Wilde Horses

Parenteau - What a difference a change of scenery can make. I asked him before the season began if he could come back from his poor year in Denver. He said he knew he could and here he is. On the top line and five goals on the books in less than a quarter of the season. He also is embracing the pressure of being a local product. Said he was gonna focus on all of the positives and feel the support foremost. Again, mission accomplished. A big smile. Pleased to answer a tonne of questions in both languages. Just a happy man that he still got game.

Prust - What an intelligent man this guy is. What an absolute student of the game. Hear him describe how he knew he had to take that fight for the fans was something to behold. He described knowing the score but also knowing that he had no choice. He also said he told the guys why he fought and to go get him the win. The guy just gets it. I think if he wants to Prust would be an excellent coach when his career is over. He is the NHL's best fighter pound for pound. No one protects himself better than Prust.

Pacioretty - I like this Pacioretty more. He is taking on his A on the jersey so well. Leads on the ice, and then off it he is in the room, answering tough questions very openly on good nights and on the bad ones too. Twenty-eight shifts and 23 minutes for a forward. Strong contribution.

Gallagher - The refs hate him. They don't give and won't give him a call. It is painfully obvious that they hate that he makes life hard for the refs. They want him out of the crease area so they don't have to make tough calls. He makes a ref's life difficult and they want him to stop. He won't. He wants a successful career. This is what he has to do and I don't think I have ever seen a small player do it better than him.

Weise - John Tortorella has some explaining to do. What the hell was he thinking? Weise couldn't get on the ice and Tortorella didn't think he was more than a fighter. Wow. Just kind of crazy to watch him and to know a long time successful coach who won a cup saw Weise as a minor leaguer. Two goals for Weise.

Galchenyuk - That pass. That amazing pass. He gets the hard pass from Plekanec and one times it no look to Subban who finished with equal talent into an empty cage. Three-point night. Getting lots of points. Cue the explosion into star soon. It's coming. Soon. Real soon.

Beaulieu - This is how to help a team as you get more comfortable. Perfect contribution. eight minutes. No mistakes. Just some shifts to help the cause. Concentration high because you're not out a lot. Solid.

Desharnais - That was one of his best nights of the season. Haven't liked his game a lot this year yet. This was a good night though. Around the puck a lot. Good vision. Made sense to have him on the power play.

Gonchar - Bergevin does it again. Trades a guy who was bringing little and who I seriously worry about concussion-wise. I know I talk concussions a lot and I know your eyes glaze over, but the two guys Moen and Bourque who had three weeks of darkness, are gone and troubled. Gonchar has way more game than I thought he was going to bring. Complaints were from Dallas that he had little game left. Umm, no. He is savvy. He slows the contest down to his liking. He makes the easy smooth play. He makes smart choices on the power play that suddenly has put together a 4-for-4 since his arrival. Bergevin man. People aren't gonna trade with him soon. He makes too many GMs look bad.

Wilde Goats

- Consistency. That's all. Players always say it. Just give me the same call all the time and I will be OK with it. Like a strike zone. Call it the same and I will adapt to you. So when you make sure you keep it going so Read can score, that's okay. But don't get whistle-happy 10 seconds later on Emery. Incidentally that was the right call, as far as the puck being free, the first time. It was. Good call. However, the mystery that is goalie contact in the NHL is something Neil deGrasse Tyson would not be able to decipher. One minute it is a freight train that's okay and another minute it is a feather duster that’s called. The rule book isn't clear enough. For instance, the "intent to blow". Yeah, put a rule in like that and you're guaranteed to "blow".

Wilde Cards

- Therrien. Not always in agreement with him but last time I checked he has the Habs in first place in the east and I am 300 wins shy of his total in the NHL.