The Canadiens were six minutes into what was supposed to be a high-energy shooting and skating drill when head coach Jacques Martin decided he didn?t like what he saw.
He whistled a halt to the action, gathered his players near the benches at Johnny?s Icehouse ? conveniently located between the United Centre and the shuttered building that once was Cheli?s Chili House ? and launched into a profanity-laced tirade.
It was the first of two such rants by Martin, who felt that his players should have come prepared to work after being embarrassed the previous evening by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
?I?m a firm believer in doing the right things in practice, getting good practice habits,? said Martin, who is looking for a better performance tonight when the Canadiens meet the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800).
?If you?re sloppy in practice, you?re sloppy in games,? Martin said. ?I felt (one of) the areas we wanted to work on today was getting the pucks behind the opposition defence. I felt that was a major factor in our loss last night; way too many turnovers at the offensive blue line. And the net presence, having people in front of the net when we shoot the puck ? and those two things we were able to work on today.?
The challenge tonight will be similar to the one in Pittsburgh. The Blackhawks are a young team with plenty of firepower. And while the Canadiens have struggled on the road with two overtime wins and four losses in six games, they get a bit of a break because Chicago played in Nashville last night.
Martin will make a number of changes for tonight?s game and the most significant has goalie Carey Price making his first start since Oct. 17.
?(Price) started the season and he played some strong games for us,? Martin said. ?(Jaroslav Halak) got the opportunity to play in five games and we?re looking for Carey to help us win some games.
Price relieved Halak in the third period of the 6-1 loss in Pittsburgh and gave up a goal on a breakaway and another on a power play.
?I thought his play was fine,? Martin said. ?He didn?t have much of a chance on the goals, but I thought, five-on-five, he made some big saves and that?s what we?re looking for.?
?It will be nice to get an opportunity to get back in there,? Price said. ?It feels like a month since I played. It?s never easy to sit around and watch, but the team was winning and when we?re winning at least you can feel happy.
Martin has also juggled his top two lines.
Andrei Kostitsyn will be at left wing on a line with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta, while Mike Cammalleri moves to the No. 2 line with Tomas Plekanec and Maxim Lapierre.
?It?s something we?re trying,? Martin said ?I think Andrei has to play better but, at the same time, we?re trying to get two lines that can give us some production.?
His teammates rave about Kostitsyn?s shot, but he has one goal and three assists in 12 games and has taken only 20 shots.
?I think once he gets one, it?s going to open up,? Gomez said. ?He has tremendous skill, but he needs one off his bum or a bounce off his head. But it?s my job to get him the puck in a position where he can score.?
Defenceman Hal Gill skipped practice yesterday for what was described as a therapy day.
The Canadiens fly home after tonight?s game and face the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night at the Bell Centre.
He whistled a halt to the action, gathered his players near the benches at Johnny?s Icehouse ? conveniently located between the United Centre and the shuttered building that once was Cheli?s Chili House ? and launched into a profanity-laced tirade.
It was the first of two such rants by Martin, who felt that his players should have come prepared to work after being embarrassed the previous evening by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
?I?m a firm believer in doing the right things in practice, getting good practice habits,? said Martin, who is looking for a better performance tonight when the Canadiens meet the Chicago Blackhawks (8:30 p.m., RDS, CJAD Radio-800).
?If you?re sloppy in practice, you?re sloppy in games,? Martin said. ?I felt (one of) the areas we wanted to work on today was getting the pucks behind the opposition defence. I felt that was a major factor in our loss last night; way too many turnovers at the offensive blue line. And the net presence, having people in front of the net when we shoot the puck ? and those two things we were able to work on today.?
The challenge tonight will be similar to the one in Pittsburgh. The Blackhawks are a young team with plenty of firepower. And while the Canadiens have struggled on the road with two overtime wins and four losses in six games, they get a bit of a break because Chicago played in Nashville last night.
Martin will make a number of changes for tonight?s game and the most significant has goalie Carey Price making his first start since Oct. 17.
?(Price) started the season and he played some strong games for us,? Martin said. ?(Jaroslav Halak) got the opportunity to play in five games and we?re looking for Carey to help us win some games.
Price relieved Halak in the third period of the 6-1 loss in Pittsburgh and gave up a goal on a breakaway and another on a power play.
?I thought his play was fine,? Martin said. ?He didn?t have much of a chance on the goals, but I thought, five-on-five, he made some big saves and that?s what we?re looking for.?
?It will be nice to get an opportunity to get back in there,? Price said. ?It feels like a month since I played. It?s never easy to sit around and watch, but the team was winning and when we?re winning at least you can feel happy.
Martin has also juggled his top two lines.
Andrei Kostitsyn will be at left wing on a line with Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta, while Mike Cammalleri moves to the No. 2 line with Tomas Plekanec and Maxim Lapierre.
?It?s something we?re trying,? Martin said ?I think Andrei has to play better but, at the same time, we?re trying to get two lines that can give us some production.?
His teammates rave about Kostitsyn?s shot, but he has one goal and three assists in 12 games and has taken only 20 shots.
?I think once he gets one, it?s going to open up,? Gomez said. ?He has tremendous skill, but he needs one off his bum or a bounce off his head. But it?s my job to get him the puck in a position where he can score.?
Defenceman Hal Gill skipped practice yesterday for what was described as a therapy day.
The Canadiens fly home after tonight?s game and face the Toronto Maple Leafs tomorrow night at the Bell Centre.
