Time to show character: Carbo

by Red Fisher for The Montreal Gazette, 3/12/01

Guy Carbonneau has a one-word response for what he's seeking from the Canadiens in the season's 13 remaining games.

"Character," he said yesterday.

"I'd like to take every guy aside and explain to them what it means to give it all you've got to a team at this time of the season ... why it's so important to have character. "If you don't have it, and you're in our position (15 points behind the last available playoff spot after Carolina's 3-2 loss to Edmonton yesterday), it reaches the point where 'it's not me' ... 'it's not my fault' ... 'it was the other guy,' Carbonneau said.

"When I was playing, I can remember my wife giving me hell when a goal was scored against us while I was on the ice.

I'd tell her: 'What could I do about it? I was at the other end of the ice.' She'd say: 'Then you should have held the puck at the other end of the ice.' She was right," Carbonneau said.

"I'd like to tell the guys that you can't fool anybody in the league today," Carbonneau said.

"Everybody has films, everybody has television, everybody has a dish. Everybody has a reputation and it gets around the league. If you don't have character, they know. Once that reputation is known, who would want you?" he asked.

What Carbo was really saying, awaiting tonight's scuffle with the San Jose Sharks, is that it doesn't require a giant intellect to know which player is delivering 100 cents on the dollar.

This is arguably the most desperate season in Canadiens franchise history, if for no other reason than one more loss in their remaining games would plunge Team Passion to a record 41.

But is there anyone who has reached out more than Saku Koivu to right this sinking ship? Is there anyone who has contributed as much?

Captain K has at least one point in his last seven games. He has scored six goals, two of them winners. His second goal in Saturday's three-goal third period (Martin Rucinsky scored the other) brought the Habs all the way back in their 3-3 tie with the Phoenix Coyotes, after the home boys had scored the game's first three goals. He has assisted on five others. He's had points in 11 of the 19 goals the Habs have scored en route to a 3-3-1 record.

Carbonneau isn't looking for another Koivu, who has brought leadership and character to the workplace. What he wants is more from a lot of others. "Saku's been awesome," Carbonneau agreed, "but he can't do it alone. Nobody can. If he has to do it alone, pretty soon he'll shut it down. That's what happens when you're in the position we're in."

Carbonneau doesn't have to remind anyone that his character and pride never varied for a moment during good and hard times.

"We didn't win the Cup every year," he said, "but we always had enough character players. I played on good teams," he grunted.

Carbonneau will settle for character now. As for next season ...?

"We could use a few more character guys, but I'm hoping we can sign a couple of free agents. They cost money, I know, but I think our new owner is ready to spend it," Carbonneau said.

Tonight's game with the Sharks is the Canadiens' fourth stop on a five-game road trip. Even Carbo will agree that thus far, it's been a horror show. How does a team allow the Los Angeles Kings, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks and, on Saturday, the Phoenix Coyotes to score the first three goals of the games? They couldn't catch the Kings and Mighty Ducks, but did catch the Coyotes mostly because Phoenix fell back on its heels in the third period, performing like anything except a team in a tight race for the playoffs.

"We've been doing that all year," said Phoenix assistant coach Rick Bowness. "If we don't turn it around pretty soon ... "

"It's almost hard to imagine a team ... any team ... falling behind by three goals in three consecutive games," Carbonneau said with a shrug.

"It shouldn't happen. Right now, the guys are playing for their jobs. It's not going to get easier from now on, starting with the Sharks. They haven't won in the their last seven games. Do you think, maybe, they'd like to break that streak against us?" he asked with a heavy sigh.