Habs must overcome Senators obstacle

[Habsfan84]

In the game of hockey there are certain unassailable facts. Some of these are truths that have been borne out through time. Such well worn truisms are;
-no team wins the Stanley Cup without great goaltending
-the team with the best defense can usually be found at the top of the standings
-a spectacular offense is no guarantee of playoff success
-experience can make the difference in an extended playoff run
Well after watching last night's game between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens, I was thinking of another adage that seem's to come true each year. Without explanation or reason there is always one team that for whatever unknown reason has your team's number. Players who struggle against the rest of the league, shine against your team, and on the flipside your best players tend to play at their worst. For example, this year has seen the Boston Bruins inexplicably go winless in six games this year against the Canadiens. But as much as the Bruins have struggled against the Canadiens, the Habs have returned the favour when playing the Senators.
Now some of you will argue that the Canadiens have beaten Ottawa once this year. And while this is true, it must be remembered that on that night the Senators were playing without Daniel Alfredsson and even then they were able to stage a furious comeback that almost cost the Habs the game.
Watching last night's game, I imagine I felt like many of those in attendance at the Bell Centre. Coming off Tuesday's night's win over New Jersey, one couldn't have imagined a game, a result, and a crowd more opposite than what had been in the same arena a mere forty-eight hours earlier. The atmosphere from the crowd seemed almost funeral like, with the 3-0 tally on the scoreboard being generous to the the home side, as the Canadiens fresh off what may have been their finest performance of the entire season looking flat and in some ways disinterested.
All credit must go to the Senators, who seem to play their best against Montreal. And that is the crucial part of this old adage. The main reason for the Senators success against the Habs is their ability to take their game to the next level, a level that the Canadiens have to this point, seemed unable to match. Ironically, the Senators have struggled mightily over the second half of the season, but that is only with regards to the rest of the league. Against Montreal, they seem to play at a level reminiscent of last years Stanley Cup finalists.
And therein lies the main obstacle facing the Canadiens this season. To be considered an elite team in the league, and the best in the Eastern Conference, they have to get past the team that has held that honour for the past year. This year the Habs are 35-14-8 against the rest of the East. However, when it comes to playing the Senators they have been only able to muster that lone win against five losses.
What must be however, most disturbing and disconcerting to the coaches of the Canadiens is how Montreal has been dominated in many of their encounters with Ottawa. Aside from the Habs 4-3 victory. Coming off of the 6-1 drubbing in Ottawa a little over a month ago, I expected a little more spark from Montreal last night. Instead they looked outclassed, were outplayed, and in many ways saw the Senators enforce their collective will over a helpless Canadiens team.
Many right now harbor dreams of the Canadiens possibly advancing to the Stanley Cup finals. In order to accomplish that feat the Habs will have to find a way to overcome this obstacle, if not in the season's last two games, then at sometime down the road in the playoffs.
This is not to suggest that the Habs are a lost cause if they play the Senators.
There is no guarantee that these two team's will meet in the playoffs. A similar thing happened when the Bruins defeated the Canadiens in the playoffs in 1988, 1990,1991, and 1992. However, in 1993 the Bruins were upset by the Buffalo Sabres in the first round, paving the path for the Habs to avoid their personal nemesis of the time. Coincidentally, with Boston out of the way, the Canadiens were able to win the Stanley Cup.
This year, has seen the Canadiens exorcise the decade long demon that has haunted them called the New Jersey Devils and in particular, Martin Brodeur. The curse of Brodeur has seemingly and without warning disappeared as the begin to reverse the curse that has plagued them for so many years. And if they can suddenly beat Martin Brodeur in three straight games there is some hope that they can reverse their newest curse.

With two games left in the season, the Canadiens have a couple of more chances to get off the Senators slippery slope. If they don't they can kiss their dreams of first place goodbye, leaving them with the hope that somebody does their dirty work for them, and eliminates Ottawa before they have a chance to put a fork in the road of the Canadiens potential playoff success.