Montreal-Atlanta, Not much Time to Talk...

I'll just say a few thoughts on the evening in bullet points, I'm moving most of my stuff to Brantford, Ontario tommorow and have to be up early.

- Andrei Kostitsyn played a great game offensively, two goals and both of them well executed.

- AK46/Pleks/Cammy need a solid defensive pair on the back end when they're out, Cammy and AK46 are not good defensively and each of the last 4 games, simple failed coverage has converted into an easy goal for the other side.

- Heartbreaking shorthanded chance for Sergei Kostitsyn, he nearly had it but couldn't get any lift on the puck by the time Hedberg went down.

- Spacek is hurting, he took two bad penalties tonight trying to keep up with the play but failed and that's how they came about, he's been battling injuries this season to stay in the lineup to be a good soldier, but it's hurting his ability at the same time along with the team.

- Laraque has to go, a 4-minute player is useless on a team that has to be able to give 100% to win their hockey games and rely on everyone to be ready to play through all 3 periods, there has to be someone with decent fighting skills and some skating ability Montreal can pick up if an enforcer is needed.

- Failed defensive efforts have at last count, cost Carey Price about 3 shutouts this season, he has been so brilliant, so often in the last series of games but even he can't put himself in the position to save every goal and the team has to give him better protection and keep the puck under control in their own end much more often.

- No playoffs if the team keeps having an invisible period each game, Andrei Kostitsyn gave hope to the 2nd period by himself really, but he would've needed a hat trick to save the game. 100% effort is the only way to win from this point on.

- Brian Gionta must come back, he was a leading figure in all the games he played before he was injured and provided the spark that had the team come back for some key games. He's sorely missed.

- Price can deliver a playoff spot but as I said above, he needs more help than he's gotten in the past, rebounds must be cleared more efficiently, screens must be broken up, net traffic is to be cleared, he'll stop nearly anything thrown at him but the team has to get better at cycling the puck through their zone.