Disheartening, displeased, disgusted, or just plain dissed. That can pretty much describe the comedy of errors that were the Montreal Canadiens in a 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The game was a momentous payback opportunity for Lightning netminder Cedrick Desjardins, who was cast aside by the Canadiens to virtually assure Carey Price that he would be the number one man in Montreal.
Desjardins responded with a 27-save win in his NHL debut, after being called up from the AHL earlier this month. It wasn’t a difficult night for Desjardins, who had to make few outstanding starts.
Things did look promising for the Habs when Max Pacioretty opened the scoring in the first period. The visiting club did play a great first period, I’ll give them that, then they shit the bed.
So here we go…..
How many non-goalies are allowed on the ice, by one team?
Five right? Thought so. The Canadiens took two straight too-many men calls, forcing a five-on three that the Lightning capitalized on to tie the game. These were not just the common too-many men calls where the skaters are all near the bench either. Nope this time the players were 20 feet away when the infractions were called. Just plain dumb!
Don’t you wish the Habs had a finisher like Steven Stamkos?
Yeah me too. I thought we did when the Canadiens signed a winger who potted 39 goals in Calgary, then lit the lamp in last season’s playoffs. Where have you gone Mike Cammalleri?
Is it too much for Price to handle?
Certainly not the best night for No. 31. Alex Auld came in with 7:40 to play, and will likely get the 5pm start against the Florida Panthers.
The wear of the season might be catching up with Price, and coach Jacques Martin may choose not to let him got the 9 or 10 start runs through January to give him some rest.
Is Yannick Weber an NHL caliber defenceman?
Mike Boone doesn’t think so, and neither do I. He was already behind Alexandre Picard, P.K. Subban and Ryan O`Byrne to start the season, and the player he is in the AHL is certainly not showing up in the big league.
Fire Jacques Martin?
Highly unlikely, but the coach is losing a grip on his team. my friend Kyle Roussel made a good point on Twitter along the thought that playing the trap, while down by two goals, is not a formula to win a game. It certainly isn’t.
In all likelihood we’ll see some roster moves, such as a call up of David Desharnais or maybe even Dustin Boyd (10G in 7GP with the Hamilton Bulldogs) before Gauthier even considers dropping Martin.
As bad as his approach is guys and gals JM isn’t going anywhere.
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