‘We need better discipline,’ coach says
Jonathan Drouin said the Saturday showdown against the Boston Bruins was among the best games he’s played in a Canadiens’ uniform except for one brief moment in the third period. Drouin was assessed a double-minor for high-sticking David Backes at 14:39 of the third period. The score was tied 2-2 at the time and Drouin was sitting in the penalty box when John Moore scored a power-play goal at 17:03 to give the Bruins a 3-2 victory. There didn’t seem to be much contact on the play, but Backes dropped to the ice as if he had been shot and Drouin seemed confused as he went to the penalty box. When Drouin was asked if he made contact with Backes, he replied: “If I did, it wasn’t that hard. (Sean) Kuraly tried to put a knee on me and I was trying to protect myself (against Backes) and I got my stick up, but I didn’t mean to hit him in the face.” Drouin went on to say he didn’t want to talk about the penalty, but coach Claude Julien made it clear the penalty cost the Canadiens the game. “A penalty at that time of the game is not a penalty you want to take,” Julien said. “If (Drouin) said it’s on him he has reason. In a game like that when we came back to tie it, you really have to be disciplined. It’s certain that even if (Backes) went after him, he gave him a cross-check in the face and it’s a four-minute. It’s something we can’t keep doing if we want to win games. We need better discipline.” Drouin, who scored his ninth goal of the season to trigger a Canadiens comeback in the third period, said it was easy to become emotionally involved in this game, and that sentiment was echoed by Andrew Shaw and Brendan Gallagher, two veterans of this often bitter rivalry. “There were scrums after whistles, lots of bodies to the net, it’s a game you love to be a part of,” said Shaw, who set up Tomas Tatar for the goal that brought the Canadiens even midway though the third period. “Both teams are used to being competitive in the standings,” said Gallagher, who exchanged pleasantries, cross-checks and slashes with Kevan Miller as the first period ended. “The last few years it’s been different, but both teams feel they’re in it to be competitive this year and that animosity is what you get. “That’s the second time we’ve played them this year and we get them again, and I’m sure it’s going to be the same kind of game. Every game it continues to build. There are a lot of guys on both teams who finish their checks and it’s fun.” It was the fourth consecutive loss for the Canadiens, although they did pick up points for going to overtime in two of those losses. The Canadiens are clinging to the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. After playing five games in eight nights, they have a more relaxed week with a home game Tuesday against Carolina followed by back-to-back home games Saturday against the Rangers and Sunday against San Jose. With the Canadiens sliding, goaltender Carey Price isn’t making any progress in his bid to overhaul Jacques Plante as the winningest goaltender in Canadiens history. Price, who found himself trailing 2-0 in the first period as the result of miscues by his teammates, has lost five of his last eight starts. He has a 7-6-4 record with a 3.17 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage.