“We want David to feel comfortable” – Michel Therrien on Desharnais returning to his centre position after missing 17 games while 6’6″ Mike McCarron was pushed to the wing – Desharnais’s wing. It lasted one period.
- Tomas Plekanec scored his first goal since February 9. That’s 20 games. Earlier this season he went over 30 games without scoring a goal while playing five on five. The math isn’t difficult, even for me. For 50+ games this season the Habs did not get an even strength goal from Tomas Plekanec.
- Plekanec should have had two goals and who knows what happens to Detroit’s playoff chances if back ref Brad Watson (Brandon Prust’s favourite zebra) doesn’t decide to wave off a perfectly legit goal during a scramble in front of the Red Wings net. His arm never went up for a call, even as Plekanec found the puck, drew it back, and fired it into the net.
- Greg Pateryn was way too soft in front of Ben Scrivens. He looked zonked out. Maybe he just can’t play well in his home state.
- What the heck has happened to Nathan Beaulieu? At this late date the Habs were hoping Beaulieu would be a top 4 defenseman. Right now he’s a 6 – even without P.K. Subban, Jeff Petry and Tom Gilbert.
- I’m beginning to find out who Joel Hanley is.
- Alex Galchenyuk more than held his own against Detroit’s vet centremen. Even Pat Hickey realizes by now that Galchenyuk is the Habs best centre.
- Max Pacioretty scored his first goal in eight games and just his second in the month of March (13 games). Unless he can score five goals in the final seven games, Pacioretty will fail to hit the 30 goal mark in a full season (50+ games) for the first time since 2009-10.
- Paul Byron is a good player. But if he’s anything more than a 3rd liner next season (if that) than the Habs are in trouble. So if you want to see McCarron at right wing, while trying to make Davey comfy, why not put him alongside Galchenyuk and Pacioretty?
- Wonder what the bench thought of Desharnais – who was awful – jumping over the boards in the final minute as the Habs pressed to tie the game while Plekanec and Lars Eller looked on.
- What exactly was the point of sending Stefan Matteau back on the ice after he was nearly knocked into Windsor? It’s Sven Andrighetto in Ottawa all over again.
- If Jacob de la Rose can’t play for this team as banged up as it is (and he can’t) then what was he doing here while Charles Hudon created offense in the AHL?
- Mike Brown banged up his knee and did not return. Do the Habs now have an opening to do the right thing and recall John Scott – even if it’s just for the last game of his career?
