Family time for Gorges and Price
Markov’s return won’t come in Vancouver
VANCOUVER – Even though he only gets out to his home province once a year, friends and family are becoming blasé about Josh Gorges’s visits.
“I don’t have a real big crowd this time around,” Gorges said after the Canadiens’ early-afternoon practice at Rogers Arena on Friday. “Good. It’s cheaper.”
Gorges was at a loss to explain why his hometown contingent won’t be making the 390-kilometre, four-hour drive from Kelowna. It was different in 2005, when Gorges visited for the first time as an NHLER with the San Jose Sharks.
“In total, there was maybe 30 people who were here,” Gorges said.
“I had to buy for about 20 of them, so that was a big hit and a big realization of what it means to play in your hometown.”
As a San Jose rookie, Gorges was making the league minimum salary. Springing for 20 tickets took a decent bite out of $450,000.
“Actually, the first time was an exhibition game,” Gorges said. “Pretty cool because the tickets were a lot cheaper, and everybody got to come and see the game.”
Gorges is making $2.5 million this season, and the Canadiens’ leader in blocked shots has earned every nickel of it. Yet fewer Kelownans are coming to the game.
Doesn’t seem right. The Canadiens’ other British Columbia homeboy was out of sorts at practice.
Carey Price smashed two of his $300 goaltender sticks on the crossbar behind him. Each smash was accompanied by an expletive that cannot be printed in a family newspaper … but it rhymed with “puck.”
The Canadiens’ disappointing season is taking its toll on Price. An habitually affable interview in the room, the goaltender has become sullen, guarded and often monosyllabic in his answers.
After practice, Price said he was glad to be playing in his home province. He expects a group of about 20 to make the seven-hour odyssey from Williams Lake.
“We only get out here once a year,” Price said. “So it’s the same feeling every time we play here.”
Then a Vancouver writer asked Price to describe how disappointing the season has been, and the dark cloud settled in over Price’s stall.
“That’s what it’s been,” he said. “That’s about it.
“It’s been very trying,” Price added. “And the questions that have followed it are trying, too.” David Desharnais, who hasn’t missed a game this season, is doubtful for Saturday.
Desharnais sustained a lower-body injury during the first period of the game in Edmonton. The team’s second-leading scorer – Max Pacioretty passed him with his two goals and an assist in Edmonton – tried one shift in the middle period before shutting down for the night.
Desharnais was absent from the Canadiens’ Friday practice, as was Louis Leblanc, who was recalled from Hamilton two days after he was sent down.
Tomas Plekanec has been moved up to fill Desharnais’s slot on the Canadiens’ top (some might say only) line, between Pacioretty and Erik Cole.
The other lines at practice were Lars Eller, who played on the wing in Edmonton, taking Plekanec’s spot between Rene Bourque and Ryan White; Scott Gomez, who was terrific against the Oilers, centring Aaron Palushaj and Blake Geoffrion. Leblanc probably will play with Brad Staubitz and Petteri Nokelainen if head coach Randy Cunneyworth dresses 12 forwards. Which he’s likely to. Raphael Diaz is still out; and while Andrei Markov was back at practice after a day’s bout with the flu, he won’t be making his eagerlyawaited return on Saturday. Cunneyworth test-drove some new (to him) French words after practice.
A she approached the crowd that had gathered around a portable background screen, festooned with CH logos for TV, Cunneyworth was heard to say “pas de problème.”
Everyone picked up on it and asked if the coach planned to add the sunnily optimistic phrase to his repertoire.
“Maybe not,” Cunneyworth said, “because we have a few to solve.” Vancouver head coach Alain Vigneault, conducting a French media briefing after Friday’s practice, was effusive in praise of his fellow Canadiens expats.
He described Christopher Higgins and Maxim Lapierre as “mature players with a phenomenal attitude and work ethic.”
In Chris’s case, he’s worked well on any line we’ve used,” Vigneault added. “Max has a more physical and defensive role, but he’s giving us 10 to 12 very important minutes.
“We’ve got them at a very good stage of their careers.” Line combinations for the Canucks on Saturday night: Henrik sed incentring brother Daniel and Alexandre Burrows, Ryan Kesler between Canadiens alumnus Higgins and David Booth, newly acquired defensive specialist Samuel Pahlsson with Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen, and the pride of St. Léonard, Lapierre, between Many Malhotra and Zack Kassian –acquired at the deadline from Buffalo for added grit he’s yet to deliver – or Dale Weise.
The top defence pairing combines Kevin Bieksa with Dan Hamhuis (whose injury, early in the final series, probably doomed the Canucks against Boston), Sami Salo and Alexander Edler, newcomer Marc-andré Gragnani and Chris Tanev.
After a dreadful spell in which the power play went 8-for-68, Vigneault tried a four-forward alignment against Winnipeg, moving Kesler to the point.the one man-advantage had six shots on goal and Kesler hit the crossbar.