Carey Price has had a season-long lesson on how to effectively score goals. If you’ve watched even a few Habs games this year you’ve watched as pucks get thrown on net, get redirected or bounce off of a leg, only to be swept into an open net by an opponent looking for a fortuitous rebound. I don’t have the numbers, but I would bet at least 50% of all goals let in by Carey happen this way. But my post is not about Carey Price. Lately he has been fantastic. Last night he single-handedly earned the Canadiens a single point with fantastic play over the final 5 minutes of regulation time.

This post is about the Montreal Canadiens offensive players who never look to score anything but highlight reel goals. Its sad. Two nights ago Alex Tanguay jumped on a rebound to score on a wide open net. Metropolit followed that up with a rebound goal of his own. Saku Koivu’s game winner in overtime was a deflection in front of the net that found its way in. And yet for about 50 minutes of hockey Montreal ignored conventional wisdom by refusing to shoot the puck and hunt for rebounds. We’ve watched in frustration time and time again while our Canadiens try to mount comebacks, and are often unable to solve the opposing goaltender. When the chips are down, it seems like the Canadiens believe only the perfect shot will score a goal.

Last night the Canadiens faced the last place Islanders and former Canadiens prospect Yann Danis (who in all fairness has been playing stellar hockey as of late). For what feels like the 200th time this season the Canadiens have faced a goaltender who stood on his head to beat the Canadiens. Is this because goalies “get up” to play the Canadiens? That is how the commentators rationalize the situation in-game. But that is not the reason. Lalime is still Lalime. Danis is still Danis. The Montreal Canadiens make EVERY goalie look like Martin Brodeur because they are entirely predictable in their offensive attack. Everyone in the league knows that Montreal will gain possession of the puck, cycle, and throw a pass back to the blueline hoping for a blast or incredible pass. Yes it works some times. But Mainly the Canadiens allow the opposing goaltender to get square to the puck and make the save. Nothing is hard when you face the Canadiens, because they rarely get to the crease (and this is the more important factor): they are rarely ready to bang in a rebound.

Game after game we watch Jaro and Carey flop all over the place trying to stop shots. While it seems that the goaltender at the other end coolly handles every offensive opportunity. That is not a knock on our goaltenders – it is a testament to how the Canadiens rely on a very low percentage offensive strategy. We live and die on the perimeter, which is why so often we have amazing offensive chances that don’t go in, while other teams are able to beat us on “soft” goals. We all watched as Philadelphia demoralized Carey Price last season while we hit post after post on brilliant chances with the opposition executing simple, high percentage plays that found the back of the net. You don’t need to watch a lot of hockey to realize how goals are scored. I only hope that sooner than later, the squad can learn to do things the easy way, instead of always winning on the highlight of the night. A team needs to have an answer when the well runs dry. Last post-season we were taught a lesson on how to play playoff hockey by the Bruins and Flyers. There is less room for dangling, and brilliant passes are intercepted. The most effective way to score goals in the NHL is to put the puck on net and wait for the opportunity to shoot on a net with a goalie out of position. The task does not get any easier on Saturday as the Canadiens will face the real Martin Brodeur. If they think the Devils will let them dangle and dipsy-doodle on Brodeur’s big night, we’re in for a long and frustrating 60 minutes.