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INDEPTH: NHL 2006 | After the break
Montreal Canadiens
By Malcolm Kelly, CBC Sports Online | Last updated
Feb. 28, 2006
It's been a tale of two goalies for Montreal
fans, as Jose Theodore and Christobal Huet vy for the right
to be between the pipes.
(CP Photo/Ryan Remiorz)
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Record: 26-22-8 (60 points)
Eighth in the Eastern Conference
Third in the Northeast Division
Home Record: 16-7-4
Away record: 10-15-4
Goals for/against: 160-180
Power play: 18.1 per cent (12th overall)
Penalty kill: 80.8 per cent (21st overall)
Top scorers: Saku Koivu (14g, 25a, 39p - outside the top 30); Alex Kovalev (14g, 25a, 39p); Michael Ryder (23g, 13a, 36p)
Top defenders: Steve Begin (+6); Andrei Markov, defence (+5); Jan Bulis, centre (+4)
Key trades: Garth Murray, forward, 11 points this year, obtained from the New York Rangers for Marcel Hossa, 14 points this year (Sept. 30).
Season recap: This is a tale of two coaches and two goaltenders. The Habs got off to a lighting start, with eight wins in their first 12 games in October and winning their first four of November. They did it by relying on speed and decent, though somewhat inconsistent, goaltending from Jose Theodore. Then the bottom began to drop out for coach Claude Julien.
Star forwards Alexei Kovalev and Saku Koivu spent time on the injury list, as did Theodore. Over the next 25 games, Montreal won just seven times, and a full-blown goaltending controversy broke out between Theodore and his backup Cristobal Huet, a former member of the Los Angeles Kings who has been outstanding.
General manager Bob Gainey fired Julien on Jan. 14, installing himself as "interim" coach, with Guy Carbonneau brought in to learn on the job and take over next year.
Since then, the club has gone 7-6-2 and mostly because of the latter's incompetence, moved into eighth overall in the East. Still, they aren't scoring nearly enough.
Theodore might have been an anchor on the club in the second half if he continued to sulk, but when he fell on the ice-covered steps of his Montreal home, injured his heel and put himself out for four- to six-weeks, the argument became moot. Kind of put the whole question of his failed drug test for a steroid masking agent commonly found in hair restoration products, on the back burner.
Key injuries: Garth Murray (shoulder) is out indefinitely.
Looking ahead: With the seventh-worst offence and about mid-pack defensively, Montreal will have to score more and keep the defence under control.
And that road record has to improve, which they'll have a chance to work on right away as the post-break run opens with a tough six game trip through Long Island, Florida, Tampa, Philadelphia, Toronto and Boston.
On the positive side, the Canadiens will likely be battling Toronto and Boston for the final playoff spot, and they play the former three times and the latter four times, so their fate is in their hands.
On the other hand, four of their last seven games are split two-each with Ottawa and Buffalo who could be battling for the division or conference championship.
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