HW 3 Stars – October 2014

Matt Dilworth

10 years ago

There was little disparity when it came to the HabsWorld
readers making their selections for October’s edition of the HW 3 Stars.
Three players earned the vast majority of votes, while the number of other
Canadiens receiving votes roughly equalled the amount of Montreal’s 1st period
goals for the month.

1st Star	Carey Price	9 GP – 7 W – 1 L – 1 OTL – 2.48 GAA – 0.920 SV%
Although Carey’s month began in a rocky manner (he recorded a sub .910 save percentage his first 4 games), many recognized that it was his team’s defensive play in front of him accounting for his poor stats. In spite of that, Price was able to keep the Habs in contention for most of those games, and his numbers returned to the elite level to which Montreal fans are accustomed before long. While it is admittedly too early to attach too much significance to Price’s shootout performances, he wasn’t beaten for a single goal in the skills competition in October.
★ 64%	★★ 18%	★★★ 5%

2nd Star	Alex Galchenyuk	11 GP – 4 G – 4 A – 8 P – +2 Rating
It isn’t uncommon for talented players entering their third NHL year to have breakout seasons, and Alex Galchenyuk is looking to be no exception to this trend. “Chucky” appears to have spent his off-season building up some bulk and a boat-load of confidence; as a result, he has been a force to be reckoned with on a consistent basis. Meshing well with Tomas Plekanec, Galchenyuk has brought the Bell Centre patrons to their feet on many a shift, and is quickly becoming the best stick-handler to don a Habs jersey since Alex Kovalev. His game doesn’t end with his offense; Galchenyuk has improved upon his defensive game, in spite of facing tougher competition, and surprisingly led all Canadiens with 24 hits. Galchenyuk has been a bright spot on a sputtering Montreal powerplay, earning points on two of the three tallies with the man advantage.
★ 21%	★★ 28%	★★★ 33%

3rd Star	Tomas Plekanec	11 GP – 5 G – 4 A – 9 P – +1 Rating
In recent years, it has become typical for fans to question when one of Montreal’s young centers will supplant Plekanec as the most utilized centerman. It’s unknown if Plekanec pays attention to these matters, but if he does, he should know that October went a long ways to silencing this speculation. With the acquisition of Manny Malhotra over the off-season, Plekanec has been given more of an opportunity to flex his offensive muscles; the initial results have been overwhelmingly positive. He and line-mate, Alex Galchenyuk, form a powerful duo, and Plekanec’s enthusiasm is undeniable thus far. Plekanec led all Canadiens with 5 goals and 9 points, and improved his faceoff win percentage significantly from the 2013-14 season.
★ 10%	★★ 31%	★★★ 28%

HM	Andrei Markov	11 GP – 1 G – 3 A – 4 P – +4 Rating
Many questioned GM Marc Bergevin’s decision to sign Andrei Markov to a 3-year contract this past off-season, and although a verdict can’t be reached until the contract’s end, the early signs are quite promising. Presently, Markov’s offensive production is less than usual, but one can attribute that to a powerplay that has struggled mightily this early season. Nevertheless, Markov remains a stable presence on a blue-line, and plays well with whomever he’s paired. Markov continues to play tough minutes… and a lot of them, leading all Canadiens in ice-time.
★ 5%	★★ 8%	★★★ 5%

Thanks to all that voted, and be sure to check in for next month’s edition of
the HW 3 Stars.

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