HabsWorld.net -- 

It’s fitting that this month’s edition of the
HW 3 Stars is for February, a month that features Groundhog Day.  In
the movie “Groundhog Day”, Bill Murray plays a character that gets stuck in a
time loop, and has to repeat the same day over and over.  Those who have
voted for the HW 3 Stars this year must feel like they are experiencing similar
effects, as the 3 Stars chosen by our readers bear a striking resemblance to the
Canadiens that were selected in the previous two months. For the 3rd straight month, Carey
Price was named the first star, while P.K. Subban and Max Pacioretty closed out
the HW 3 Stars.   The only real change arose when it came to selecting
the honourable mention; Jacob De La Rose earned recognition for his strong play
in February.

 

1st Star Carey Price
11 GP –
9 W – 1 L – 1 OTL – 1.34 GAA – 0.949 SV% – 2 SO

It’s becoming difficult to write anything about Carey that hasn’t been
said ad nauseum throughout the year.  His play has been
consistently elite and has propelled the Montreal Canadiens to the top
of the Eastern Conference.  Carey’s numbers continue to trend in
the right direction, and it’s gotten to the point where some consider
Price a lock for the Vezina Trophy, as well as worthy candidate for the
Hart Memorial Trophy.  One downside of playing goal in Montreal is
the comparison to some of the great goaltenders that have suited up for the
Canadiens; in all likelihood it will be a long time before Price takes
his place amongst those Hall of Famers.  That being said, Carey was able to cap off a feat
this month that no other Montreal goalie
had ever achieved: he won 10 consecutive games away from the friendly
confines of Montreal’s home ice.  Not even Patrick Roy, Ken Dryden, Rogie Vachon or Jacques Plante can make that claim.
 

★

93%
★★

5%
★★★

2%
2nd Star P.K. Subban 14 GP –
1 G –
14 A – 15 P – +9
Rating

It seems odd to say that P.K. Subban did something quietly, but he has
quietly risen amongst the ranks of the defenders, with regards to
points.  Despite only recording a single goal, P.K. produced at a
point-per-game rate in February, and this landed him in the top 5 in
scoring for his position.  But there is more to Subban’s game than
simply points on a scoresheet; his ability to take control of a game,
while risky at times, is often the catalyst that the low-scoring
Canadiens need to gain momentum.  With Calgary’s Mark Giordano
felled by injury, some have started to look to P.K. to claim his second
Norris trophy as the league’s best defenceman.

★

5%
★★

45%
★★★

30%
3rd Star Max Pacioretty 14 GP –
7 G –
8 A – 15 P – +12
Rating


Although the Montreal Canadiens are often criticized for not scoring,
you can hold one player exempt from this condemnation: Max Pacioretty. 
In 14 February games, Pacioretty failed to record a point in only 4 of
those, and didn’t go pointless for more than one game at a time. 
By recording 3 game-winning goals this month, Pacioretty kept pace with
the league-leaders in that category, and only trails the talented
Alexander Ovechkin in that category.  Similarly, with the 69 shots
on goal, Pacioretty distanced himself from the masses, and
is pursuing the Capitals winger for the league-lead in that department. 
Impressively,  Max recorded at
least a shot on goal every game in February.

★

0%
★★


40%
★★★

45%
Honourable Mention Jacob De La Rose 13 GP –
2 G –
1 A – 3 P – Minus 3
Rating

With the glut of capable centers in Montreal, both Alex Galchenyuk and
David Desharnais have spent significant time on the wing this year. 
Lars Eller is the latest pivot to follow this trend, as the strong play
of Jacob De La Rose forced Michel Therrien’s hand in February. 
Despite being only 19 years of age, De La Rose made an instant impact
upon his recall from the minors, and his play belies his age.  De
La Rose displays great hockey intelligence, plays physically, and is a
strong, big body on the ice.  With a team-leading 38 hits (10
more than Dale Weise), De La Rose made his presence known to opposing
teams in the league, as well as Montreal fans everywhere.

★

0%
★★

8%
★★★

0%


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