55 shots. 53 saves. It looks as if Carey Price has the ability to steal a game by himself. The bad news is he is going to have to.

I would have loved for that to have been a home game. You want to hear what they could have possibly come up with as a reason to be outplayed that badly by an average club. That was not the Penguins. That was the Predators.

If that was the Carey Price that we will see into the near and distant future, then Habs fans should celebrate Saturday night, not lament it. Of course, the instinct will be to sound off because it was a loss and the team was dominated.

However, the point is to build a winner. Winning hockey starts with goaltending. The future is certain if the Carey everyone has been waiting for has arrived. The Carey who carried Canada to gold in the World Juniors has shown up as a pro, finally. That was one of the single greatest goaltending performances I have seen in a long time. Measure it by the save total and quality. Forget that the Habs lost and you will see it with clearer vision.

Truth be known though, he could have had the first goal. The puck was ready for him to put his glove down on, but I can't focus on that. Instead, I love the swagger and the confidence he had after every big save. As they say, he's feeling it.

Building block number one to a championship is in place, if that's the real Carey.

The sad news though is it appears to be the only building block in place. You also have to have a first line center who can control games through the middle (to get two like Crosby and Malkin is even better). Scott Gomez can not do it and at $7.3 million for the next 5 years sadly his salary cap hit stops anyone else from doing it. Therefore, there's the death blow to your title hopes right there.

Now everyone is saying wait until they get O'Byrne back. Hold it! Last season O'Byrne was a mess. He hasn't played enough games this season to say without doubt he won't be the same this year. Sure he's been better, but let's knock it off with the city-wide saviour tag on talk radio.

On to more modest goals for this Habs team. Think playoffs at best. If Carey plays like that night after night, you get there in April.

However, nothing thrilling is possible here. 55-20 shots favouring Nashville. 9 and 11 after 20 games. Weak special teams. Not enough strength up the middle. Injuries piling up. Not enough pieces are in place.

Price gives you a chance though for the playoffs, if that's how he is going to play now. Against Nashville all he needed was one Habs goal to tie it and he would have stolen that game. One Habs goal and he gets the club two points, but they couldn't even get him one. Price was in the Predators' heads, but they couldn't get him one.

Bottom line Habs fans: Be happy. Before the game you had nothing of championship material. After it, you might just be inclined to believe you have a championship calibre goalie.