Hockey

“The problem is not the defensive system”: Alexandre Carrier sends a message
Mathis Therrien
“The problem is not the defensive system”: Alexandre Carrier sends a message
Credit: Twitter screenshot

The Montreal Canadiens are going through a truly horrific sequence at the moment, on every level, after starting the season off superbly.

What stands out the most from the Habs' current woes is the fact that the team is giving up so many goals game after game.

In the last five games, the Habs have allowed 27 goals, for a horrific average of 5.4 goals allowed per game over the last two weeks.

Of course, we can blame the work of goalkeepers Samuel Montembeault and Jakub Dobes, but they're clearly not the only ones whose heads need to be pounded.

The entire Habs defense should take a serious look in the mirror.

And Alexandre Carrier understands this.

The Habs' Québécois defenseman made it clear to reporters after practice yesterday that the problem clearly didn't lie with the coach's defensive system.

Carrier said Martin St-Louis' man-for-man system was a good, easy-to-understand system and that the problem was more with the overall play of the Habs players.

It's rare to see the Habs' #45 make this kind of comment with such a glare, and it says a lot about how dissatisfied he is with the team's current play.

Carrier makes it very clear that it's up to everyone to “man up” and do a better job in the defensive zone.

We've seen over the past two weeks that the Habs no longer play with the same ardor and confidence in their own zone, and that's what's giving rise to the horrible results we're seeing right now.

In short, it's high time the Habs players got their act together and got back on the winning track, because if they don't, with all the current injuries, it's going to be a VERY long season.

Let's hope Alexandre Carrier's words can shake the troops up a bit, and make them realize that they need to play tighter defensively.


Overtime

– Read on.

– It doesn't look good for Toronto.

– Lando Norris one step closer to the title.

– To be continued.

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