FOR BYRON, IT’S ABOUT THE BATTLE

Speedy forward has smaller stature but that never gets in the way of his big game

After Marc Bergevin did very little to help his team’s offence at the NHL trade deadline, the Canadiens GM said he would be counting on players who were scoring earlier in the season to regain their confidence and start putting pucks in the net again.

One of those players is Paul Byron, who had gone 13 games without a goal when the trade deadline passed on March 1.

Since then, the 5-foot-9, 160-pound forward had scored two goals in three games — including an overtime winner Tuesday night in Vancouver — before facing the Calgary Flames Thursday night.

Byron, who Bergevin acquired on waivers from the Flames before the start of last season, ranked second on the Canadiens with 16 goals before facing his former team. Only captain Max Pacioretty, with 31, had scored more goals and with 15 games left in the season Byron had already shattered his career-high of 11 goals set last year.

“I just tried not to think about it too much,” Byron said after practice Wednesday about the 13-game goal drought. “A lot of people were asking me about my shooting percentage and I think that’s just the way it goes sometimes. Sometimes you get the bounces and sometimes you don’t.”

Heading into Thursday’s game, Byron’s 21.1 shooting percentage was the best on the team, leading Alex Galchenyuk (18.3) and Pacioretty (14.0).

“I think I was still doing some good things on the ice, creating some good chances, but things weren’t going my way,” Byron said about his slump.

“Certainly, after a while to get a couple of goals, get rewarded, it’s certainly a positive thing and I think you bring a little bit more confidence in your game.”

Byron’s OT winner against the Canucks deflected in off his leg on a shot from Galchenyuk while Byron was battling for position in front of the net with Vancouver defenceman Ben Hutton, who at 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds is five inches taller and 47 pounds heavier than Byron.

The courage Byron shows while constantly battling much bigger defencemen — giving back as much as he takes with cross-checks and hacks — is very admirable.

“I’ve always been a battler,” said Byron, who has a muscular physique for a small guy. “I’ve always been a guy who likes going to the paint, likes getting in those checking games. Everyone used to always say how small I am, this and that, how much I weighed. But I always battled, I always competed. I love the rough games, I love hitting. I played lacrosse, I played rugby, taking a little bit of abuse to me is part of the game of hockey and something that my dad taught me — that’s how you play.

“Back in the ’90s it was a rough game and with the new rules it certainly helped younger players like myself now to have a chance and succeed in the NHL. Back when I played Junior B, it was kind of the old clutch-and-grab rules and being 16 against 21-year-olds was a bit of a shock for me and certainly helped me get to the next levels.”

Byron showed his offensive skills when he made the jump to major-junior, posting 21-11-32 totals in 19 playoff games to help the Gatineau Olympiques win the QMJHL’s President’s Cup in 2008, a year after the Flames selected him in the sixth round (179th overall) at the NHL Draft.

During his final season with the Olympiques in 2008-09, Byron posted 33-66-99 totals in 64 regular-season games.

“He’s definitely having a good year,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien said about Byron.

“His speed creates a lot of things … (Tuesday) night was no exception to that. Paul just puts people on their heels when he attacks and when he forechecks. He’s a great skater, he’s having a great year right now. I think his confidence is at its best. He’s certainly been a great asset and a great pickup for the Montreal Canadiens.”

During 13 games in the month of February, only four forwards scored for the Canadiens: Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Alexander Radulov and Andrew Shaw.

In the first three games of March before facing the Flames, the Canadiens already had goals from five forwards: Brendan Gallagher, Artturi Lehkonen, Shaw, Torrey Mitchell and Byron.

Gallagher ended a 10-game drought, Lehkonen had gone 17 games without a goal and Mitchell hadn’t scored in 39 games.

Galchenyuk has been hot recently with a six-game points streak before facing the Flames, posting 3-5-8 totals during that span, but the Canadiens remain weak down the middle offensively.

First-line centre Phillip Danault had gone 19 games without a goal before facing the Flames and Tomas Plekanec, who is out with an upper-body injury, hasn’t scored in 17 games.

Goalie Carey Price won’t be able to maintain the incredible .964 save percentage he has had during his five-game win streak, so the Canadiens are going to need more forwards to pitch in offensively moving forward.

Byron has given them a good start.

Taking a little bit of abuse to me is part of the game of hockey and something that my dad taught me — that’s how you play.