After a such a great start to the season and all those character building exercises the Montreal Canadiens put themselves through in coming back from so many deficits, the team is coming crashing down to a sobering reality.
This is a team that's prided itself on work ethic for the last couple of years. They have some premiere talent at every position, but not enough of it to just hope it'll carry them through games, and perhaps they've been suckered into believing otherwise after things went so well for them to start the season. They might not be as good as their record indicated over the first three weeks of the schedule, but there's no question they're much better than the current version of themselves.
The new leadership core for the Canadiens is facing its first true challenge of the season, right on the eve of a match with their previous leaders in former captain Brian Gionta and assistant captain Josh Gorges, who are probably convincing their Buffalo Sabres that this is a perfect opportunity to kick a vulnerable team into the depths of depression.
The Chicago Blackhawks--5-0 winners at the Bell Centre last night--served the Canadiens a perfect lesson in how to break out of a slump. Their best players were full value in the game, starting with Corey Crawford in nets, working on up from Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook to Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks created momentum with their powerplay, scoring a goal with classic simplicity; they attacked the Canadiens with speed and rhythm from line to line; they worked extremely hard to dig themselves out a well-earned two points, filling the net five times in the process.
It doesn't matter how many
highlight reel saves Carey Price makes if the players in front of him can't commit to getting on the same page. They approached the game with desperation, but fizzled quickly after the Blackhawks took a two-goal lead. The powerplay was once again a source of deflation, and commitment to the gameplan was elusive on the heels of too many missed opportunities.
Now we'll see if Michel Therrien deems it's time for desperate measures. The Canadiens' leaders have their work cut out for them, and Therrien's right at the helm, holding the power to throw the team a life preserver or an anchor.
What changes may come?
It's never safe to assume anything when it comes to Therrien, but will he be so bold to get Jarred Tinordi and Jiri Sekac in? To play Nathan Beaulieu up the lineup? To return to conventional line combinations that have worked in the past, reuniting Brendan Gallagher with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais, pushing P.A. Parenteau back to a line with Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk? Will he park Rene Bourque? Where does Dale Weise move, and what does it mean for Michael Bournival? Dustin Tokarski or Carey Price?
In the end, Therrien can pull all the strings the fans want to see, but it's up to the team to commit to the gameplan, to find its way towards a 60-minute effort, to get back to the basics that will halt this tailspin.
I'm sure the Canadiens are happy to have that first opportunity to right the ship away from the Bell Centre. If they come back from Buffalo with anything less than two points, it could be stifling to try and come out of this with six of the next seven games to be played in front of an angry mob.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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