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Habs : Forward thinking

Source : canadiens.nhl.com



Often, the best thing a player can do to put a season in their rearview mirror is to start looking ahead to the next one.

Despite the Canadiens’ 2012-13 march to a northeast division title, not every player on the team’s roster had an easy time finding their rhythm after the NHL lockout came to an end in January. On pace for a career-year production-wise in his previous campaign, Travis Moen was instead forced to miss 34 games in the latter half of the season with an upper-body injury. While Moen returned this year as much a physical presence as ever for the Habs, he never managed to recapture the scoring touch that saw him log nine goals and seven assists in 48 games in 2011-12.

 After being signed to a four-year contract extension by new GM Marc Bergevin before the start of the season, Moen wound up relegated to a fourth-line role on Michel Therrien’s team, playing the majority of his shifts alongside Ryan White and Colby Armstrong. With three years remaining on his current deal with the bleu-blanc-rouge, Moen’s goal will be to ramp his physical game up to another level in 2013-14, while continuing to pitch in points whenever possible.

“I think I need to be playing with a little more of an edge,” admitted the gritty 31-year-old forward, who finished the season with two goals and six points. “I spoke with the coach and he wants me to be more intense, so that’s something that I’m aiming to do moving on forward.

“I try to play a physical game; to go out there every shift and play my style,” he added. “Obviously the coach feels like I can do more and that’s what I’m going to do.”

 While Moen will be looking to raise his compete level when the puck drops on the Canadiens’ upcoming season, he’ll be doing so with a solid base to build on. With 82 hits in 45 games this year, the Stewart Valley, SK native eclipsed his output of 75 in 48 games the year before. Logging 101:11 of shorthanded ice time, Moen also led all Habs forwards in penalty kill minutes, and his four fighting majors ranked second on the team behind only Brandon Prust.

“Whatever situation I’m in, I try to go out there and play my hardest. That’s what I try to focus on,” said Moen, who dropped the gloves with Chris Thornburn, B.J. Crombeen, Gregory Campbell and Wayne Simmonds this season. “Fighting is always a part of my game. It’s what got me into the league and it’s not something I shy away from.”

With his season behind him and an ever-evolving Montreal squad ready to elevate their game even higher next year, Moen already has his sights set squarely on his future with the team, ready to make the most of the remainder of his contract.

“I want to be playing and helping the team win,” he concluded. “But I’ve got to be better so that I can prove myself again.”

Habs : Carey Price was “phenomenal” in 34-save shutout of Rangers: Therrien

 Source : Montrealgazette.com

P.K. Subban was ready to come to Carey Price’s defence after New York Rangers forward Rick Nash ran into the Canadiens goaltender Saturday night, but Price told his friend to cool it.

“I told him to leave it,” said Price. “We were going on the power play and that was a lot better than playing 4-on-4 with a talented team like the Rangers.”

Turning the other cheek proved to beneficial to the Canadiens because Subban picked up his third assist of the night when rookie Brendan Gallagher scored to put the finishing touches on a 3-0 Montreal win.

Subban has scored 27 points in 28 games and recognition as the second star Saturday night sewed up the Molson Cup honours for March, but he kept the focus on the team in his post-game remarks.

“We’re playing well as a team,” Subban said. “We’re sticking to the game plan. We have 14 games to go (in the regular season) and our focus is on getting better.”

He did offer some individual praise for Price and defenceman Alexei Emelin.

“To be honest, I thought it was a routine game for Pricey,” Subban replied when asked if the 34-save shutout was Price’s best game of the season. “He makes saves out there look easy but they’re not easy. That’s just Pricey, he’s one of the best goalies in the league.

As for Emelin, he received a word of thanks for preserving the shutout while Subban was serving an interference penalty in the first period when the Canadiens were leading 1-0.

Price gave up a rare rebound on a shot by Ryan Callahan. That left Derek Stepan with an open net, but Emelin deflected the puck high and wide.

“I’m usually screaming and banging my stick when I’m in the box and the other team usually scores when I’m in there,” said Subban. “I thought Pricey made the save but I have to say: ‘Thanks, Em.’ ”

Price agreed: “That was a big play by Emelin and later in the game, he took one off the ankle for me.”

Earlier in the Rangers’ power play, Price had to do it all himself when Marian Gaborik came in alone and Price had to close the five hole.

If Subban was reluctant to talk about himself, head coach Michel Therrien was happy to oblige.

“P.K. is playing some great hockey for us,” Therrien said. “We asked him to be dependable with the puck and he’s making the right decisions. He has to also be dependable without the puck and this is something he’s focused on. He has the right attitude and it’s fun for the coaching staff to work with a guy who works hard and wants to be better.”

Therrien laughed when asked whether Price had redeemed himself after giving up four goals in two periods Wednesday night in Boston. Peter Budaj relieved Price in that game and was the key in a 6-5 shootout win. Therrien noted Price wasn’t the responsible party on several of those goals.

As for Price’s play against the Rangers, Therrien said: “He was phenomenal. He was square to the puck. He played a great, great game.”

Therrien also had some kind words for a couple of rookies — Gallagher and defenceman Nathan Beaulieu, who was making his NHL debut.

“Nathan played a solid game,” Therrien said after giving the newcomer 17:17 of ice time. “He made some good passes and kept his game simple. He has good vision with the puck, which is good for the transition game, and he wasn’t out of position on defence.”

That last item is important because Beaulieu came out of juniors with a reputation as an offensive player who needed to make a commitment to playing defence.

As for Gallagher, he took any fight out of the Rangers when he scored on a rebound, battling for control in front and then lifting the puck over Martin Biron.

“That was my only chance,” said Gallagher. “The goalies take away the bottom of the net in those situations and I knew I had to lift it.”

“He’s playing with a lot of determination,” Therrien said of Gallagher. “He’s tough to play against. He’s always on the puck, he’s always at the net. That was a huge goal.

“I have fun watching him,“ added Therrien.

Gautiher va-t-il bouger ?

Est-ce que Pierre Gauthier va encore procéder a une transaction durant le match de ce soir ? Qui sera le prochain a partir ? Moen ? Gill ? Campoli ? Bien sur, Scott Gomez serait un reve de le voir partir !

Au pire ont fini la saison avec pis ont rachète son contrat, il lui reste deux saisons une avec 5,5 millions et l'autre 4,5 millions par saison sont gros salaire va commencer a descendre après cette saison-ci. Peut-être qu'une équipe pourrait être intéresser a faire son acquisition dans ce cas-la.