Habs searching for the right mix

The Habs’ coaching staff has seen some positive signs during the first three games of the season, some grit and passion, unfortunately many negatives have surfaced as well including undisciplined play and lack of scoring.

Coach Martin will shuffle around the lines tonight to try to get better production from Les Habitants. Benoit Pouliot will move to the fourth line. He was expected to produce after being acquired from Minnesota last year, but is in the middle of a 28 game scoring drought. Travis Moen will take his spot on Gomez’s line to try to spark some fire. Moen has shown some strong play in the corners lately and could be just what the line needs.

P.K. Subban has shown some undisciplined play lately and his trips to the ‘sin bin’ has resulted in his shift to the third defensive paring with Alexandre Picard. Czech born Roman Hamrlik will join his countryman Jaroslav Spacek in the first pairing.

The rest of the lines will remain intact. The Habs were hoping that Pouliot and Kostitsyn would fill the scoring void in the top two lines, but that has yet to materialize.

One other area of the Canadiens’ game that needs work is the powerplay: Andre Markov (known for his PP quarterbacking skills) is scheduled to return within the next few weeks and the powerplay should get a big boost when that transpires.

To summarize the lines for Oct. 15, 2010:

Cammalleri – Plekanec – Kostitsyn

Moen – Gomez – Gionta

Eller – Halpern – Lapierre

Pouliot – Boyd – Pyatt