From Milan to Montreal

Milan Lucic is 6’4, 220lbs, and knows how to play hockey. He can hit, he can score, he can get under your skin. He knows his role and he performs it well.
But because the Vancouver native stupidly crossed-checked Maxim Lapierre - in the face - near the end of last game, he’ll be watching Monday’s contest from the press box. His one-game suspension will deprive the Bruins of a robust skill set and it gives the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge an opening.
And the Habs have to pounce.
We’ve been a good home team this season (24-10-7). We haven’t been a good road team (17-20-4).
Two games at the Bell Centre should be a relief. We’ll be able to get the match-ups we want and hopefully, have some crowd support.
So listen up: The playoffs are no time for boo birds. We’re in it as much as the guys on the ice and we need to do our part. So cheer loud and cheer often.
Give our players – and our goalie – the support that they need.
…
Speaking of goalies - we’ll probably know soon enough, but I think Executive Vice-President, General Manager and Head Coach Bob Gainey will start Carey Price tonight.
Price gave the team a chance to win over the weekend by making some great saves, but eventually, pucks just had to start going in. Stats: 2 GP; 4.82 GAA; 0.875. Jaroslav Halak may have made 5 good saves in relief of Price, but Gainey will be coming at this situation from multiple angles.
Gainey has staked his own future with the Montreal Canadiens by putting all of his faith in this young netminder.
Gainey, somewhat surprisingly, drafted Price 5th overall in 2005; during training camp last season he ‘helped’ then coach Guy Carbonneau make the decision to keep Price up in the NHL instead of allowing him more time to mature down in Hamilton; also last season, BG traded away the team’s veteran netminder (and Price’s mentor), Cristobal Huet; and during this stint as coach, Gainey has steadily started Price in net.
Was he right? I don’t know. I hope so.
What I do know, is that if Bob Gainey doesn’t start Price against Boston on Monday, his tenure with the Montreal Canadiens will be over this summer. If Halak starts, it will be the second season in a row that the Habs have not had steady goaltending in the post-season. It will be the second season in a row that Price will sit on the bench during the playoffs and question himself.
Gainey might love the kid, but he may be destroying his development.
So for both of their sakes, Price needs to start and he needs to play well.
And with Lucic out of the line-up, the rest of the Canadiens need to step up and support their netminder. We played 82 games to make the second season. We’re here, so let’s make it count.