Montreal Canadiens' coach Guy Carbonneau, a three-time Stanley Cup winner as a player, has the Habs playing their best hockey in years. (David Boily/Canadian Press)
Feature
Carbonneau has Habs humming
Canadiens coach will experience post-season from a new angle - behind the bench
Last Updated Mon., March 31, 2008
By Chris Iorfida, CBC Sports
There have been plenty of highlights this season for fans of the Montreal Canadiens, who could emerge as the top seed in the Eastern Conference after missing the playoffs altogether last season.
Supporters could point to a one-sided win on Jan. 22 over Boston where they also stood up to the Bruins physically, the dramatic five-goal comeback against the New York Rangers on Feb. 19, or big wins in February and March over Ottawa, last year's Stanley Cup finalist from the East.
Coach Guy Carbonneau said during a recent media conference call that in his mind a seminal part of the season was a Christmas road trip where the club went 3-1-2 against teams such as Washington, Dallas and Atlanta.
"Not because of the opponents that we had, but just because of what happened last year," he told CBCSports.ca. "I thought last year our team was really playing strong hockey. We were doing really well, and then the trip that we had starting just before Christmastime didn't go the way we wanted.
"Then from there it was really kind of a struggle right up until about three weeks from the end of the season where we couldn't catch our breath, couldn't catch anything.
"[This season] we've had also a huge trip during that holiday time. I think everybody was kind of nervous about that trip. Then once we came out of it doing really well, I thought that was a big thing."
Jack Adams Award buzz
The Canadiens (44-25-10) have surpassed the expectations of even the team's most ardent supporters this season.
While Boston's Claude Julien and Bruce Boudreau of Washington have inspired talk as possible candidates for the Jack Adams Award as best coach, Carbonneau's body of work after a trying rookie season last year merits strong consideration.
The Canadiens have boasted the top power play in the NHL for most of the season and sport the best road record in the East.
Alex Kovalev, middle, has been the go-to guy for the Canadiens this season. The Russian native has 34 goals and 47 assists through 79 games. (Canadian Press)
Players near the beginning of their NHL careers like Tomas Plekanec, Andrei Kostitsyn and Mark Streit have made huge strides, defenceman Andrei Markov resembles a player in the prime of his career, while veteran Alex Kovalev is enjoying a renaissance year.
Overall, the Habs have played with confidence regardless of which of three goaltenders has started in net.
"I knew at training camp with the team that we have, the additions that we've had, that we were going to be a better team, but so many things can happen during the course of the season," said Carbonneau.
"I don't deny that I've taken a lot of pride in trying to prove people wrong, but I also knew that there were a few things that had to happen during the start of this year to make these things happen."
Healthy season
One has been a dollop of good fortune. The recent injury of tough defenceman Mike Komisarek notwithstanding, the Canadiens have lost fewer games to injuries than the other top teams in the East. Montreal's top seven scorers, for example, have each appeared in at least 75 of the team's 79 games.
Then there's a mastery of the Bruins that has gone beyond simply being a better team than their Original Six rival. The Canadiens won all eight meetings, which has essentially meant the difference between vying for the conference lead and jockeying for position just to get into the post-season.
Despite that, Carbonneau isn't overly enthusiastic about the possibility the two clubs could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
"For reasons that are hard to explain, we've been able to score more goals than other teams against [Boston goalie Tim] Thomas," he said.
"I understand that the success has been there, but playoffs is playoffs. I know if we have a chance to meet them in the playoffs, they're going to be a different team."
New perspective on post-season
Regardless of the opponent, several Canadiens will be getting their first taste of NHL playoffs, while a handful of others only experienced a six-game cameo against Carolina two years ago.
The focus will fall most heavily on rookie goaltenders Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak, the team's tandem after the surprising trade of veteran Cristobal Huet at the trade deadline to Washington.
Carbonneau won three Stanley Cups as a player, but will be experiencing the playoffs from a new perspective this time around.
"I think the preparation for me, when I was a player, I prepared myself for a long series knowing that you're allowed to lose the first game, but you're not allowed to lose the last. I think I'm going to have the same [attitude] as a coach."
