‘If you slide a little, you’re in trouble,’ Therrien says
“After the game, he went to the hospital and he had treatment Sunday and he has the treatment the next few days. That’s worry, not one loss in 12 games.”
The Canadiens were outshot 4222 in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Vancouver and 38-17 in the Flyers’ game, and Therrien said there was a need for more discipline. “It’s easy to correct,” said Therrien. “Our special teams have to be better. We have to be tight defensively and it starts with the forecheck. We have to work on our positioning, aggressiveness.”
The 5-4 win over the Flyers took some of the sting out of the loss in Columbus, although there were lingering questions about the coach’s decision to leave Al Montoya in the game.
Therrien said it was a difficult decision, which was done for the good of the team.
“It’s one of those situations where you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t,” said Therrien.
Carey Price and Montoya both declined to discuss the game.
Getting up for a game against the Bruins has never been a problem for the Canadiens, but Therrien noted that this was a demanding week with home games against Los Angeles on Thursday and Detroit on Saturday followed by a Sunday visit to Western Conference-leading Chicago.
“If you slide a little, you’re in trouble,” said Therrien. “The most important thing tomorrow is to win the hockey game.”
There will be one lineup change for the Canadiens with Daniel Carr replacing Artturi Lehkonen, who has been placed on the injured reserve list with an upper-body injury. Therrien didn’t offer any details on the injury, other than to say the Finnish rookie will be out “for at least a week.”
Carr hasn’t played an NHL game since Oct. 15, but he did go to the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps to get some ice time and had two goals and an assist in three games.
The club also recalled forward Sven Andrighetto from St. John’s on Monday afternoon and said he’ll be at practice on Tuesday in Brossard.