NHL Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens Losing Big Is A Concern

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By @LissaRantSports

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The Montreal Canadiens are sitting at the top of the NHL, with 33 points and a record of 16-6-1. They aren’t doing badly at all, and there are many who will take a loss to heart.

But there are things to consider in this season’s losses — perhaps something to help soothe the hearts of fans who see every loss as a Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals.

At the beginning of the 2014-15 season, the Habs came in having gone to the Eastern Conference Final, losing their star goalie in a shattering development Game 1, and with a lot to be proud of before their very first puck drop. When a team makes the final four in any playoff situation, there is only pride that can be gleaned from that position.

The first week of the Canadiens’ season was absurdly exhilarating. Comebacks from games that were all but lost put the Habs on top, made their fans believe anything was possible and got them a reputation for rebounding from large deficits. When the team lost its first game in Game 4 of their opening road trip, fans on social media had a meltdown. After all, the team was unbeatable in their first three games. How could they possibly have lost? The 7-1 loss was bad. But looking at each of the first three games, won by only one goal, this wasn’t unexpected.

The team rebounded. And until they went on the road again, this time out west, they remained unbeaten. Their games out west, once again, were nail biters and big losses. The game against the Vancouver Canucks was the only loss the Habs experienced with a one-goal difference, lost in overtime.

With that one exception, the Canadiens lose big; in their seven losses this season, the team has been outscored 33-5. They have lost with a gap of three goals or more in every loss except for the overtime in Vancouver. Should fans be concerned?

The team was shut out tonight against the New York Rangers. The score was 5-0. They started in lackluster fashion and it was almost predictable that they would fall to the Rangers. Granted, they have had a brutal schedule, coming off a back-to-back, eight games in 13 nights and it looked like they were all done after the first period.

But no excuses; they did not play to capacity and the game ran away without them.

Aside from this game, the losses follow a pattern. The blowouts; the games that drag on to the point of being more frustrating to watch than exciting; watching the clock, wishing the game could end now. There’s no anticipation that the team will come back because they don’t look like they are going to do so.

Their comeback games were different. They would come alive in the second half of the second period, or in the third period to catch up and win an almost-lost game. It was exciting hockey and it raised hopes of fans for the next time the team was down to their opponents.

That hasn’t happened of late. The Habs have had dominating wins. So when the Rangers went ahead by three goals, it was almost as though Habs nation gave up; it certainly looked as though the players did. The eternal optimists among us might have hoped for the comeback. I did not start writing this article until it was obvious there would be no such resurgence. Yes, I am among the eternal optimists.

It’s one loss. It doesn’t knock the Habs out of first place, nor does it negate the strength they have shown so far this season. Let’s remember, a loss is a loss whether it’s by one goal or seven. And with eight games in 13 nights, the Habs have won six of them. That isn’t bad. It’s actually exceptional. They won’t win them all. But they can’t keep losing after giving up two goals.

The recurring theme is: when the Canadiens lose, they lose big. And that kind of loss can be of concern when it comes along with a team that seems to lose the will to return fire. From what we’ve seen of the Canadiens thus far, there is plenty left in the tank to make adjustments, perhaps line-up changes and in a week ahead with no games until Friday, some well-needed rest.

Lissa Albert is a Montreal Canadiens writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow her on Twitter @LissaRantSports. “Like” her on Facebook and/or add her to your network on Google. 

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