MTL v WAS summary

If there is such thing as a good loss, this was a stellar example.

• Habs Power Play came alive,
• Higgins, Komisarek, Price, Plekanec, Kostitsyn got their grooves back,
• New acquisition (Schneider) made his mark.

I thought all lines played well; if I had to pick a couple goats I'd say Hamrlik, Laraque and Tommy K . TK just looked slow out there to me, but others said he had a good game, so maybe the Molson is getting to me. Theo played a great game too, so getting the 1 point was a very positive sign.

But that's the problem when you try to hold a 1-goal lead; a crazy bounce can turn the tables. I got the feeling that if OT kept going, the CH would have pulled out the win.

I will temper this enthusiasm with one observation: its good to be back in the East. Washington definitely does not forecheck like the Western Conference teams, and certainly realied very very heavily on its massively talented group. But even Washington, Pierre McGuire's new catch-cloth (if you'll pardon the expression), would get eaten alive by those hungry Westerners.

Play that same game in Pittsburg, dispite Crosby / Malkin, and we should see a WIN. And then another, and another, and another (then a break) then another...