Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens shut out by San Jose Sharks 5-0

To release talent, sometimes you start with adrenaline which, when engaged, frees your mind. This club does not have a free mind at all, Brian Wilde writes.

It seems hard to believe, but before Tuesday night, the San Jose Sharks had beaten the Montreal Canadiens nine straight times. That run needed to change, considering the Habs had already started the year with three straight losses.

The train needed to go the other direction, but it was more of the same as the Canadiens were handled easily 5-0.

Sometimes the road to a goal is travelled through the desire to be physically engaged: hit some people; feel it in your body; feel it in your adrenaline. Then head to the net and hit some more bodies. That’s often the pathway often for the better player in you.

When things are going extremely badly, like the prospect of four losses in a row, you have to get engaged somehow. So you do what you can first, like hitting some players.

This has often worked through the years when it feels like nothing will go right. If you concentrate on only goals, you will hold that stick a little tighter and your legs will be a little heavier.

However, the Canadiens had one hit in the entire first period, during which they found themselves quickly down by three goals. Josh Anderson had the hit in the attacking zone. Brendan Gallagher took on Erik Karlsson after the whistle in a half-fight. Apart from that, the club just wasn’t engaged enough to win pucks, battle for pucks or get their adrenaline going in any way possible.

When the final assessments are made, this is always about talent. But to release talent, sometimes you start with the adrenaline which, when engaged, frees your mind.

This club does not have a free mind at all.