Vs Toronto 5-4 loss Feb. 24, 2011

Habs unable to pull it together over final two minutes

The Montreal Canadiens took too many penalties, and fell apart during the final two minutes of play on route to a 5-4 loss to the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs.

It was a night where the referees had their hands in the air far too often. That said, for the most part the poor calls evened themselves out. Montreal gained some momentum as the game neared the end, but a final two minutes that included five giveaways on the defensive-side of centre ice, and 5 failed defensive-zone puck-battles sealed the Habs fate.

Percentage-by-metric

Jeff Halpern proved his effectiveness on the Habs first line (short-term at least). Number 15 lead the team with a 75% winning percentage when engaging in offensive-zone puck-battles. Much of that lines offensive pressure was the direct result of Halperns' work along the wall. Max Pacioretty was nearly as successful in the offensive zone; winning 67% of his OZPBs.

The top winning percentage for defensive-zone puck battles was shared by four forwards. Mike Cammalleri, Scott Gomez, David Desharnais and Lars Eller all won 71% of the DZPBs. Among defencemen, the top winning percentage went to James Wisniewski (67%).

Montreal's success on the powerplay was the result of success in the faceoff circle. Montreal won 88% of their offensive faceoffs when on the powerplay. A huge improvement over their 53% season average. This explanation also carries over to the ineffective penalty kill; Montreal won only 40% of their defensive-zone faceoffs while shorthanded; compared to their season average of 53%.

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	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	44	45	46	47	52	53	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TEAM TOT
%OZPBW		58	38	50	75	80	67	75	63	63		40			80	60	47		67	80	50	50	71			%OZPBW	60
%SKI +		86	67	100	100	100	57	0	0	100					100	75	N/A		100	N/A	N/A	100	100			%SKI +	82
%DI+		100	67	67	86	67	100	100	80	50		100			100	N/A	N/A		N/A	50	50	75	N/A			%DI+	77
%DZPBW		71	71	67	33	67	64	57	25	56		67			20	50	71		50	61	57	58	71			%DZPBW	59
%NZPBW		25	50	100	N/A	67	67	N/A	100	0		75			N/A	100	N/A		50	N/A	100	0	0			%NZPBW	58
DZTA	0	0	0	2	1	0	1	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	DZTA	9
DZGA	0	1	1	2	1	0	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	2	5	3	0	0	0	DZGA	21
NZTA	0	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	3	2	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	0	2	0	0	0	NZTA	13
NZGA	0	1	3	1	0	4	0	0	3	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	2	2	2	0	0	0	NZGA	24
%DZFOW		67		100	100																	100	0			%DZFOW	71
%DZPKFOW		100		40	25																					%DZPKFOW	40
%OZPPFOW		67		100																						%OZPPFOW	88
%OZFOW		20		75	50										0		100						0			%OZFOW	43
%PS THRU						57	100	100		80							0			50		67				%PS THRU	67
WINS	0	43	22	45	25	32	27	11	16	34	0	10	0	0	9	12	15	0	23	21	14	31	14	0	0		410
BATTLES	0	67	46	70	37	48	41	17	28	56	0	19	0	0	16	20	28	0	34	36	30	53	22	0	0		668
GRADE	0	64	48	64	68	67	66	65	57	61	0	53	0	0	56	60	54	0	68	58	47	58	64	0	0	GRADE	61
PLAYER	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	44	45	46	47	52	53	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TM GR

Individual stats

For the first time ever the team's lowest grade went to Hal Gill (didn't someone I know just write an article comparing Gill's very existence to God himself?....oops). Number 75 completed the game with a personal season-low mark of 47; Eighteen points below his season average. Gill's low mark was the direct result of 7 combined giveaways in the defensive and neutral zones.

Despite his offensive numbers, Mike Cammalleri ended the game with the second-lowest grade (48). Contrary to normal patterns, number 13's struggles came in the offensive zone. He lost 13 of 21 offensive-zone puck-battles, but won 5 of 7 DZPBs.

Pacioretty and Halpern shared the team's top grade. As mentioned earlier, both forward were particularly strong in the offensive zone. They also combined for only two give-aways on the night. On the back end Wisniewski had the top mark. Number 20 won a combined 22 of 30 puck battles. He also led the team with four point-shots through to the net. Wisniewski's grade would have been even higher if not for four neutral zone giveaways.

	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	44	45	46	47	52	53	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TM TOT
OZPBW		14	8	15	12	12	8	3	5	10		4			4	6	8		14	8	2	4	5			OZPBW	142
OZPBL		10	13	15	4	3	4	1	3	6		6			1	4	9		7	2	2	4	2			OZPBL	96
SKI +		6	4	8	1	3	4			2					1	3			5			1	4			SKI +	42
SKI-		1	2				3	1	1							1										SKI-	9
DI+		8	2	4	6	2	2	1	4	2		1			1					1	1	9				DI+	44
DI-			1	2	1	1			1	2										1	1	3				DI-	13
DZPBW		5	5	2	1	8	9	4	1	10		2			1	2	5		2	11	8	11	5			DZPBW	92
DZPBL		2	2	1	2	4	5	3	3	8		1			4	2	2		2	7	6	8	2			DZPBL	64
NZPBW		1	2	2		2	2		2			3				1			1		2					NZPBW	18
NZPBL		3	2			1	1			1		1							1			1	2			NZPBL	13
DZTA				2	1		1		1	2											1	1				DZTA	9
DZGA		1	1	2	1		1	1	1							1	1		1	2	5	3				DZGA	21
NZTA		2	1						3	2					1		1		1			2				NZTA	13
NZGA		1	3	1		4			3	4		1			1					2	2	2				NZGA	24
DZFOW		2		1	1																	1				DZFOW	5
DZFOL		1																					1			DZFOL	2
DZPKFOW		1		2	1																					DZPKFOW	4
DZPKFOL				3	3																					DZPKFOL	6
OZPPFOW		2		5																						OZPPFOW	7
OZPPFOL		1																								OZPPFOL	1
OZFOW		1		3	1												1									OZFOW	6
OZFOL		4		1	1										1								1			OZFOL	8
PS THRU						4	1	2		4										1		2				PS THRU	14
OZ PS BL						3				1							1			1		1				OZ PS BL	7
DZBS		1		1	1	1		1		2					1											DZBS	8
WINS	0	43	22	45	25	32	27	11	16	34	0	10	0	0	9	12	15	0	23	21	14	31	14	0	0	WINS	410
BATTLES	0	67	46	70	37	48	41	17	28	56	0	19	0	0	16	20	28	0	34	36	30	53	22	0	0	BATTLES	668
GRADE	0	64	48	64	68	67	66	65	57	61	0	53	0	0	56	60	54	0	68	58	47	58	64	0	0	GRADE	61
PLAYER	6	11	13	14	15	20	21	22	32	44	45	46	47	52	53	57	58	63	67	68	75	76	81	94	31		TM GR

Why they lost

TOO many TWO minute penalties, and an absolutely ineffective and brutal final TWO minutes of play.

Forty-five combined giveaways in the defensive, and neutral zones.

The Habs actually matched their overall season average during the game. The final result likely would have been  better if not for the penalty trouble.