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Scratch this: Briere shines in return for Habs (but Sens win)

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James OBrien

Daniel Briere is pretty familiar with people giving up on him, so maybe it makes sense that he had one of his best games in years - and probably his greatest output as a member of the Montreal Canadiens - after suffering the embarrassment of being a healthy scratch.

The 36-year-old scored two goals and one assist in Montreal’s 4-3 OT loss to the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. (The Sens are now on a season-high four-game winning streak, by the way.)

To give you an idea of how much of a breakthrough this might feel like for Briere, consider the fact that he only had 10 points in his previous 39 games with Montreal.

His healthy scratch prompted many to wonder if his days were numbered with Montreal, and while that could still be in the works - perhaps this would simply pump his trade value up? - this might also be the catalyst for a turnaround.

No doubt, Briere has shown that he can make big things happen when he gets hot. Not many players can claim more than a point-per-game in the playoffs (109 in 108) nor can many say that they’ve scored 30 points in a single postseason ... especially in the last decade.

Does that mean the sprite-like veteran will turn things around after one strong performance? Not necessarily, but he’s beaten the odds before.

Follow James O’Brien @cyclelikesedins