With only one game for the Montreal Canadiens under the second tenure of coach Claude Julien, more time might be needed to implement change after a tough loss Saturday afternoon. 

Following the 3-1 loss to the Jets, Julien held a hard-working practice in Brossard Monday.

Much of the intense 40 minutes was spent working on defensive zone coverage, the one area where Julien touted the Habs needing to improve the most.

“If we can be better defensively, then we will have better scoring chances because I had proof today for those guys that it works,” he said. “When you kill the play quickly and go the other way, you’re on the attack. If you spend two-thirds of your shift in your end, you don't have much left to go on offence.”

The players agreed with their new coach.

“We need to get better, especially defensively. We gave up too much last game. If we are better defensively, we will get the puck more – and more chances – so it starts with defence,” said Brian Flynn.

“There's been more tactical that he has brought in day by day,” added Brendan Gallagher. “Each day is a process and we will add more to our repertoire and we will have more as it goes on but so far more of the process is mental.”

“That's something that he touched on. He wants it to be 40 minutes. Forty minutes of high-pace, high-intensity, so when it comes to game time, it's second nature,” said Jeff Petry.

The Habs have only 11 goals in their last eight games. Centre Alex Galchenyuk is struggling, and finding his game is an absolute must for the team to turn it around.

“He’s highly skilled and certainly he's still a young player,” said Julien. “My job is to make him better. My job is to help him get better at the skill level he already has and that's special because that's hard to get. I want to work on the little aspects of the game that's going to make him even better.”

Galchenyuk knows there’s work ahead of him.
 

“I just have to work hard on my game. Every day in practice improve my game, go to the game and compete – that's what it’s all about,” he said.

The Canadiens next face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

It will be a difficult one: The Rangers have won seven of their last eight and the Habs have lost seven of their last eight.

Puck drops at 7 p.m.