JEFF SKINNER SINKS HABS
Canadiens tighten their defence, but lose 3-2 in OT
There were several things to like about the Canadiens’ game against the Buffalo Sabres Friday. The final score wasn’t one of them. The Canadiens played one of their better defensive games of the season and salvaged one point, but they also lost a point when Jeff Skinner scored his second goal of the game — and 17th of the season — during a 4-on-3 power play in overtime to give the Sabres a 3-2 win. “You can’t be satisfied with the point because they’re a team in our division and we had control of the game until the last three minutes when they tied it up,” coach Claude Julien said. “We played a good, sound game overall. We were much better defensively, but (there was a lack of ) discipline at the end. We take a penalty. We’re short-handed for two minutes, we failed to clear the puck and it ended up in the back of the net.” It was the failure to clear the puck that cost the Canadiens after Max Domi was sent off for slashing Rasmus Ristolainen, who was charging toward the net after intercepting a pass from Domi. The Montreal penalty-killers, who had thwarted three previous Buffalo power plays, failed to clear the puck in overtime and were on the ice for 1:34 before Skinner scored the winner. “I think there was a little fatigue,” said Phillip Danault, one of the three Canadiens on the ice when Skinner scored. Skinner also scored at 17:34 of the third period to force the overtime. While the Canadiens have thrived this season by using their speed and forcing the play, Julien took a step back in this game and the result was a tight-checking, defensive battle. After getting blown out in New Jersey on Wednesday night and losing to Washington in a freewheeling game on Monday, Julien decided to appeal to his players to tighten up on defence. He helped that effort with his choice of lineup. Mike Reilly and Xavier Ouellet, two puck-moving defencemen, were healthy scratches. Karl Alzner and Brett Kulak, two guys who play a stayat-home game, dressed. Kulak was called up from Laval Thursday night and played a strong game on the second pairing with David Schlemko. He played 71 games for the Calgary Flames last season and said he was comfortable with the fast pace of the NHL. He would have had an excuse if he was tired. The Rocket played in Utica Wednesday night and returned to Laval by bus, arriving at 3 a.m. He received the word to join the Canadiens in the early afternoon and flew to Toronto, where he picked up a limo to Buffalo. Kulak had a couple of hits and a takeaway and, most importantly, didn’t make any glaring mistakes. “He played most of (last) season so he looked like he was comfortable,” Julien said. “He played on his toes, supported the attack and won a lot of those puck battles. That’s what we’re looking for from our (defencemen) and hopefully he can continue to do that.” Kulak will probably get another start Saturday night when the Canadiens return to the Bell Centre to face the Boston Bruins (7 p.m., Sportsnet, TVA Sports TSN-690 Radio). Another good performance could make life uncomfortable for some of the team’s other defencemen. There are eight defencemen on the roster and the field will get more crowded Tuesday when captain Shea Weber is expected to return after missing almost a year. “That’s something I’ll worry about on Tuesday; it’s only Friday,” Julien said.
We’re short-handed for two minutes, we failed to clear the puck and it ended up in the back of the net.