from Ryan Dixon of Sportsnet,

The Canadiens have but six losses this year, including one overtime setback versus the Vancouver Canucks. But in four of their five regulation-time defeats, Montreal got absolutely waxed. The teams that did the slaying are the Tampa Bay Lighting, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks and, most recently, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Three of those outfits, as of Wednesday morning, were top-six clubs in the standings. The fourth, Chicago, could get the last playoff berth in the West and still win the Stanley Cup.

The combined score of those four losses was Other Teams 22 Canadiens 3. In other words, just the kind of crazy discrepancy required to pick on a squad that has more points than any other in the NHL.

If the Habs want to prove they truly belong with the big boys, they won’t have to wait long for an opportunity. The skilled, surly St. Louis Blues (8-2-0 in their past ten) visit the Bell Centre Thursday night.

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