Now that was workmanlike. Nothing spectacular. Just a solid, well coached, road game against the Bruins. Boston started well and seemed to have a leg up, but they found a brick wall in Carey Price and some second half of the game fatigue took away any possibility of breaking down that wall.
Price is an absolute marvel right now. He is just so on his game that I dare say that I can't remember seeing him better than this. He looks so sharp, and so big in net. He is tracking the play better and he just isn't beatable on the glove side, though they just keep on shooting there.
Some other breakthroughs as well that may just be on the horizon. Scott Gomez scored, but more than the goal he was more involved and more dedicated.
Brian Gionta got his third goal of the season as his troubles may soon be over.
For the second straight game, the powerplay struck and the goals have been vital to winning the game. Not a throw away powerplay goal, but a situational goal that was needed.
And finally, PK Subban who has so much confidence that he is clearly getting under the skin of quite a lot of players. Milan Lucic said that he better not try a spinorama on me, but if he did, considering the skating prowess of the two, Lucic would have been helpless to stop it, except with his fist after the play was over. Subban is looking stronger and stronger.
Honourable mentions to Benoit Pouliot who is more comfortable on this Phd line that continues to play well, Lars Eller who is making an impression with a minimum amount of minutes, and Jaroslav Spacek is finding his better self. Truth is Spacek might just be getting in better shape. He didn't exactly come to camp looking like a welterweight fighter.
Are the Habs the best team in the East? We'll ask Francois Gagnon of La Presse and Bob Harwood of Versus Network just that question on Sports Extra on Saturday night during CTV News.
They might not be the best in my estimation, but they certainly are higher than we believed at this time in October.
