Habs V Jets: A Fight For Survival or The Beginning Of The End (pacioretty)

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Habs V Jets: A Fight For Survival or The Beginning Of The End

By Brandon Smillie

Nov 4, 2017 • 7:47 pm

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Canadiens Looking For Answers In Winnipeg Vs Jets

The Montreal Canadiens arrive in Winnipeg today preparing to enter their fight for their season. With Price now out for an unknown amount of time with a Lower Body Injury and Rookie goaltender Charlie Lindgren recalled the season has had its plug pulled. The coaching staff and players will have to survive the swirl towards the drain until a suitable plug is in place to survive.

We all know that the season was already getting away from the team due in large part to a virtually goalless start and compounded by the teams (leagues?) most valuable player, Price, experiencing his worst stretch in almost a decade. While the Canadiens found their offence (21 GF in their last 5 games, including being shut out in LA) they haven’t received even average goaltending to help their cause. Their team Save Percentage is .876% and league average is .909%.

The Habs biggest failings have been because they allow the first goal, typically of the weak variety, and they struggle to find the resolve to fight back in the end of the game. This is statistically shown in their goals for and against per period.

1st: GF 13, GA 22. 2nd: GF 12, GA 14. 3rd: GF 8, GA 14. OT: GF 0, GA 1.

The team as a whole has struggle, yes, but with league average goaltending they would be able to arguable shave off 12 of 51 GA this year and have a more even 33 GF and 39 GA. The cold start by the offence would have still hampered the team, but with them finding the score sheet now and looking dangerous this Montreal Canadiens team would be in every game now and likely winning more often than not. Some may disagree because they think trading all your good players and losing for 4-6 years is the answer, but that is wrong. Sorry to tell you that, but its true. It has been the goaltending more than anything and with that part of the team thrown into an even bigger state of uncertainty I can tell you that no amounts of trades or firings would fix this.

You may say trade Carey Price, but that would be asinine as well. Players have bad spells, it happens to the best all the way through to the worst. The worst possible decision would be to overreact to situation that is completely against the norm for the performer (Price). If that means the Habs bottom out and get another top 10, or better top 5, pick then come back next year with a bunch of players hungry to compete, then so be it.

The Canadiens have been consistently outshooting opponents all season (487 Shots For, 413 League Avg) and have been slightly better than average at suppressing shots (396 Shots Against, 411 League Avg). If you don’t think that having Carey Price looking the way he has hasn’t affected his teammates play in a big way then you have never played any hockey games that you ever had an ounce of “Care-Factor… in. Bad Goaltending is one of the most deflating things in a game of hockey. It makes all your hardwork feel useless and destroys motivation and confidence.

The Canadiens are hoping Brendan Gallagher can continue his hot streak tonight. Gallagher comes into tonight with 8 points (5G, 3A) in his last 6 games. Captain Max Pacioretty has also scored in 3 of the last for games (3G). After a couple break out performances by Atturi Lehkonen and Charles Hudon, both have struggled with consistency since with Lehkonen having the only point of the two (1A) in the last 3 games. For the Canadiens to have any chance at winning they have to overcome the subpar goaltending, which means scoring 3-5 goals per win. Tall order, but the team has been scoring lately and with leaders like Gallagher and Pacioretty providing some examples its entirely possible the rest of the team can elevate their games as well.

Some fans will love the look of the practice line up yesterday and coach Julien has said that any changes that occur would be of the “Game-time… variety.

Galchenyuk - Drouin - Lehkonen Pacioretty - Danault - Shaw Byron - Plekanec - Gallagher Hudon - McCarron - Mitchell De La Rose

Mete - Weber Alzner - Petry Davidson - Benn Morrow

Montoya Lindgren

To contain the Jets offence will be no easy task, same with the Chicago Blackhawks tomorrow, and the Jets have won 3 straight while scoring 14 GF and allowing only 4 GA. Jets G Connor Hellebuyck is realizing his potential this season going 7-0-1-0 this season with a 1.92 GAA and .938 SP%. Hellebuyck had a brilliant junior/pro career prior to his NHL career so its safe to say the Jets have found their answer to Coach Maurice’s poor defensive systems. The Jets as a group actually don’t generate a lot of shots, but with the number of scorers on the team they make them count. Winnipeg only has 336 shots through 12 games for an average of 28 a game while allowing an average of 33 shots against a game. So while their style of play may catch up to them eventually on the scoresheet, it isn’t right now so Montreal will have to come out and use its strengths, team speed and forechecking, to keep Winnipeg back and draw penalties.

The key to this one will likely come down to, you guessed it: Goaltending. Let’s see if Price’s injury galvanizes the teams resolve, or shatters their confidence.

COLLECT THE BEST! COLLECT UPPER DECK!

Don't forget to check out Upper Deck products at your local hobby shops and online! Preorders for UD Series 1 and 2 are already happening so if you’re a big collector, or a new one, make sure you stop by your local shop and see if you can get yourself a box (or case). The Young Guns rookie set are one of the most collected rookie sets all year and the Exclusives (#’d to 100) and High Gloss (#’ to 10) are always worth good money on the secondary market (depending on the rookie of course). You can find Auto’s, jersey, and patch cards in these boxes as well! Check it out!

Follow me on Twitter @BrandonSmillie where I mostly stick to hockey stuff.

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