Wilde Horses

- Carey Price with a terrific glove save on the breakaway was the only exciting moment of the first period. For Price, it's a loss and for sure that is the overriding thought, but not allowing three or more for the first time in a while is big for Price to get the feeling back that "he's got this."

- Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, and Radulov starting in their second game back together are getting better at finding each other. Pacioretty had one sublime pass to Galchenyuk to give the kid a clear look. Third period and again some good shifts and some good moments.

Wilde Goats

- The partnership of Beaulieu and Petry has struggled. Many have suggested that Petry has been the Habs best defenceman this season. I don't agree. For me, Weber has been the best. As much as you may differ on that, I have to imagine that we can all agree that Petry and Beaulieu are going through a bad two weeks. Markov was shut down on his recovery from a groin injury and that hurts the defence a lot unless this partnership can find form. The Habs are allowing almost a goal more per game without Markov and no one has suffered more than Petry and Beaulieu without the Russian. In fact, RDS reporter Patrick Friolet noted in four games last week, the Beaulieu-Petry pair was minus 11 and the Weber-Emelin pair was plus 4. Second half of the game, Therrien had seen enough too and he pushed Barberio up with Petry and dropped Beaulieu down with Redmond. Markov can come back any time. He's missed.

- 13-11 shots on goal after two periods. The goat is hockey as the sport at times becomes a tedious battle of structured defences out-waiting each other to see who makes the first mistake. It isn't the job of the Habs to entertain on the road and apparently the Wings aren't too concerned about entertainment at home either. This game was: Dump in. Dump out. Dump in. Off the glass. Dump in. Alley oop out. Icing. Dump. Icing. Dump. Intermission. Repeat. When two teams play prevent defence like this, I long for the inexperience of the world juniors when the kids only know how to go for it.

Wilde Cards

- The parity in the NHL is certainly one of the positive aspects of the salary cap era. Even the top teams against the basement dwellers, for the most part, is a tough game. The Wings didn't look like a bottom tier team at all. They never seemed overmatched. Colorado is really the only very easy game most nights this year. Even Arizona competes. Also, the prediction that the Canucks would be embarrassing hasn't even been close to true. Even the worst teams with not a lot of talent, if they bring a good defensive structure, they'll make it hard - even if they do lose more than they win.

- Ugly game. Long season. On to the next one.