Agree with everything you wrote except Gomez. I was willing to give the guy a large grace period because I want him to succeed so badly, but he's been terrible lately. I hardly noticed him offensively tonight at all, and it seems like all he can do is pass to Gionta or give the puck away. I think he's too worried about re-creating chemistry with Gionta and it's limiting his creativity (which he showed earlier in the season).
I think Metro, Gionta, Pyatt and Moen all outplayed Gomez tonight.
Pleks is quite simply our best player this season so far. I had Metro's goal as the play of the game - great passing and some fantastic hands, especially for a guy who's been playing 3rd-line hockey most of his career.
Gomez is mediocre. Loved his steal on the PK, but we need to see more of that quickness - and more goals on breakaways. I didn't think he was going to be worth what we paid for him, but I was hoping for a pleasant surprise.
Ho-hum game that didn't show me anything I wanted to see except power play success. We're looking pretty average this year, and I don't see how the return of one player will change that...
Pleks was looking like a highly touted playmaking centre last night with all those nifty passes.
And a shout-out again to Metro. In a game as fast as hockey, fans frequently get disappointed with slow play (lats, laps) and frustrated with a rushed chance (our top line at times). The composure to pick a puck out of his skates (while working in the physical crease area) and then roof it shows Metro is a really solid contributor. In the end it turned out that he scored the game winner. Metro's play is making the wait for the team's younger players to show up a little easier to take.
I was fortunate enought to be at the game 10 rows behind the Habs bench. Plenty of Ole Ole in the 3rd period from local and visiting habs fans made it a fun night. Plekanec was on fire. Nice to see Price playing solidly. I am a bit concerned about 3 tiny guys playing on Line 1 come playoff time. Might not be an issue, we should be lucky to have to worry about the playoffs at all given the standings right now I guess. Mara made two lowsy plays. Kostitsyn latendresse and lapierre played horribly.
Dez, I'm not worrying about playoff time at all just yet. But Markov back will make the forwards a different proposition.
How much better Ian? Well Andrei instantly gives us a better #1 D. Our numbers 1-3 now are al decent enough to be top 4, and will be. But another big difference will be shifting Mara to 5 putting a decent guy (bad passes aside) on the 3rd pair and banish (health permitting) three of Bergeron/Leach/Gill/O'Byrne to the pressbox/minors instead of having 2-3 of them playing. That's a big difference.
What's more Andrei's passing makes being a forward easier too. Kostitsyn floating might translate into Kostitsyn breaking more often, the little guys in flight might happen with vs. without the puck.
That's to say nothing of how Price and Halak might enjoy having someone who goes to poke check and comes away with the puck once in a while...
I think the difference will be something to see.
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