The Canadiens have lived hard times over the last few years. They've suffered their fair share of injuries to important players, and they had to have known that the Tampa Bay Lightning would be out to prove themselves on the grand stage Montreal would offer them; their first opportunity to show that they can succeed without Steven Stamkos.

I think we all know the Lightning will struggle without their best player. They put up 45 shots in a game they'd have won by many goals had it been Stamkos firing those pucks Teddy Purcell found on his stick on their powerplay.

If not for Carey Price, this would've been an all out laugher, but I can promise the air was anything but comical in the Canadiens dressing room after they succumbed to the Lightning in the shootout.

When asked what the building blocks were for the Canadiens after notching their first win in five games, Brendan Gallagher had a pretty accurate assessment of his team at yesterday's morning skate:

"We need to be first on pucks, using our speed and skating well and just playing an aggressive style of game. When we're doing those things we're a very good team, when we're not, we're a very bad team."

Pretty easy to figure out which version of the team showed up last night.

"We weren't skating tonight," said a disappointed Josh Gorges after the game. "There's no explanation. We, as a group, have to understand that can't happen anymore."

It wasn't all lemons. The Canadiens were effective on the penalty kill, as they have been for most of this season, particularly of late. But when asked about that, Michel Therrien wasn't entirely in the mood to give his team credit for anything. The coach was sharp in responding, "Yep, Carey Price was great."

Daniel Briere took what Price offered--in keeping his team in the game for 55+ minutes--by making a simple play, attacking the net. The puck bounced off the shaft of his stick and got past Ben Bishop, as that patented fist pump was met with rousing ovation instead of the chorus of boos Briere was accustomed to as a visiting scorer at the Bell Centre.

It was the kind of play the Canadiens failed to execute throughout the game, even with the man-advantage, which failed to convert on three great opportunities in the first period. Bishop may as well have remained stationary, locked on P.K. Subban's shot, because the Canadiens lacked the creativity that would've netted them a goal. They obviously weren't opportunistic on the few chances they generated.

I'm not sure you could chalk all their losses up to not competing hard enough; in fact, I'd say the Canadiens' compete-level is rarely questionable. But Gallagher's certainly right about how they look when they aren't the aggressor.

Over a long season, earning a point when you don't deserve one helps. There's no question, the Canadiens have Price to thank for giving them one last night. They'll file this one away as quickly as they can, though it'd be wise for them not to forget it.
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1) By his own admission, Briere was a little lost on his first couple of shifts. But you couldn't help but be happy for him that he scored in his first game back, and that he looked more comfortable as the game wore on.

"It was definitely a good feeling, especially a late goal like that to tie it up. Hopefully the next one will be to win it," said Briere with a smile that masked his disappointment with the outcome of the game.

Briere noted that he watched Galchenyuk's shootout attempt and saw that Bishop didn't move very much on it. He said he typically has a plan for what he'll do in the shootout, but having never taken an attempt against Bishop, his thought was to shoot instead of deke. He said afterwards that he got in too close before releasing.

He added: "I want to be the guy that gets to go. I'm frustrated it didn't work out this time."

2) Brandon Prust rejoins his team at practice, and he's been cleared for contact.

Prust is hoping to be in the lineup in the second half of back-to-backs, against the Rangers this Saturday.

3) Saturday will also be a Alexei Emelin's first game of the season. Not a moment too soon as the Canadiens cling to the final wildcard spot with a 9-8-2 record, two points up on the Senators, who hold a game in hand.

Will it be Francis Bouillon or Doug Murray who sits for him?

I can imagine some fans are hoping it's both.

4) David Desharnais spent the night in the pressbox, and P.K. Subban played more than 28 minutes. This should amount to an automatic win in the eyes of many, especially with Carey Price stopping 44 pucks and limiting the opposition to a goal.

Well, Briere, who took Desharnais spot, held up his end of the bargain last night. Subban played excellent. But the Canadiens didn't have enough of a commitment from the offense, and Therrien needs a third defense pairing he can trust out there.

Bouillon and Murray were on the ice for two pucks that found their way past Price. At that point, Murray had only played a little more than 6:00.

Good for the refs for eventually getting that right. Incidental contact is not reviewable, and we'll never know for sure if they would've called it on the play had they seen the puck go in live, but they got it right in hindsight, and that's really all that matters.

5)







Anyone want to let the coaching staff know that this is an available option to them in the shootout?????

Subban has taken a total of three breakaways in NHL shootouts, (1 attempt in 2010-11, 2 attempts in 2011-12) and he missed all three of them. Maybe it's time to give him another chance!

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