Canadian faces the New York Islanders tonight, but the conduct of yesterday's game against the Bruins in Boston who has monopolized the attention to the optional morning exercise at the Bell Centre.
Jacques Martin seemed eager to move on and talk about the Islanders, but the shock of yesterday's defeat was not entirely spent with his players.
"We're not the team most tough, I think everybody knows, has known Benoit Pouliot. When our best players are achaler throughout the game, others must intervene. Yesterday, everyone was well defended in the circumstances. "
The Habs can say that he will remember this match, but he ammunition to replicate?
"In our team, it's pretty difficult, acknowledged Pouliot. We are one of the smallest teams in the league. We have players like Travis (Moen) that can do that, but Boston has nearly two trios who do this kind of work. "
Pouliot served as a corrective to David Krejci, while Carey Price was selected to resolve the case of goalkeeper Tim Thomas, who had left his net without reason to come dance with him. In both cases, the Canadiens players have avoided enjoy the vulnerable position of their opponent.
As for the Bruins, it was not as forgiving. Johnny Boychuk, among others, served as a rain of blows to Jaroslav Spacek even after he had gone down on the ice.
"Nowadays, I think the rule is that once the player is down, you loose, especially when there are five battles on the ice and there is no referees to stop them, "said Pouliot.
"The guy can eat a good thrashing. We must respect the player against whom you fight. "
Tom Pyatt poster marks the beating he suffered at the expense of Gregory Campbell. It was left for seven stitches after Campbell was hit several times with his elbow pads.
"That's what my teammates told me, but I never got the shot preview," said Pyatt.
Need a strong man?
At a little over two weeks of the deadline transactions, the Canadian players are careful not to claim a bully coming to protect the smaller forwards.
"It is the staff to decide what kind of thing," said Tomas Plekanec. If there's one that shows up, fine, otherwise we must continue to stand together and protect each other.
"But we must also act according to our strengths," said the Czech Centre. The fights are not part of our style of play "
James Wisniewski will not refuse invitations - it has already beaten nine times in one season! - But it is certainly agree with Plekanec: the Habs must use his strength to his advantage. And, even though other teams may follow the example of the Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers, shortly before the break-Star game, playing the card of bullying ...
"We scored four powerplay goals, said Wisniewski. If we had not had eight goals, we would have had the upper hand! Our power play has to respond and charge the enemy decides to adopt this style of game against us. "
White recalled, Auld in the net
Ryan White was still recalled in the morning to add a bit of chest
"He should be able to play, but several players are borderline cases for the game tonight," said Jacques Martin. Decisions will be taken to the warm-up. "
One can guess that Tom Pyatt, given his face swollen, is one of them. Otherwise, Lars Eller, who claimed a frightful difference of -4 to Boston in a time of limited use, could be targeted by his coach.
Eller was involved in the optional session this morning with Scott Gomez, David Desharnais, Alexandre Picard and Alex Auld. No trace of Andrei Kostitsyn, who, like Eller and Gomez, was a match just as awful.
"As long as it is here at 19:30 tonight ...», Martin said simply.
Alex Auld will be in goal for the Canadiens. He will face rookie Mikko Koskinen.
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