Penalties kept team on defence, Julien says
TAMPA, FLA. Carey Price was asked after the Canadiens’ 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning Thursday night if he had any advice for his teammates on how they can score more goals.
“I don’t know … shoot,” Price said. “There’s no real secrets about scoring in hockey. It’s about getting the puck to the net and playing with confidence.”
The Canadiens still haven’t found the secret to scoring and they suffered their third straight loss during which they have scored a total of three goals. It marked the eighth time this season the Canadiens have scored one goal in a game and they have also been shut out five times.
The Canadiens have a lot of problems, but the biggest reason for their 16-18-4 record is a lack of offence.
Price played another strong game against the top offence in the NHL, stopping 31 of 34 shots, but his teammates didn’t give him much help. Brendan Gallagher scored the only goal for the Canadiens on the power play — his team-leading 15th of the season. Steven Stamkos scored twice for the Lightning, once on the power play, and Brayden Point also beat Price.
“Our offensive players that are supposed to produce — or at least produce to a number to help the team win — we haven’t done that in a while,” said Jonathan Drouin, who played his first game against the Lightning since being traded to Montreal in the summer. “I think it’s a team thing again. We’re obviously not getting as many chances, either. It’s not like we’re missing our chances — we’re not really getting chances, so that’s what’s getting a little frustrating.”
The Lightning only outshot the Canadiens 34-32, but dominated most of the play. Part of the reason for that is the Lightning had six power plays.
“Five-on-five, I think we played head-to-head with these guys … it wasn’t an issue,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said. “What really hurt us tonight was definitely the penalties. When you’re going against the No. 1 power play in the league and you’re in the box for at least six penalties, you know you’re playing with fire — and we did.”
Drouin has now gone eight games without a goal and has only one assist during that span. He struggled in the faceoff circle again against the Lightning, winning only two of seven draws (29 per cent), had three shots on goal and was minus-1.
Julien split up Drouin and captain Max Pacioretty, moving Alex Galchenyuk to left wing with Drouin and Artturi Lehkonen. Pacioretty played with centre Phillip Danault and Andrew Shaw. Galchenyuk had five shots on goal, but Pacioretty had only one and the captain has now gone 11 games without a goal and has only one in the last 20 games.
Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev, acquired from the Canadiens in the Drouin trade, logged 18:49 of ice time — including four minutes on the power play — and was plus-1. Sergachev has eight goals and 23 points this season and is plus-13, while Drouin has 5-13-18 totals and is minus-16.
The Canadiens’ playoff hopes are slipping away quickly with each loss.
“We know points are slipping away,” Drouin said. “You’re getting close to January, February ... when you don’t have at least an over .500 record, you know you’re in trouble and you got to wake up a bit.”
The alarm clock should be ringing loud right now for the Canadiens, who wrap up their road trip Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.
The fourth line of Charles Hudon at centre between Nicolas Deslauriers and Daniel Carr continues to be one of the only bright spots for the Canadiens — along with Price regaining his form after a terrible start to the season. Julien has talked about wanting his players to throw pucks at the net and get after the rebounds, exactly what the fourth line did.
“There’s nothing bad to be said about our fourth line,” Julien said. “I think when you look at them, they’re doing exactly what you would like a fourth line to do … throw pucks at the net and grind it out. They do a good job of that no matter who I’ve put there. They’re not the issue, that’s for sure.”
The two biggest issues are Pacioretty and Drouin. If they don’t start producing, the Canadiens don’t have a chance of winning many games.
The Lightning’s best players were their best players. The Canadiens can’t say the same thing.
“They make a lot of really good plays in the offensive zone,” Price said about the Lightning. “They’re really patient with the puck. They seem to always know where each other are. You have to be aware of everybody on the ice.
“They’re very patient,” Price added. “They find guys in the offensive zone. They’re really good at making little plays. When they do turn the puck over, they backcheck really hard and it allows them to be creative in the offensive zone.”
They also shoot the puck.