The late Walter Gretzky, a.k.a. the most famous father in hockey history, once told his pass-happy son while driving to hockey practice: “You miss 100 per cent of the shots you don’t take.”
Wayne Gretzky took his father’s advice and went on to score 1,016 goals in the NHL, including 122 in the playoffs.
Fast forward to tonight’s pivotal Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final in Montreal and Canadiens’ coach Martin St. Louis might consider sharing the Gretzky gem with his young players, who trail the best-of-seven series with the top-seeded Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 and have been outshot 93-47.
After winning Thursday’s opener 6-2 against the well-rested but rusty ‘Canes, Montreal has been smothered defensively in back-to-back 3-2 overtime losses, the first two-game losing streak of this post-season for the Canadiens.
And, for some strange reason, home ice hasn’t been much of an advantage as the Habs have lost five of seven games at the boisterous Bell Centre.
Falling behind 3-1 in the series could spell disaster for the Canadiens’ goal of reaching the Stanley Cup final. The Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, and would undoubtedly have a few rest days before the championship series.
The Hurricanes have brought the hits, totalling 127 to Montreal’s 65 through three games, despite also appearing to dominate puck possession.
But despite two straight demoralizing overtime losses against Carolina’s methodical, unrelenting forecheck, the Canadiens’ bench boss insists his group is far from finished.
“We’re behind, but we’re not dead,” St. Louis said Tuesday. “We continue. We have the tools to do this.”
The Vegas Golden Knights, who swept the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final last night, will rest up to eventually play the East’s winner.
