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Friday, October 22, 1999
Habs need something special against Leafs
The other reality is when things go bad, and they are bordering on bad right now, little problems grow quicker than the number of empty seats at the Molson Centre.
Coach Alain Vigneault banned the media from talking to struggling Trevor Linden -- always a popular move -- and there are suggestions being made in the media winger Shayne Corson, who's suffering from a bout of colitis, is actually in a snit and hasn't played because he lost the voting for the club captaincy to Saku Koivu by one vote.
That's a ridiculous accusation to make against a guy who has often played hurt.
In the middle of all that, the Habs are trying to get ready for Saturday night's matchup against the newly-fortified Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre.
If the Leafs, who added to their offence with the acquisition of forward Dmitri Khristich Thursday, bring their "A" game to the rink, the Habs are going to be hard-pressed to find a way to win.
Vigneault has a team that has a decent work ethic, but that commitment to work will only take you so far. Sooner or later, you need talent.
That's something that's in short supply at the other end of the St. Lawrence River right now and was evident in Wednesday night's 2-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche. The Habs worked hard, but just couldn't finish.
"We're disappointed and frustrated," said Vigneault. "The work ethic is there, but we don't have the results."
The Canadiens are missing three regulars because of injury on the blue line and have a whole bunch of guys up front who are just missing in action. They are a one-line team with sizzling winger Brian Savage scoring exactly half of the Canadiens 18 goals to date. Linemates Saku Koivu (one) and Dainius Zubrus (two) bring that unit's production up to 66 percent of the Habs' offensive output this season. Zubrus, however, will miss Saturday night's game with a hip flexor injury.
Shutdown that line and the Leafs will be well on their way to taking another two points away from the Habs to go with the deuce they took from them on the opening night of the season (a 4-1 win at the Molson Centre).
The Canadiens have been getting a dismal result from their second line with 29-year-old Linden looking like he's going on 39. He's still looking for his first goal as a Hab and has managed but one shot in his last 15 periods of play.
He admits to being frustrated, but is trying to do the other things to help. Sadly, the Habs did not give up their first-round draft pick in last summer's draft for Linden, nor sign him to a four-year, $15 million contract for him to be just a checker or do those other little things well.
They need him to score.
The temperature is being turned up in the demanding Montreal market and Vigneault asked rather pointedly the other night for Linden to be given some breathing room to find his game. He banned the media from talking to Linden the day after the Habs' loss to Colorado.
"If you want to debate it," said Vigneault of his muzzle order, "I don't care. Maybe it's an issue for you guys, but not for me. I'll live with the consequences of my decision."
Linden talked to reporters Friday and said he was surprised Vigneault had made him off limits.
"I told him it's my obligation to talk. I wasn't trying to hide," said Linden. "I have to respect what he said, he's the coach and he's been here a while.
"Nobody puts more pressure on myself than me."
Linden's linemates, Martin Rucinsky and Turner Stevenson, aren't doing much better. Rucinsky has the only goal scored by the trio and that was back in that season-opening game against the Leafs.
Those three are a combined -10.
It's been an ugly week for the Habs. After a win last Saturday night over the Buffalo Sabres, they moved their record to 3-4 and with the lowly New York Islanders coming to town Monday, it looked like they would be in good position to hit the .500 mark for the first time since last Nov. 11 (they were 6-6-2 at that point).
They held the lead in the game, but after goaltender Jeff Hackett went out after taking an ill-advised romp from his net and getting clobbered by Islander Steve Webb, the Habs folded and the Isles went on to a 4-2 win.
The Canadiens worked hard against the Avs Wednesday night, but could manage only a goal by Savage and suddenly, that .500 mark of 4-4 that was within their grasp was suddenly a 3-6 record.
With blue line leader (in stats if not stature) Vladimir Malakhov (knee) and Patrice Brisebois (back) out indefinitely and Craig Rivet (broken cheek bone) out for another 2-3 weeks, Montreal GM Rejean Houle picked up 27-year-old defenceman Karl Dykuis from the Philadelphia Flyers and he's expected to make his debut Saturday night.
He should help a blue line that Wednesday night had three rookies taking a regular turn, though they all played decently.
Hackett should be ready to return to the net Saturday night after suffering a bruised shoulder and back spasms in that collision with Webb and missing Wednesday night's game.
The Leafs, meanwhile, are 2-2-1 since losing captain Mats Sundin to a broken ankle.
HEAR AND THERE: The Canadiens' coaching staff will travel to Hamilton to watch their American Hockey League farm team from Quebec City play Friday night. They'll be bringing two players back with them for the game against the Leafs to fill out their injury-depleted lineup. Goaltender Mathieu Garon and defenceman Stephane Robidas, who were called up to the Habs for Wednesday's game, will be back with Les Citadelles. Garon backed up Jose Theodore while Robidas made his NHL debut, replacing veteran Barry Richter, who was a healthy scratch Wednesday...Just guessing, but it's probably a good bet you won't see Hackett straying too far from his crease Saturday night...Corson, by the way, could skate with the Canadiens players who are still back in Montreal Saturday with an eye towards returning this week. He's been troubled by colitis since he was a teenager. He hasn't played since the first game of the season.
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