Wilde Horses
Marc Bergevin took Lars Eller aside at the airport just before the trading deadline. They had a five-minute talk.
Since then Eller is a different player. He may have said 'don't worry because you're not going anywhere.'
Whatever he said Eller has responded. He's one of the best forwards on the team since the deadline two weeks ago.
The points are finally coming too for Eller, who should not be measured by that yardstick, but he is.
He wins the puck battles and works along the wall, and has solid play with poor line matchups -- I am sure you're already well aware of that.
If you're not, then rewind to 90 seconds left in Tuesday's game and watch the Eller play on the wall.
Eller owns the puck. He fights off checks and takes the puck clean and passes safely to the point. 30 seconds cleanly won. Impressive.
Not a goal but better than a goal to many.
- The best game for Brandon Prust in a while. He played hungry.
The timing on the shorthanded pass to JDLR for the goal was perfect -- a no-look pass to boot to fool Dan Ellis. Just one of many good moments for Prust.
- Galchenyuk, Gallagher and Desharnais had some outstanding shifts in the first period.
Galchenyuk made a delightful creative no-look pass in the first and a sweet move taking it to goal in the third. Good chemistry together for the three. Let's see what the next game brings.
- Jacob De La Rose was absolutely flying the day after I commented that I believed he may be heading into a first pro lull for fatigue.
JDLR with the goal putting himself in perfect position to receive the pass. He also got a helper on Subban's goal.
Took a clean slap shot too that Ellis made a save when he was flying down the left side.
JDLR is gonna be some kind of hockey player.
At 19 he is already so defensively responsible, I have 20-goal seasons in his future for sure, by year 3 I would presume. A sophomore leg is possible because it actually is a fact that it is common.
- Manny Malhotra was working hard to set the screen on the Emelin goal. He had his first strong game in a while. Perhaps he can be spotted in at this level and still be useful.
- A great comeback game for Tokarski.
4th time this year the Habs have allowed more than 40 shots in a a game. That's a lot of rubber. It included 20 shots in the 3rd.
Tokarski stopped them all.
Yet another night where the goalie steals 2 points.
Wilde Goats
- Devante Smith-Pelly has to hit because he does not appear to be a scorer.
Perhaps he needs to work harder to be in front of the net where he has a chance to score using his good and bulky, balanced body.
He isn't going to score on the rush with his wheels. He has to hit first to make some impact later.
This is not what is expected and he's going to get all kinds of chances because Bergevin doesn't want bad optics on this trade.
So get on the body, DSP! Hit someone, then hit him again and then again!
- I have been really liking the work of Jeff Petry but that was a poor one for him.
One of many goats on the Barkov goal. He didn't have a strong stick nor a quick clear.
A bad penalty in the third too. Just not his night when he is usually quite reliable.
- The powerplay remains horrible.
Watching Florida throw it around to get back door one-timer looks on cross-ice passes while watching the Habs safely send it to the point for a 55-foot slap shot is a rather obvious comparison for anyone who knows hockey just a little bit.
So.... What in the sweet carnation are the Habs doing?
I have more creativity drawing and I can only, on a good day, draw stick men.
The powerplay is clearly the biggest disappointment of the season.
Wilde Cards
- Credit to the head coach as he has tweaked the lines and maybe found something here.
Let's see if he keep them here for a while to get some chemistry because that's the best the 3rd and 4th lines have looked in ages.
