Price And Depleted Defense Stand Tall As Habs Squeak By Sabres
by Robert L on Oct 4, 2009 1:45 AM EDT
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For a second consecutive game, the Canadiens have come from behind to win in overtime, leaving their hosts looking for the bandit on both occasions. Credit both wins to a rejuvenated Carey Price, and a defense corps that is helping to clear the front of his net and facilitate his workload. Aside from that, as my father used to say, "Ayoyoye....!" Considering that this team is a chemistry experiment that is still bubbling in its test tube, that it is beginning its existence on the road, and that it is losing parts as it learn to fly, the criticisms of what it is not yet doing properly should not be too harsh. Everyone understands that it is going to take some time and games for this club to truly become what it is to be. That fate has tasked it with an early character test will either derail it soon enough or serve to bond and better it by forcing everyone aboard to dig deep and dig often. After Andrei Markov's severed tendon in game one, Glen Metropolit and Ryan O'Byrne left the game with upper body and lower body injuries respectively. Both had been playing very well. That makes three players going down to injury in two games, and at this rate they will have called up the entire Hamilton Bulldogs roster by the seventh game to replace the walking wounded. Nevertheless, they have four points to show for their efforts in two road games in which they have been badly outshot. Each win has come in overtime. What I cannot decide is, two wins later, are this bunch lucky or unlucky.
To be both fair and honest, the cohesion and chemistry on the ice is badly out of whack so far. The forwards are having trouble reading the defensemen on breakout plays. The neutral zone coverage is almost inexistant, which is causing the Canadiens to play 75% of the game in their own zone as if playing on a tilted surface. In the offensive zone, there are so many new pieces to the puzzle that no one seems to know where to go, where to be, and where to find each other. As mentioned, much of that is understandable for the moment. It makes one wonder whether the compressed exhibition schedule of five games in five nights was such a good idea. One gets the feeling that Jacques Martin would have liked to have more time to instill his system into his player's heads and habits. Against Buffalo, a pattern similar to the Toronto game was apparent early. The defensemen, playing tight to Price, were allowing all variety of perimeter shots while the forwards were being outhustled by the speedier Sabres forwards along the boards. Puck possession was almost nil for Montreal as Buffalo ran up the shots on goal total. Much of what was fired at Price early was far from the dangerous variety and rebounds were for the most part easily cleared or handled. When good scoring opportunities presented themselves, Price was alert and well positioned for the save. In two games thus far, he is making what looked at times to be excruciatingly difficult last season, seems almost routine at present. While the Sabres and Leafs offense surely do not present the same challenges to Price as those of the Penguins, Capitals, Red Wings and Bruins, the good start is a confidence builder. It's only two games, but a .951 save percentage and a 1.89 GAA speak well for what can be accomplished when goaltender and D-men are in sync. Once the forwards find their step and bring some synchronicity to the coverage, the shots totals will decline and the time of puck possession will increase.
It is often said that contending clubs are built from the net out. Presently, with the loss of Markov and now O'Byrne, and the offseason departures of four defensemen, the Canadiens game plan will need reconstructing from the net out. The Habs backline will rarely be spectacular until Markov's return, but it can become efficient. Able and experinced vets such as Roman Hamrlik, Jaroslav Spacek, Paul Mara and Hal Gill can contribute greatly by keeping things simplified and maintaining their composure. Josh Gorges has played like a ten year vet the past two game, which can only be reassuring. It's only taken a few games to arrive at the notion, if we didn't already know, that Hal Gill's skills have their limitations. Listening to former coach Pat Burns the other day, he shed some interesting points on how to maximize Gill's size and skill assets. Burns, who coached Gill in Boston for a few seasons, said that Gill always worked best when assigned a particular task, such as being given one player to cover at all times. Burns testified that Gill used to give Jaromir Jagr fits game in and out, simply by laying on the stick, body, reach and attitude at every turn. Burns said that Gill was so efficient in the one on one task, that Jagr would spend the game whinning to officials.
While the defensemen are doing their duty, for Martin, the next step to work on will involve the Habs forwards winning more puck battles in their own zone. Again, perhaps due to the newness of players and a different system, many Habs forwards seems reactionary rather than instinctive. They are watching things happen instead of making them happen, and it shows. It is an evolutionary process to mold a team into a new style of play, and for Martin as a new coach, he must tread the fine line between instructing and berating. The last thing a new coach wants to do is alienate participants early in selling his system. It will all come together, one game at a time. As long as things progress and improve, the transition will go smoothly. In the season's first two games, several Habs have put in noteworthy performances and helped the club to its 2-0 record. A few words on some that have caught my eye: Tomas Plekanec: Has displayed that instinctiveness over reactiveness mentioned above that had made him a favorite of mine up until last season. He has been poised and confident in all assignments, and considering that his wingers, Kostitsyn and Pacioretty, has been AWOL thus far, is not overextending himself offensively to the detriment of the team concept. I see him becoming a Martin favorite.
Josh Gorges: Have you noticed the maturity on his game? As a young veteran on the team, his play seems to have blossomed to the point where he now has the confidence to attempt things he wouldn't have last season. The pinch for his OT game winner in Toronto was one. He ably handled another pinch play in a similar fashion against Buffalo that almost resulted in a goal. During a man advantage, there was a cross ice pass to Cammalleri, a la Markov to Kovalev, that I'd never seen him try before. Had the recipient not been so surprised, it might just have clicked.
Roman Hamrlik: There's nothing like a veteran presence to calm the troops. Hamrlik was this game's savior in a sense, stepping in as Markov went down, and performing up to standard. The fear was that he would be running around, attempting to do too much, but instead he was simply where he needed to be all game long. It was subtle, and essential, to the Habs not coming apart at the seams in light of the Markov injury. Brian Gionta: Sparkplug. Little stick of dynamite. Call him what you will, this guy is a winner and the Habs next captain. He throws everything he has into every facet of his game. He's a pest, always in pursuit of an opportunity, relentlessly in creation. The more I see him play, the more I see an everyman sense about him. He's Theo Fleury minus the pomp. Maxim Lapierre: Has improved in every game since exhibition and is starting to find his groove from last season. It's in the little details. Things like anticipation and agitation. Perhaps it was playing with Moen more than D' Agostini that brought out his natural elements in last night's game. It's all in the fiesty quotient. If you notice Max, it's because he's playing well. If he hasn't left an impression, it's because he was off. Travis Moen: Two goals in two games; who woulda thunk it! Hardly spectacular, he's doing all kinds of good things out there and making his physical presence felt. Could this guy achieve 15 or 20 goals? Maybe. One thing that is promising is that he certainly looks like a player that brings it everynight. Can't ever have enough of those.
Photos courtsey of Habs Inside Out and Montreal Canadiens.com.
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I agree on Price
He has been solid, but it is one of the reasons I feel SV% is overrated.
Scoring chances are what are important and although the shot totals are high, there hasn’t been an abundance of glorious scoring chances all game. He has simplified his game and he is tracking the puck well (Mara and Gill have helped clear the crease). His anticipation has also been spot on as seen in both cross crease saves, where he exploded off the post and was square to the shooter like he knew where he was.
This is why it drives me nuts when people throw him under the bus. Goaltenders make small strides and then the lightbulb goes off. When it goes on with Price, he is going to be a stud.
www.fantasysensehockey.net
The SV% stat can be overrated, but if one considers that it encompases all types of shots as a generalization, then it represents an average take.
All shots taken are scoring opportunities. If the stat were then broken down into only glorious chances, then the stat of the shooter would figure in.
Was it a save on a 5 goal or 50 goal scorer?
Was it a PP save?
Who were the defensemen on ice when the save was made?
The intracacies of the questions would be endless.
I feel the stat says what I needs to, especially considering certain goalies whose GAA is low but whose SV% is not so spectacular.
There are so many variables, that it leads one to thinking that any formula can be microscoped for discrepancies.
You can tear anything apart in that sense, like how good would Gretzky have been on the Winnipeg Jets in 1980, or what if Scotty Bowman were coaching the 1999 Canadiens instead of the loaded ’79 version.
There are anti arguments for just about everything.
The Beatles were great because of their record producer, etc….
It is true of every stat. Which is why one should not use SV% as a determining factor of greatness. It gives you a general idea of a goalies performance, but you cannot tell me that Tim Thomas faced the same quality of shots that Price did last season.
So how is it really a comparable? It leads to false assumptions and perceptions.
www.fantasysensehockey.net
Assessment
I hope the glaring weaknesses in the Canadiens’ game are the product of the large number of newcomers on the team and lack of playing time together. Any appraisal of the team is probably grossly unfair at this point, given the number of newcomers, given that the coach is new, given that the preseason games the team played were not ideal for bringing the team together, and given that the team has played only two games together.
But, since appraisals are being made, these are the things that worried me, although I recognize they could all go away in a few more games.:
1. The number of times both the Leafs and the Sabres were able to set up in the Canadiens’ end as if they were on the power play when in fact the teams were at even strength. The team seems to collapse in on itself and plays very deep in its own end when the opposition has possession inside our blueline.
2. The almost complete concession of the area between the blue lines to the opposition in both games. This applies both when we are on attack and when we are defending. On attack, the player possessing the puck often has no one available for a pass and finds himself outnumbered. And on defence, I’ve seen precious little forechecking from our forwards.
3. The inability to string passes together, defencemen to defencemen, defencemen to forwards and forwards to forwards, and in an alarming number of cases, the inability even to make the first pass on regaining poissession, which turns the puck over to the opposition in our own end.
4. The small number of shots on goal in both games. Someone has to shoot for the team to score.. This is largely the result of factors listed above.
5. Failure to take advantage of our superior speed. Again this is largely the result of factors listed above.
6. What appears to be lack of effort from Kostitsyn and the disappointing showing of Pacioretty, despite a good performance from their centre, Plekanec
Promising signs in addition to those mentioned by Robert L.:
1. For years we have missed having a big guy who can station himself in front of the opposition’s net, and, of course, we still don’t have one. It was hoped Latendresse would fill that role, but he never has. The last couple of seasons we have played a largely perimeter game once inside the opposition’s blue line, much of it against the boards. But now we have at least one forward, Gionta, who is willing to rush the net, and it’s paid off. And perhaps Cammalleri and Gomez are similarly willing. This compensates quite a bit for our lack of a big player who can station himself in front of the goal and remain there even under challenge. Moreover, Gionta, Gomez and Cammalleri seem very comfortable skating down the middle with the puck, and we no longer play a primarily perimeter game close to the boards. In other words, we appear to have more thrust down the middle than we had last season despite losing Kovalev.
2.. The shining performances turned in by players who are not considered top stars—Metropolit as well as the players Robert L. singled out for praise, Gorges, Moen and Lapierre. And O’Byrne and even Laraque have made creditable showings.
Not having seen the first period, thank goodness, I think I am more positive than you. I thought the boys won the second period — looked to be carrying more of the play than Buffalo. The third looked reasonably even to me although the shots on goal don’t seem to support my view.
I know it’s early, but I see effort and intensity. There’s a bit of sandpaper, and I hope it stays.
I am perplexed by AK. He seems lost. I don’t think he knows how good he is and how he could be the number one forward if he put his mind to it. Surely he will get untracked.
Anvil: I’m perplexed by AKost too. I was one of those wishing he’d been slotted on the RW last year, seeing that his forays in ennemy territory from that side were always dangerous, and knowing he’d played there before. But it looks like the actual adaptation might be harder than I tought. How patient Martin is with him will tell us what he has in mind for AK.
O’Byrne out for 6 weeks. Jeebus.
Price is confident, the defence is allowing him to see the shots and clearing the front of the net. Good the see that Price is able to cover up loose pucks, where as last year the opposing players were taking whacks at loose pucks in front of him. AK’s head is burried where the sun don’t shine …. He needs to get going and soon. MaxPac also looks completely lost. The Hammer played an excellent game and really stepped last night. Getting 4 points in the first two on the road is a real positive.
Victories were a fluke
To the ones who think these two victories were deserved or a sign of things to come, I am of the opinion that you should think again. The Candiens have played two of the weekest teams in the NHL and were seriously outplayed. They lucked out. The Habs have a great first line, after that there isn’t much. Their defense is at best average with Markov in the lineup. Yes, I think they are better than last year, but so are most of the other teams in the East. It’s amazing how a couple of victories can blind so many people. This week the weeknesses will start to get exposed. Go Habs Go!
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