Thursday night was rough for the Montreal Canadiens, and not just because of those fights with the Arizona Coyotes.
The Habs fell to the Coyotes 5-4, giving Arizona its first regulation win of 2017-18. After the game, Montreal head coach Claude Julien looked pretty livid, expressing the belief that the issue was not respecting the “gameplan” more than their opponents.
You can see Julien fume in two languages in the presser clip below, with the English answers kicking in around the :45 mark:
It’s been a great ride at times for young goalie Charlie Lindgren, but he showed veteran-level finesse with this quip:
"That’s hockey. It’s not always going to be sunshine and rainbows." - Charlie Lindgren
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 17, 2017
🎙➡️ https://t.co/WZkltZCzUr #GoHabsGo
Wait, does this mean I should throw out my uniform-themed skates?
If the loss wasn’t frustrating enough for Montreal, there are some injuries to worry about. Both Andrew Shaw and Brendan Gallagher should be monitored after these moments:
Concussion spotters pulled Brendan Gallagher after this pair of hits pic.twitter.com/jH8pgBK1sS
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) November 17, 2017
Not good.
The Habs slip down to 8-10-2 on the season, as they continue to see ups and downs. Things started off ugly (and unlucky) with a mark of 1-6-1, but Montreal seemed to correct its course, winning six of eight games from Oct. 28 - Nov. 7. They stumbling has resumed, unfortunately, and Julien must find himself searching for answers.
It all brings up a scarier question: is this really about scheme or are the Canadiens fated for the middle of the pack sooner than expected?
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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.