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A Loss Like This To The San Jose Sharks Means There’s Still Work To Be Done March 4, 2008

Filed under: International Hockey, Montreal Canadiens, Wayne Gretzky — Dennis @
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It’s not so much the loss tonight in San Jose that bothers me. Teams lose, whether they’re the 1958 Montreal Canadiens, the 1985 Edmonton Oilers, or the 1979 Soviet National team. No team can go forever without losing. It’s impossible, like robbing bank after bank and never getting caught.

But Monday night in San Jose, Montreal didn’t just lose, they lost ugly. They lost by giving up 39 shots and 6 goals, which is unacceptable in anyone’s books. Ordained number one goalie Carey Price, coming into tonight’s game, had given up a stingy four goals in three games. Now tonight, it’s six. Hopefully this one game won’t blow his recently regained confidence.

39 shots on goal is not at all what the doctor ordered. Granted, the team kept it close all night, staying within a goal for most of it, but in the end this 6-4 loss is a loss is a loss. 

At least Ottawa fell to the Anaheim Ducks on this same night, losing 3-1 and stays behind Montreal in the eastern standings.

So now it’s time to rebound. It’s time to get stingy again, to tighten up, to score more on the power play, to win big.

Thursday night in Phoenix, let’s show Wayne Gretzky and those desert dogs that the Montreal Canadiens mean business. 

GP W L   OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10
1 Pittsburgh Penguins* 67 37 23   7 81 198 185 19-10-5 18-13-2 5-3-2
2 Montréal Canadiens* 67 36 22   9 81 213 190 16-12-5 20-10-4 7-3-0
3 Carolina Hurricanes* 68 34 29   5 73 203 213 19-12-3 15-17-2 7-2-1
4 New Jersey Devils 66 37 23   6 80 172 156 21-12-1 16-11-5 6-2-2
5 Ottawa Senators 67 37 24   6 80 217 202 20-12-3 17-12-3 3-5-2
6 Boston Bruins 65 35 24   6 76 179 180 17-12-3 18-12-3 7-2-1
7 New York Rangers 66 34 24   8 76 175 164 21-13-0 13-11-8 7-1-2
8 Philadelphia Flyers 66 33 25   8 74 203 189 14-12-6 19-13-2 3-4-3
9 Buffalo Sabres 66 31 26   9 71 200 192 17-12-4 14-14-5 4-5-1
10 Washington Capitals 67 31 28   8 70 197 202 17-14-3 14-14-5 4-3-3
11 New York Islanders 67 31 29   7 69 164 193 17-15-3 14-14-4 6-4-0
12 Toronto Maple Leafs 67 29 28   10 68 186 208 16-12-5 13-16-5 6-3-1
13 Florida Panthers 68 29 31   8 66 181 196 12-13-7 17-18-1 3-4-3
14 Atlanta Thrashers 67 29 31   7 65 178 219 16-14-3 13-17-4 3-4-3
15 Tampa Bay Lightning 65 26 32   7 59 183 213 16-16-2 10-16-5 3-5-2
Western Conference
Rank GP W L   OT Pts GF GA Home Away L10
1 Detroit Red Wings* 67 43 18   6 92 209 150 21-8-2 22-10-4 2-7-1
2 Dallas Stars* 69 41 23   5 87 207 171 21-11-2 20-12-3 7-3-0
3 Minnesota Wild* 66 37 24   5 79 179 177 19-10-3 18-14-2 5-4-1
4 Anaheim Ducks 68 38 23   7 83 173 165 22-8-4 16-15-3 9-1-0
5 San Jose Sharks 66 37 21   8 82 176 159 15-13-5 22-8-3 6-4-0
6 Calgary Flames 66 34 23   9 77 186 185 16-10-8 18-13-1 6-3-1
7 Vancouver Canucks 65 32 23   10 74 172 167 17-11-5 15-12-5 5-2-3
8 Colorado Avalanche 66 34 26   6 74 183 180 19-11-2 15-15-4 4-5-1
9 Nashville Predators 66 33 25   8 74 193 190 20-10-4 13-15-4 5-3-2
10 Phoenix Coyotes 66 33 28   5 71 176 176 14-15-3 19-13-2 5-4-1
11 Columbus Blue Jackets 67 30 27   10 70 164 176 16-10-6 14-17-4 4-4-2
12 Chicago Blackhawks 65 31 28   6 68 187 188 17-13-1 14-15-5 7-3-0
13 Edmonton Oilers 66 31 30   5 67 182 200 19-14-1 12-16-4 6-4-0
14 St Louis Blues 65 28 27   10 66 161 180 18-13-5 10-14-5 3-5-2
15 Los Angeles Kings 67 26 36   5 57 193 224 14-17-2 12-19-3 3-5-2

x - clinched playoff spot
 

6 Responses to “A Loss Like This To The San Jose Sharks Means There’s Still Work To Be Done”

  1. Lawrence Says: March 4, 2008 at

    Could you please write more about the Canucks? They are your second favourite team.

  2. Lawrence Says: March 4, 2008 at

    Could you write more about the Canucks please? They are your second favourite team.

  3. Mike Williamson Says: March 4, 2008 at

    OH-Oh !! Two weeks ago Price would have been gone after the third goal. First one less than 45 seconds in,second one first shift after tying,third one first shift after tying, team becomes deflated !What message does this send the Team—we don`t trust are backup!!!?? Hope Price bounces back & puts that one behind him. By the way Lawerences second post was no better than his first one & Don`t slander my buddy Dennis by using his name in the same sentence which includes Canucks!!!!
    Les Canadien Toujours

  4. der Habinator Says: March 11, 2008 at

    Canucks? Canucks! What’s to write about those bums? Here, I’ll say it all in one pithy burst: Luongo, Tweedle dee Tweedle dum & a bunch of other guys wearing a dorky name & dorky uniforms & playing dorky hockey in front of dorky fans - even the Flames have more pizzazz than this sorry sad-sack clump of anonymous west coast nubs on skates.

    If ur a troo Habber there is no such thng as a second favourite team there is only first amongst the hoi-polloi or best of the rest, the least Leafish of the lot.

    Lawrence, it seems that U need help. I suggest you phone Doctor Ruth or go see Peter Popoff .. maybe he can cure U of the malaise that is afflicting U.

  5. Dennis Says: March 11, 2008 at

    Don’t worry Habinator, there’s no second favourite team. It’s only Lawrence trying to push my buttons. You don’t have to tell me what a true Habs fan is, I’ve been a major one for 50 years.

  6. der Habinator Says: March 11, 2008 at

    Sry DK, I in no way meant to imply otherwise. I was simply endeavouring to educate & edify the somewhat less than developed hockey sensibilities of Lawrence. I also consider my blurb to be a form of public service because an educated aware populace is essential to the continued well-being not only of the Hab Nation &, therefore the hockey universe, but also that of liberal democracy. So wise up Lawrence. Hey, if U want to be a Canuck’s fan, fine, that’s ur choice & ur free to make it but don’t try to co-opt others into joining u on a band-wagon with creaky wheels & no springs.

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