1) It was going to happen eventually. Sergei Gonchar went back to retrieve a puck, and he got hammered, this time by slow-footed David Clarkson. It happened in Boston to begin the week, when much faster than David Clarkson--Daniel Paille--crushed Gonchar with a hit he could actually see coming. It's going to happen in the playoffs.
The success of the Gonchar-Beaulieu pairing has been Gonchar's aggressiveness at his own blueline and Beaulieu's speed in scooping up the pucks that Gonchar forces opposing wingers to dump past him. You can't run interference anymore, so you need speed to retrieve pucks in your own end. Getting run is unavoidable sometimes, even if you have the speed like Beaulieu does.
We'll see how long Gonchar's out for. I won't speculate on what's ailing him.
2) You heard Michel Therrien. Beaulieu earned a lot of respect from his teammates with his decision to jump into fisticuffs with Clarkson. He didn't even hesitate to take on a much bigger opponent. Won't agree with Therrien saying he did the right thing; after all, the team was handcuffed without their second pair for nearly 20 minutes of the game. But how can you deny the impact Beaulieu's decision had on the competitiveness of the Canadiens from that point on in the game?
It doesn't matter that it was the lowly Leafs. Toronto came to play in the game, they got up for their fans actually cheering for them instead of mercilessly booing them, and the Canadiens had their hands full. Big win for Montreal, keeping them locked in first place in the division, vaulting them into first in the conference while Tampa was idle.
The Lightning took care of business yesterday, but remain behind the Canadiens, tied with 76 points, having played three more games than Montreal has.
3) As my buddy Brian Wilde pointed out, Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban both played over 30 minutes in the game, both were excellent, and neither took star honors after the game. A bit of a crime, not that anyone should really care about that...
The desperation of Markov and Subban on the final shift of their night was something else. Therrien said they emptied the tank. They emptied a lake with the way they played that game.
At one point, Subban took a four minute shift, followed by a three minute shift. As the game wore on, and Montreal's powerplay couldn't convert, I was starting to think there was no way they could push through and win the game.
4) Then it got to a shootout, and even without specialist P.A. Parenteau, it never seemed in doubt.
Sick moves by Alex Galchenyuk and David Desharnais made Jonathan Bernier look like an amateur while Price stopped two shots and allowed his first goal against in the shootout this season, to Mike Santorelli--and it was a beauty!
There was a time when Carey Price felt like he couldn't stop a beach ball in the shootout. It wasn't that long ago. He's 9/10 this season. He was 7/9 last season. He was 11/14 in 2012-13. And holy crap, he was 40/54 in 2011-12. I'd call that a steady progression...
5) Price's numbers this year:
1st in save percentage: .934. 1st for goalies with over 16 games played in even strength save percentage: .941. 2nd in goals against: 1.98. 2nd in wins: 31 (44 games). Shots against: 1,309 (5th most). Saves: 1,222 (5th).
Pekka Rinne's numbers this year:
2nd in save percentage: .931. 2nd for goalies with over 16 games played in even stregth save percentage: .940. 1st in goals against: 1.97. Shots against 1,197 (13th most). Saves: 1,114 (11th). 1st in wins: 33 (42 games).
Pretty close, eh?
I'd take Nashville's defense though...
6) How good has Price been?
He's been scored on more than twice a total of three times in his last 20 starts. In 12 of those starts, it's been once or less!!!!
In 30 of his 44 starts, he's held the opposition to two goals or less. In 19 of those 30 starts, he's faced 28 shots or more. In 12 of those 19, it's been 33 shots or more.
So, Vezina? Yeah...
Hart? I'd say he's guaranteed himself a nomination, and who's going to complain if he wins it?
7) Is it really a coincidence that the Canadiens and Predators are leading their respective conferences?
There isn't a single player currently projected to score 100 points or more. Patrick Kane leads with 63 points in 57 games.
8) With Cody Franson and Santorelli off to Nashville, the focus has to be shifting for Marc Bergevin towards Jeff Petry out of Edmonton.
Marc Methot just signed a four-year extension with the Ottawa Senators, so you can scratch his name off the list.
I don't think the Gonchar injury was any kind of catalyst for Bergevin. I think he's been looking for an upgrade on Gilbert and Emelin all along. I expect he'll make a move this week, but one challenge to that is the price on Petry has to have just increased.
If Petry is the guy Bergevin wants, he's going to have to try and wrestle a sweeter package away from Edmonton, because what he'll be giving up for Petry as a rental seems like more than what he'd typically like to spend in terms of futures.
9) We've been talking about right wingers for quite some time. So, how serious do you think Bergevin is about trading for Jordan Eberle?
You have to think Eberle's a more attractive option for Bergevin than Nail Yakupov is.
Could the Canadiens and Oilers consume a blockbuster?
No doubt, Bergevin would have to clear some salary to swing a deal for Eberle and Petry. Eller and Emelin are names that have made it to Bob McKenzie's lips. Then consider prospects and draft picks to round things out. Christian Thomas? Greg Pateryn? A first round pick? Jarred Tinordi?
No question, you're giving up something good to get those players. We've seen two blockbusters already, and it seems those are the types of deals that are typically not consumed at, or before the deadline. But hey...
This would fit into Bergevin trying to swing a hockey deal. Looking at Arizona for Vermette and Yandle doesn't fit.
Bergevin was in Chicago yesterday to watch the Hawks before taking in the Chicago Wolves game thereafter. No idea if he was there to scout, or if he was there to meet with other executives in attendance.
I don't think this is going to go down the deadline... I'd expect Bergevin's going to move now.
10) The weight of the world must have come off Brendan Gallagher's shoulders when he scored his second goal in his last 17 games on Saturday. Now's as good a time as any for him to get going...
The Habs are in Detroit. This is a huge test. No Gonchar. Pateryn likely in, and you have to wonder how Markov and Subban will look after herculean ice-time against the Leafs Saturday.