Canadiens 'beat by a better team' in loss at Florida
Ben Scrivens couldn’t save the slumping Montreal Canadiens in their Tuesday night game at the red hot Florida Panthers.
The Habs fell to 3-11-0 this month in a 3-1 loss at the BB&T Center. Scrivens, who was acquired from the Edmonton Oilers in a trade for Zack Kassian on Monday to give Montreal much needed goaltending depth, stopped 27 of 30 shots on goal.
Montreal beat the Tampa Bay Lightning the night before, but couldn’t sustain the momentum in Sunrise.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien told the Montreal Gazette, “We got beat by a better team.”
Montreal was no match for Florida’s first line featuring 20-year-old center Aleksander Barkov and 43-year-old winger Jaromir Jagr. Barkov scored two goals and one assist while Jagr scored a gorgeous goal, roofing a shot past Scrivens.
Said Scrivens, per NHL.com:
"Obviously, things didn't work out perfectly in Edmonton, but it's a business, first and foremost. I'm happy to be here in Montreal and try to give the team a chance to win whenever the coach says I'm going that night. Personally, it's a good challenge, and I think I'm ready. I thought I played pretty well tonight and hopefully I can build off it going forward."
The Panthers have now won seven-straight games, tying a franchise record. Florida was 16 points back of the Habs on Thanksgiving, but now owns a one-point lead on Montreal for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers have 46 points in 37 games played, while the Canadiens have 45 points in 39 games.
According to NHL.com, Florida goaltender Roberto Luongo, said the game was one of Florida’s “best of the year” and added that the Panthers “really didn’t have any breakdowns at all.”
After a record-breaking start to the 2015-16 season with nine straight wins, the Canadiens have fallen on hard times. Recently Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin gave Therrien a vote of confidence. On Nov. 30, it was announced goaltender Carey Price would be out six weeks. The netminder, who won last year’s Hart Trophy, is reportedly still on that timetable.
As for the Panthers, Barkov has been the catalyst of late. The young forward has 10 points in his last seven games. Since he returned from a hand injury on Nov. 16, the Panthers are 14-5-1.
Said Barkov via the Miami Herald, “We know how to play the game, know how to win. It’s a lot of fun. Of course we want to win every game, and that’s what we’re doing right now.”
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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @joshuacooper
