Defeat wears out eventually, and obviously it wears down Jeff Petry as well.
The veteran defender was back in the game Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, but it is not his game, very erratic incidentally, that we will remember.
No, we will rather remember his words.
These words :
“These are the same things that happen over and over again,” he said after the game. We don’t play as a team, as a group. We try to find our way on the ice, and it looks like there is no structure. ”
This is the first time this season that a Canadiens player has started talking about structure. Which is a bit like talking about the game system… which falls right into the coach’s backyard.
Was Petry looking to blame Dominique Ducharme with this comment? Was he trying to send a message to management?
All of this is very possible.
“We should know where we should be on the ice,” he added. We don’t make it easy for anyone… except maybe for the other team. ”
It remains to be seen what will happen. Usually when a veteran shoots such an arrow at the coach, the choice is simple: either it is the player who moves … or it is the coach.
In this case, it is not that simple. First because there is no one in the GM’s chair, and second because Jeff Gorton has just given Ducharme a vote of confidence. Finally, with Claude Julien remaining on the payroll, paying a third coach in this already lost season should not be a scenario that enchants owner Geoff Molson, although money is not an issue at the Bell Center.
Ducharme, he did not seem to share the opinion of his defender on the subject of the structure.
“Not quite,” he replied. If we go back to the first period, it was a tight period, they took advantage of a funny leap from the puck. In the second period, there were penalties. It is certain that we have a lot of new players arriving. Yes, sometimes there are times when there is confusion, but that is part of the situation we are going through. ”
We must of course recognize that the Canadiens coach does what he can with what he has. A great sage once said that you don’t make champagne with lemons (or something like that), and given the current state of affairs, it’s pretty hard to say that the Canadian is misguided.
It’s nothing against these guys, but we just saw in a few days Artturi Lehkonen and Mathieu Perreault skating on a first line. Even Toe Blake’s ghost couldn’t help it.
With all that, and after 30 games this season, the Canadian still finds himself with the same total of six wins. If we bring that back over a full season, that means that at this rate, the Canadian will be lucky to be able to get about fifteen victories. The 2000-2001 Canadian, the club’s worst edition since the 1967 expansion, had found a way to end his season with 28 wins.
Do you believe the Canadian, that Canadian, capable of reaching 28 victories? After another loss, this time by a score of 5-2 against the Penguins, one wonders if this team will end up winning another one this year. Or this season, it depends.
“There is nothing new to say,” added Jeff Petry late in the evening. It’s true. But this arrow to the place of coach, this is new. It remains to be seen what it will give… and if someone is going to get hit.
In details
Petry back, but not Evans
It will be long, but one day, the Canadian will eventually find all of his injured. A first name on the very long list was erased Tuesday evening: that of Jeff Petry, who made a return to the game, he who had been absent since the game of December 2. Petry started the night skating on the second defensive duo, along with Alexander Romanov, and he ended the game with a differential of -1 in 20 minutes and 26 seconds of playing time. His return delayed the finish. another defenseman, newcomer Corey Schueneman who, at 26, is still waiting for a first chance to skate on a National League ice. Forward Jake Evans, he hoped to return to the game, but that will have to wait, since he had to skip his turn for the second game in a row.
Drouin, with Dauphin and Ylonen!
PHOTO GENE J. PUSKAR, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jonathan Drouin (92) and John Marino (6)
We were undoubtedly very numerous to scratch our heads (or to burst out laughing, it depends) when we saw a trio made up of Jonathan Drouin, Laurent Dauphin and Jesse Ylonen appear on the scoresheet. We know that the Canadian’s injured list is long, but what was this trio going to be used for? Well. As it turns out, Jonathan Drouin scored his club’s first goal (and his fifth of the season) following a superb play from Dauphin in the second period, and it turns out that Ylonen scored. the first goal of his career in the NHL at the very end of the second period, on a pass from Drouin. The skeptics were confused.
A feat for Letang
Kristopher Letang already had no worse career, and now that career is getting even more not worse, if at all possible. Thus, the Quebec defender took advantage of Tuesday night’s game against the Canadian to collect an assist on the goal of Evan Rodrigues, his 18e point of the season. But above all, this point allowed him to become the 43e defenseman in NHL history to reach the 600-point mark in his career. Among defenders still active, he’s the seventh to reach that mark, and it took him just 887 games to get there. Among the defensemen still playing in the NHL, only Erik Karlsson was able to reach the 600 point mark faster than Letang; the Swede achieved this feat in 730 games.
They said
We did some good things, we played well five on five at certain points in the game. But we allowed a goal early in the third period. When this kind of goal happens to us, it cuts our legs… Injuries are part of the explanation, but it’s up to everyone who wears this jersey to prove something, to prove that it is possible to achieve this. team and get by.
Jeff petry
I think our trio, we played well, and it was easy to play with such good players like them. It was my third game in the NHL this season and each time I just feel better and better.
Jesse ylonen
I liked their match tonight [le trio de Drouin, Dauphin et Ylonen]. I think it was our best line.
Dominique ducharme
Sidney is that type of player who will succeed in his game, and we know it. He can have two or three guys on him and he’ll find a way to fuck you […] The first appearances of each line were important, especially with the advance of a goal. Their goal at the end of the second did not shake us and our goal at the start of the third period was very important.
Brian Dumoulin
My synchronism is better. The chances are there, although I would like to score more. But other than that, I generate scoring chances and I’m much more comfortable than when I came back.
Sidney crosby
Sidney, I see him every night, his game is improving from game to game. He’s still on the puck. His trio had long appearances in the opposing zone and it is a sign that he is at his best. No one is better than him at protecting the puck and creating offense under faceoff circles. He’s doing it more and more.
Mike Sullivan
Rising
Jonathan drouin
The Quebec striker participated in both goals for the Canadiens (one goal and one assist).
Falling
Jeff petry
Another tough game for him. And that post-game commentary isn’t going to help.
The number
1342
Sidney Crosby’s number of points in career, following this two-point game. This places it at 30e rank of scorers in NHL history.