PRICE NEEDS TO IMPROVE
Goalie a major factor in loss
It would be foolish to suggest the Canadiens have a goaltending controversy. Carey Price is No. 1 and, if the Canadiens hope to be a playoff contender this season, he has to play like a No. 1. Antti Niemi is a seasoned veteran who has proven his worth as a backup since the Canadiens claimed him on waivers a year ago. If Montreal is going to be a playoff contender, he has to be ready to answer the call when Price needs a break. Only one of the goaltenders got the job done on the Canadiens’ two-day road trip to New York this week. That would be Niemi. He gave up three goals on eight shots in the first period as the New York Islanders took a 3-1 lead. But he was perfect the rest of the way. He made 18 saves during the final two periods and an overtime that started with the Islanders on a power play. He faced five shooters in the shootout and none of them found the back of the net. He stopped three shots and, on two other occasions, he forced the shooters to fire wide. The Canadiens won the game and Niemi improved his record to 3-1. His numbers for the season aren’t great — a 3.13 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage — but he’s made the saves when they counted. That ability and his work ethic in practice are the reasons the soft-spoken Niemi commands the respect of his coaches and his teammates. Contrast Niemi’s heroics with Price’s performance the following night against the New York Rangers. For the first 30 minutes, Price looked like the goaltender who was once the best in the world. He was square to the puck. He made big saves on close-range shots. He confidently plucked shots out of the air with his glove hand. It was the Canadiens who held the 3-1 lead. But things changed in the third period. The Canadiens sagged after they surrendered a short-handed goal late in the second period and failed to take advantage of power-play opportunities. There might have been an element of fatigue as they played their fourth game in six nights — although head coach Claude Julien suggested the problem was more mental than physical. He talked about players losing focus, making bad decisions, taking unnecessary penalties. But Price was the major factor in the collapse. Remember those three goals Niemi gave up in the first period Monday? Well, Price gave up three goals on eight shots, but the difference is he gave up the goals in the third period Tuesday when the game was on the line. “I didn’t make the saves at the end to hold us in there,” Price said after the game. Price has lost more games than he’s won this season. He has a 5-4-2 record with a 2.81 GAA and a .901 save percentage. Those aren’t numbers which win Vezina or Hart Trophies. On many teams, it wouldn’t earn you a No. 1 job. There were other factors that played into the results in New York. On Monday, the Canadiens put on a major push after a sluggish first period. They were determined not to lose a second consecutive game for the first time this season. The same push wasn’t there Tuesday. Price wasn’t the only Canadien who had difficulties Tuesday. Jonathan Drouin had four shots on goal, but he needs to be more engaged when the Canadiens don’t have the puck. He was on the ice for four of the New York goals. Jeff Petry was a minus-3, but it was a wonder he could still stand at the end of the game. While Julien likes to talk about using four lines to keep his players fresh, he has shown no such concern where Petry is concerned. The defenceman played 28:25 on Tuesday after he was on the ice for 28:41 on Monday. On Tuesday, Jordie Benn (19:06) was the only other Montreal defenceman who played more than 17 minutes. Hurry back, Shea Weber.
Price gave up three goals on eight shots, but the difference is he gave up the goals in the third period Tuesday when the game was on the line.