The line that might be the Canadiens’ No. 1 unit has been stuck in neutral for the past five games, but there’s no sense of panic heading into Thursday’s home game against the New York Islanders (7:30 p.m., CITY-Montreal, RDS, TSN Radio 690).
Coach Michel Therrien is reluctant to use numbers to identify his line, but you have to assume that the trio of Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher is the team’s top line because they get the most ice time and they produce the most points.
But the points have dried up during the past five games, a stretch that has produced a 2-2-1 record.
Pacioretty has gone five games without a point. Gallagher has the line’s only goal and Plekanec has two assists.
But Therrien said Wednesday that he wasn’t concerned.
He compared Pacioretty’s situation to the struggle defenceman Andrei Markov faced when he returned from a series of operations on his knee.
“You have to look at the big picture,” said Therrien, noting that Pacioretty might be feeling the lingering effects of a broken bone in his leg, which sidelined him for most of the summer.
“Max had a big injury and he worked very hard to be ready for the first game of the season,” said Therrien. “I’ve seen it before, players come back and they go on adrenalin and emotion, and then they hit a wall. It’s a normal process, but he could have a breakthrough tomorrow night and score three goals.”
Gallagher said he has never measured his play by the number of goals and assists he scores.
“The important thing is to know that you’re playing the game the right way,” he said. “We know that we’re expected to score goals and we’re creating chances. We had 15 shots last night and it’s frustrating when you’re a goal-scorer and you get chances and they don’t go in. But you have to stick with it. You’ll see, we’ll score a goal and then they’ll come in bunches.”
The chances of goals coming in bunches appear unlikely Thursday. The Canadiens’ Mike Condon and the Islanders’ Jaroslav Halak are two of the stingiest goaltenders in the NHL. Condon, who is filling in for the injured Carey Price, leads the NHL with a 1.60 goals-against average and is third with a .941 save percentage.
Halak, who came up through the Canadiens’ organization after being drafted in the ninth round in 2003, has a 1.65 GAA and a .936 save percentage.
With two teams stressing defence, the Canadiens are aware of the possibility of another overtime game. The Canadiens experienced the NHL’s new 3-on-3 format Tuesday night against Ottawa and it was over before they were able to get comfortable.
“It was quick,” said Gallagher, who watched from the bench as Kyle Turris scored after only 34 seconds. “Defence and possession are important and if you make a mistake, the other guys are coming right back at you.”
The Canadiens devoted part of their practice in Brossard on Wednesday to playing 3-on-3, but Gallagher conceded that it’s not easy to practise for something largely based on breaks.
Devante Smith-Pelly continued on the right wing on Alex Galchenyuk’s line — it’s the No. 2 line that has been producing like a No. 4 line — while Alexander Semin remains on the outside.
Galchenyuk took part in a community service initiative Wednesday, donating Bauer equipment to youngsters through the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program. The equipment will go to players in N.D.G., Plateau-Mont-Royal and Montreal North. He met with pupils from École Alternative Le Sentier after practice.
