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 |
|
|
|
|||
|
★ 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.