd just like to get everyone in the same room and swiftly kick them all in the arse; Martin for being a stubborn mule, and the bench warmers for being on the moon.
The fun continues tomorrow, but I suggest you have 2 versions of your game review ready: the one from game 1, the other from game 2, because to this point each game in the playoffs has pretty well gone according to that script.
Dan Bylsma is smarter than Bruce Boudreau and his team knows what it takes to win in the playoffs. However, their one flaw has been in nets. Fleury has been shaky at best in the first round and seems it's continuing a bit. Actually he's been off since coming back from doing nothing in the Olympics. Our smaller players can get to him and because they're so much smaller than most, I find defensemen forget they're even there (Gio's goal was a pretty good example of that). And regardless of what the Pens throw at our net, Halak and Price are a better tandem to stop them than an Elliott and Leclaire. However we've seen how the high shot total can turn a game flat on it's face before. Remember being up 2-0 and thinking victory only to lose 3-2 in a shootout because the DEFENSE lapsed for just a moment. It is playing with fire. Even if the goalie happens to blink just at the right time the puck could be in the back of the net.
If the D can stay focused and direct traffic accordingly then the shot total is moot. Even the dipsydoole play of Malkin was barely a shovel puck on net. There's no magic to it. It's a simple clogging trap.
Also they kept Crosby boxed out very well. The strength of the Pens is down the middle, and without Staal they're down to two. Regardless of adjustments, those guys need proper wingers. Playing Talbot or Dupuis with Crosby or Malkin is like shoving Lapierre next to Cammy or Gomez. Sure you'll have a random role player come out looking like a hero every now and then, but for the most part those guys rely on hoping the defensemen at the points can score goals if they can't.
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