Wilde Horses

- Brendan Gallagher is so consistently good each and every night. He just never stops. He's around the puck. He's around the net. He's driving the play all the time. He's been one of Montreal's two best forwards.

- The other is Alex Radulov. They have to find some players as good as he is with whom to play. Just feels like he keeps setting up open netters that his mates can't convert. Radulov is so hungry to succeed just like Gallagher.

- Desharnais is playing good hockey. His vision is still so good and with the right zone starts, he can do some good things. I would like to see if he can use that good vision to set up Radulov who is still looking for a centre who he has some chemistry with. Desharnais could be that guy.

- Montoya entered the game with a 962 save percentage. He continues to look good. The Habs GM did an excellent job this season in the free agent market. The games the back up got in the nets have been tough nights for a long time. Not so far this year in 4 starts. Montoya is the best back up in ages.

- Shea Weber has had a strong start and with that plus 11 he has been getting all the ink but Jeff Petry has been the best Habs defenceman this season. His health for months took the petals off the rose and it wasn't fair to him. When healthy, he is upper echelon.

- Nathan Beaulieu had a bad patch for a couple of games. He recovered in this one. He had two glorious chances for the winner early third too and couldn't convert on some horrific ice in Brooklyn. He was pinching in at the right time all night. He was strong again. Message sent by Therrien. Message received by Beaulieu.

- GM Marc Bergevin said that he felt Eller was expendable because of acquiring Danault. I remember thinking "Oh Marc. Danault is no Eller". I don't enjoy crow as my main course but Danault has been real good.

- Shea Weber does it again. What a rocket that was to the top corner. And what timing on it late in the game. I think fans should appreciate too the power play set up to produce the good moments. Kirk Muller knows that he has a shooter with a howitzer and he sets him up on his off wing and 15 feet closer than usual to make it just that much harder for the goalie. Smart all around.

 

Wilde Goats

- This was an excellent game by the Habs. They dominated and found the goalie and some bad puck luck as their biggest opposition because they handled the rest of the Isles rather handily. So I really don't think it would be fair to name goats.

 

Wilde Cards

- Michel Therrien made a whole lot of line up changes and they seemed to spark his team to a very good second period. Pacioretty was taken off the top line and I don't think he minded that one bit. Pacioretty has always enjoyed playing with Desharnais and David is a better centre than Plekanec right now so if you're going to change then this is the change to make.

- 13 points out of 14. This is just like last year. That is where the similarities end. They're nowhere at all like last year. Talent wise -- way better. Coaching wise --- with Muller way better. Goalie wise -- Price with Montoya way better. Four lines --- way better. Not even close to last year. Said before the season 100 to 110 points and I am feeling good about that prediction.