While the Montreal Canadiens have done a very good job of staying in the playoff race since the start of the season, when you look at the point total, sooner rather than later they will have to start looking at how they are winning their games.
When everyone has played 82 games, if two teams have the same number of points, the first tiebreaker is regulation victory. Currently, the Canadiens have won 20 games this season, but only 13 of them have been won in regulation.
Advertisement
In the Atlantic Division, only Toronto Maple Leafs THE Boston Bruins and the Buffalo swords have fewer regulation victories than the Habs (12). The Ottawa Senators have 13, and the other teams fighting for a playoff spot all have more regulation wins than the Habs: the Florida Panthers 17, the Detroit Red Wings 16 and the Tampa Bay Lightning 17.
The Canadians have a lot of catching up to do, even if they trail the big guys in points. Winning games in overtime and shootouts can be spectacular and mean a good show for the fans, but in the end, that’s not what matters. What matters is not just scoring points, but beating your opponent within the 60 minutes a match is supposed to last.
However, once you reach the playoffs, that’s when it’s really important to be able to win in critical moments. This is where you get endless games that aren’t worth two points; they’re each worth a W, one of 16 you need to win Lord Stanley’s Cup. However, until the spring dance begins, the focus should be on winning matches as quickly and efficiently as possible. This could perhaps be the Habs’ collective resolution for the new year.
Follow Karine on @KarineHains Blue sky @karinehains.bsky.social and son @karinehains.
Advertisement
Bookmark The Canadiens Hockey News page for all the news and events around the Canadian.
Join the discussion by register for the Canadiens round table on Hockey news.
Picture
Subscribe to The Hockey News on THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trends by subscribing to our newsletter here.
