It shouldn't come as a complete surprise that the Habs are 5-0 in overtime this season. General Manager Bob Gainey may not have signed the best 5-on-5 team in the league considering the lack of size in the lineup, but with the high skill of all their diminutive players, the Habs are definitely a 4-on-4 team of the highest quality.

On Monday night, it was Plekanec who used the extra open ice to skate 170 feet with the puck before setting up Roman Hamrlik with an exquisite saucer pass. Other nights it's been skilled players like Cammalleri, Gomez or Gionta who have done something special in overtime with the extra room. These players are built to excel in OT. They're also built to have more energy when the game gets late and the bigs get tired and slow.

Jacques Martin has worked his players very hard in practice. Some days, laps with a stopwatch have sent a message, but also have served a purpose - to be more in shape when games are won or lost in the 56th to 65th minutes.

Player usage

Utilization of his players is also key. Apart from Hal Gill getting an overtime shift, Martin works his bench at a high level. He spots his players in when they have the best chance for success. Gill starts shifts when the faceoff is in the defensive zone. Perfect considering his strengths. Bergeron is used when the play has the best chance to be more open. Chipchura's line is being used late to establish that excellent down low cycle, and his best decision of all of them on this homestand - keep going with the hot goalie. The players are confident in their goalie right now. It makes a big difference.

Swine flu fears

Glen Metropolit had the flu on Monday and missed the morning skate. The team says it will be careful to take steps to isolate him on the road trip. The flu right now is virulent - more so than when the Norwalk virus went through the club and most of the players caught it. Playoff spots can be won or lost on a water bottle shared, or a player in tight quarters on a plane spreading his germs. We will see how it spreads or it doesn't, but around the world and in the U.S. it is serious. President Obama just declared a national emergency for H1N1. Sports teams are ripe candidates for a problem to develop. Naturally, all hopes are that it doesn't become an issue, but hope is a fool, if he doesn't have a plan to back him up.

Pittsburgh and Chicago next. No bigger tests than those two nights.