RECAP | Canadiens – Sharks: Habs Niemi Not Up to the Test

Canadiens Lineup

Forward lines

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Paul Byron – Max Domi – Andrew Shaw

Jonathan Drouin  – Jordan Weal – Joel Armia 

Artturi Lehkonen – Nate Thompson – Dale Weise

Defense pairings

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

 Jordie Benn – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Christian Folin

Goaltenders

Carey Price – Antti Niemi

Scratches

Charles Hudon, Nicolas Deslauriers, Matthew Peca, Mike Reilly, Jesperi Kotkaniemi 

Injuries

none

Game Report

Cut and run. It is exactly what Marc Bergevin should have done at the end of last season. Instead, Bergevin chose to sign Antti Niemi to a one-year deal. 

Stephane Waite used a little binder twine and chicken wire to patch up Niemi’s game last season after a horrendous start with Pittsburgh and Florida. Rather than being grateful for their good fortune and moving on Waite and Bergevin gambled another season with Niemi as the backup.

It has been an abject failure. As the season enters the second week of March, Niemi has only four quality starts this season.

Without the coach’s trust in Niemi, Price has been forced into a heavier workload than was planned by the coaching staff. Price is on track to appear in 65-67 games this season which is well above what was intended.

Against the Sharks, Niemi was awful. Two weak goals allowed in the first period on just five shots put the Habs in a hole. 

It wasn’t only the four goals allowed that were of concern. Niemi also looked shaky stopping the puck.

But Niemi need not take all the blame in this one. Going against Martin Jones, the Sharks goaltender with an .897 save percentage this season, Montreal forwards should have done more to take advantage. The Canadiens needed more from the Phillip Danault and Jordan Weal lines.

The Canadiens were playing a flu-ravaged team with players in and out of the lineup suffering from a virus. Particularly hard hit were Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns who despite the illnesses played 19:08 and 24:42 respectively.

The Habs did not capitalize on the opportunity.

Plus / Minus

▲  Artturi Lehkonen, Jordie Benn

▼  Antti Niemi, Jonathan Drouin, Jordan Weal, Phillip Danault