Losers of two straight, the Montreal Canadiens limped into Pittsburgh after a Friday bag skate to take on the Penguins. Unsurprisingly, they lost, stretching their losing streak to three games as they sit at the bottom of the Atlantic division.
But the loss was certainly less lopsided than the last two, so did that bag skate have something to do with it?
Most have likely seen this video by now – punishment for the Canadiens after their embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Washington Capitals on Thursday. There was some debate online about whether this would accomplish anything beyond fatiguing the team a day before they were scheduled to play again. Some fans felt it was deserved, and some felt it was literal exercise in futility.
The good news is that their effort level seemed much higher in Pittsburgh. They were moving their feet. They didn’t quit on that game at any point like they very clearly did against the Capitals. They played with some pride, and a focus on the defensive side of things that was woefully absent in their previous two contests. It wasn’t all that bad of a game, and two goals from one of the best players to ever lace up a pair of skates were the difference.
The bad news is that this came at the expense of their offensive output. They looked tentative at best, and flat out terrified to make a mistake at worst. One of the things that has made this team watchable this season has been their ability to put the puck in the net. When that goes away, the games can be about as fun as watching paint dry, so it’s a matter of finding some balance in their game where they don’t have to sacrifice play at one end to do well in the other.
To answer the titular question, I think the bag skate did exactly what it was intended to do – it got them to show some pride in their effort. It didn’t magically make the team very good, but we know that is a process that won’t be completed through one or more bag skates. There is still work to be done.
But parts of the fan base are beginning to lose patience. Win or lose, Martin St-Louis has the unenviable task of getting this team back to playing entertaining hockey.
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