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Habs Powerplay Jumps to Top of the League |
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Whatever, it’s not like they gave up another 49 shots.
But the game told a different story. The Canadiens took a 3-1 lead in the first ten minutes of the opening frame (should have been 3-0, had it not been for the brilliance of Scott Gomez). Glen Metropolit made it 4-1 with a couple of minutes left in the first. You knew the Hurricanes were going to try to get it going in the second, and they outshot Montreal 18-10 in the frame, but failed to convert, as Glen Metropolit completed the scoring late in the period.
As for a third, in which the Canadiens gave up 16 shots and several good opportunities to Matt Cullen; they reeled it in and played out the win. The shifts were kept from 30-40 seconds, and the plan was fairly simple: Clear the zone, get across the red-line, dump it in and change.
The shot total wasn’t at all indicative of how this game went. Jaroslav Halak played another great game, but most of his quality saves came with the game well out of reach.
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Notes:
-If Montreal’s defense is porous without Andrei Markov, what is Carolina’s without Joe Corvo (who suffered the same injury as Markov did)?
-After a few miserable performances, I felt Ryan O’Byrne played a strong game last night.
-Marc-Andre Bergeron has 20 points in 32 games, yet people still complain about him being a liability in the defensive zone. You know what I say? WHO CARES! He has 20 points in 32 games.
-On a related note, the Canadiens powerplay on the road is clicking at 34%. What? 34%!!!!!
-On the whole, the Canadiens powerplay is 1st in the league…Thanks Markov, for pushing it completely over the edge. At 24.6% efficiency, it’s right back to where it was when the Canadiens led the league in powerplay scoring from ‘06-08.
-Sheldon Souray- 5.4 million
-Mark Streit- 4.1 million
-Mike Komisarek- 4.5 million
-Mathieu Schneider- 2.75 million (coming off surgery, and thanks to some time next to Andrei Markov)
-Marc-Andre Bergeron- 750,000$
-Thanks Bob.
-Speaking of Bob…Considering the amount of turnover in the offseason, a schedule that’ll have them play a game more than half their season after December, the loss of Andrei Markov, your tempered expectations before the season started (with a healthy Andrei Markov), without Brian Gionta for the last 6 weeks, with excellent goaltending and special teams, in a position to better this team through trade, and most importantly on the cusp of a playoff spot; is it really all dead for Bob Gainey? If Gainey inks Plekanec and Price, and sets up a whale of a deal involving Jaroslav Halak, do you still think his days are numbered as GM of your Montreal Canadiens? And if this team (which so many berated, and continue to berate) makes the playoffs given everything that’s happened to it?
-When Brian Gionta returns, this team becomes a 3-line team; which is good, because Jacques Martin only plays with three lines.
-It could be Gomez-Gionta- and Sergei, or Pouliot, or Pacioretty…It won’t matter, they’ll score…
-Is the top line going to slow down? I don’t think so…
-Anyone miss Alex Kovalev?
-Speaking of Kovalev, the Canadiens have a new powerplay specialist…his name is Tomas Plekanec, and he’s 4th in the league in powerplay scoring, with 18 points. By the way, the three players ahead of him have 19 points, and their names are Thornton, Gaborik, and St. Louis.
-Don’t know if I can pump his tires anymore, but Plekanec is among the best players in the league (even if statistics support the argument, they only serve as support). Watch him play, and you’d have a hard time saying anyone is playing better at the moment. Dare I say, he’s been Crosby-like? I will dare to say it!
-You know what makes him even better than he’s been? Markov…Markov makes everyone better. But with Markov in the lineup, Plekanec has elevated from star, to superstar! Wonder how a couple of weeks on a line with Jagr will impact his performance this year…
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To the many who read this blog every time it’s updated, listen to the shows on the team990, and the interviews with XM, I can’t thank you enough! It means everything to me, and the participation here has been wonderful.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones, and wish you all nothing but health and happiness in the New Year.
I’m sticking around for the Holidays, and though I won’t blog tomorrow, or Christmas day, I’ll be back in the saddle Saturday, talking Leafs-Habs on the pre and post-game shows, and blogging away, here.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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