Power play

The Canadiens' success rate of 26.8 per cent on the power play is higher than their league-leading 22.8 per cent last season, when defenceman Sheldon Souray quarterbacked the man advantage from the point. The Gazette's Pat Hickey writes today that nine players have combined to score 11 goals.

Mark Streit is still a bit of an unknown commodity around the NHL, but he showed off a good shot during Wednesday night's season opener for the Canadiens, scoring a power-play goal on a one-timer from the point. While it didn't have Sheldon Souray's cannon-like power, it showed that the Habs power play might be able to weather the loss of Souray.

"I've been a point guy in other leagues, and in world championships and Olympics," Streit told Pierre Lebrun of Canadian Press. "So I don't put any pressure on myself now."

The Canadiens cooled their heels yesterday in Toronto, awaiting Saturday's Air Canada Centre game against the Maple Leafs. Their hosts will be in an ugly mood, having lost back-to-back game to the Ottawa Senators – including 3-2 last night in the nation's capital.

The Gazette's Pat Hickey filed this report on the Habs' strong power play in Wednesday's victorious opener in Raleigh vs. the Carolina Hurricanes, and how using all four lines helped coach Guy Carbonneau in the season's first contest.

The Gazette's Pat Hickey reports that the Canadiens' performance on the power play Wednesday night proved that the loss of Sheldon Souray's booming point shot might not be as detrimental as thought. Saku Koivu scored two power-play goals, including the overtime winner, as the Habs won their season opener 3-2 over the Carolina Hurricanes.

In all, the Habs were 3-for-8 with the man advantage and also killed off six of the seven Carolina power plays. Mark Streit scored the Canadiens' other goal in the first period with a one-timer from the point.

"We haven't had a lot of success in this building, so it's great to get off to a good start," said Koivu, referring to the fact the Canadiens had lost six of their seven games here before last night.