Oct 21, 2015
Thumbs up to the Canadiens juggernaut
TSN's Dave Hodge once again gives a thumbs up to the undefeated Montreal Canadiens and Carey Price's performance in net, and a thumbs down to 4-on-4 hockey not even being part of the conversation.
By Dave Hodge
"Dull game, but the overtime was fun."
If you haven't heard that yet in an NHL arena, you will. 3-on-3 is making 5-on-5 look bad. It would be nice to meet in the middle and see some 4-on-4, but that doesn't happen much anymore, and "thumbs down" to that.
It is my long-held belief that eight skaters fit perfectly on a 200 x 85 foot NHL ice surface. A full complement of 10 on each side - especially if they're as big as they grow them these days, and if they're coached to prevent goals before they think about scoring them - take up too much space. Six skaters in a helter-skelter overtime will never be anything but a way to end a game that haters of the shootout refuse to admit is also a gimmick. 4-on-4 hockey is, in fact, the perfect compromise.
In his playing days, Mario Lemieux was an advocate of 4-on-4 hockey throughout an NHL game. I have been known to predict that he would get his wish one day. Maybe not, now that 4-on-4 has been shelved as if it didn't work. It would work very well if only it could get its proper chance, just after the anthems.
Becoming a HABit
I promised to give "thumbs up" to the Montreal Canadiens every time they won, until they lost. Well, they're now 7-0-0 after Tuesday night's 3-0 win over the St. Louis Blues. I said I'd look for a different reason each time, but that I'd also have to mention Carey Price each time.
So, the latest reason for that, as if the reason wasn't made obvious by the score, is the 38-save shutout thrown by Price; his second of the season. He's making it look easy, even when it's not. Or he's so good you can't tell the difference anymore.
Another reason to praise the Canadiens and their seven-game winning streak is their penalty killing percentage of 91.7 - tops in the league. Okay, Price has a lot to do with that as well. Particularly good in front of him during Tuesday night's three power plays by the Blues was Alexei Emelin. Price had to make just one save while the Habs killed their penalties.
Next up for the Canadiens -- the Sabres, in Buffalo, on Friday.