Hate to say this, but I might actually be a bit relieved that my fiance is under the weather. Why you ask? Because she decided she wouldn’t be up for dinner plans tomorrow with friends, one one of whom is a Philadelphia Flyers fan. With three head-to-head meetings already, the Montreal Canadiens are 1-2, and don’t get a chance to tie the regular season until late January.
I can’t imagine hearing him gloat as I struggle to see how the Habs fair against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
The Canadiens have now dropped three straight games, for the first time this season. They may get an edge over the Bruins as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Buffalo Sabres, and should be a little weary for tomorrow’s tilt at the Bell Centre. We can only hope they are.
So for some water cooler discussion tomorrow, I’ll float out a few questions on tonight’s game
1. Was the return of Scott Gomez a crucial asset for the Habs?
Despite the loss, Gomez had two helpers on the night and had a couple chances where he maybe should have shot the puck. Considering he missed two games due to an undisclosed injury, his return showed promise.
2. Will Andrei Kostitsyn still be with the Habs next season?
After starting the night on the third line, but was reunited with Tomas Plekanec and Mike Cammaleri. It didn’t last long as Benoit Poulliot took his spot on the line by game’s end. Kostitsyn needs to find his scoring touch real fast, or he could be following the same train out of town that his little brother did.
3, Did you miss Chris Pronger?
The Flyers defenseman left the game with a lower-body injury, and did not return. Too bad, so sad.
4. If you were the coach, would you have used Lars Eller in that PK situation?
Yes it is a boost to his confidence, and his folks were in town for the game, but if you have Gomez available in that situation, would you not use him? Jacques Martin chose not too and Eller made the rookie mistake of watching the net and not his coverage zone, allowing James van Riemsdyk, already a plus 3 on the night, to swoop in for the loose puck.
I shouldn’t put alll the blame on the rookie for that sequence as Jaroslav Spacek was clearly caught way too far up ice on that PK.
5. Was the Max Pacioretty call-up the right move?
It was just one game, but the Canadiens winger re-energized Gomez and Brian Gionta. Pacioretty had three SOG, two that were blocked, and two that missed the net. He also delivered four hits, one of which was instrumental on the Subban power play marker.
6. If you’re a goalie, don’t you hate bad bounces when your counterpart is on fire?
Sergei Bobrovsky was busy in the Flyers’ goal, facing 41 shots and having 22 blocked by his teammates and another 21 that hit the post, or went wide.
Carey Price faced 30 shots, and played well. It just sucks for a goalie when a puck rebounds off your own defenseman (van Riemsdyk’s first goal ) or a wrap around catches the right angle off your stick (Nicolay Zherdev) and has you looking down at your pads asking, WTF?”
7. Could P.K. Subban had a more up and down game?
His weak up ice pass through the neutral zone, and poor judgement of Jeff Carter‘s speed put him out of position on the opening goal.
He redeemed himself in the second period with a booming shot on the power play. Did you notice the one-timer and no hesitation? That one went to waste, however on a weak pass up the boards and onto the stick of Mike Richards who found an open Claude Giroux behind Subban. Game over.
He still managed a Third Star on the night, but Subban is now -5 in his last four games.
8. Are the Flyers for real?
They beat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night, and the Habs the following night. What do you think?
