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The Price is Right
The Montreal Canadiens are on the verge of something great, with their 9-0-0 start to the season, a franchise record.
With a win Tuesday in Vancouver, the Canadiens can accomplish what two teams in NHL history have done before them. Win the first 10 games of a season. The Canadiens have been nearly perfect, only trailing for 2:57, the entire season.
Led by last years Vezina Trophy winner, Carey Price, the Canadiens have a solid chance at tying that record and etching their names in the history books on Tuesday night. Montreal’s nine wins have all come in regulation, behind their world-class goaltender, Price.
Price is 7-0-0 with two shutouts, has a 1.29 goals-against average, and a .961 save percentage. The Habs have allowed 12 goals all season, and none of them have come in the first period.
Systems Overhaul
One might wonder, what has changed. After all, the foundation for this team has been set in place for the last few seasons. Why are they surging now? The answer is not a simple one, but here are a couple of theories.
For starters, Michel Therrien seems to have finally abandoned the ‘dump and chase’ style of hockey that he has employed in years past. This team is far too finessed to play that style of hockey, and it underutilized the absurd amount of skill Therrien has had to work with.
With this new system, the team is no longer reliant on a handful of players to handle the zone entries. This alone has made the Habs more difficult to defend, where the old system had become predictable for opponents. The cleaner zone entries have also allowed for the defense to get in on the rush, a system that the Chicago Blackhawks have employed successfully for years.
Of course, there were also a handful of personnel changes, but for the most part the backbone of this team has changed very little. Whatever the answer, this team is built to win, and sustain the momentum they have created.
A Winning Culture
“Our goal is not to break any records, our goal is to win a Stanley Cup, so I think we’re going to save the feather for another day, or the champagne, or whatever it is that everybody expects us to do,” defenseman P.K. Subban said after win No. 9. “Our focus is to try and make the playoffs and then move forward from there. I know as a team we’re not satisfied with where we’re at right now.”
The Canadiens also have a chance to break Chicago’s streak of 17-games with a point. However, a tough schedule in the coming weeks will make chasing that streak an uphill battle. It is a challenge that the Canadiens are ready, and willing to take on.
Tuesday night in Vancouver will be no easy task, after that it is off to Edmonton and Calgary, as they tour through Canada. When they return from their Canadian road trip, they will have four in a row at home.
If they can get through the weekend, Montreal should have a real shot at breaking not only the NHL record for most consecutive wins to open a season, but also Chicago’s historic streak of 17 consecutive games with a point.
photo credit: Getty Images
