After a four-game week, the Habs began their West Coast trip with a lighter schedule. Your Canadiens played their first game of the year at “The Joe” and spent some time on the beach before facing off against Anaheim. This is yet another Fab Five Friday.

Scores:

Montreal 2 @ Detroit 1 (OT)

Montreal 1 @ Anaheim 2

Record and Standings:

This week: 1-1-0 (2 points)

This season: 16-5-2 (34 points, 1st in Atlantic, East and the entire NHL)

Weekly Scorers:

Click table for enlarged image

Habs Fab Five Season Scorers:

Click for enlarged image

Goaltending:

Carey Price: 1-1-0, .958 SV%, 3 goals against on 71 shots

Total Goaltending Stats:

Click for enlarged image

No Hab recorded more than two points in the Habs’ abbreviated week, and Carey Price posted a .958. It was a pretty boring week on the scoresheet, so we’ll have to get creative here.

5 – Andrew Shaw’s Meltdown

I’ve disagreed with the Andrew Shaw trade ever since Gary Bettman announced the trade at the NHL Draft in Buffalo last summer. Most reasons are hockey related. I can think of one reason that isn’t hockey related, but that’s a different discussion for another day. Tuesday’s incident in Anaheim is hockey related, so I’ll stick to that for the time being.

Late in the game against the Ducks, the Habs trailed 2-0 and were applying significant pressure on John Gibson, who was absolutely stellar all night. Shaw crashed the net and managed to slide the puck passed Gibson to get the Habs on the board late in the third with momentum clearly in their favor.

Then he took a hooking penalty (yes, it was a hook). Then this happened.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Andrew Shaw absolutely lost his mind tonight pic.twitter.com/38QBumeZc3

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) November 30, 2016

And then this happened.

Such a gentleman, this guy pic.twitter.com/pilMYoWjbR

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) November 30, 2016

I’m not going to beat a dead stick rack here, but Shaw’s late goal doesn’t excuse this behavior, which is an argument I’ve seen attempted.

Shaw knows better, and he needs to be better.

4 – Little Petry

While Andrew Shaw threw a tantrum and left the game early, there was someone else in a Habs’ sweater in Anaheim that may have gotten away with the same thing.

Although, if he did you can’t really blame him. It was way past his bed time. Seeing Jeff Petry’s son rinkside before the start of the Ducks’ game made the late night worth it.

3 – Byron 2016

The NHL released their 2016 NHL All-Star Ballot on Thursday, and they have once again opened Pandora’s Box with the write-in option at the bottom of the ballot. In case you missed my last edition of Fab Five Friday, Byron is our man. I want to see Lord Byron go toe-to-toe with reigning fastest skater Dylan Larkin for the title, and I’m doing my part to get him there. To vote, click here. You can vote ten times a day until January second, so let’s do our part to get Byron there.

Unless he doesn’t want to go, in which case we’ll meet back here and figure it out…

2 – Your Weekly Carey Price Update

Our masked representative from British Columbia was his regular Vezina-caliber self this week. Despite splitting his decisions this week, Carey Price kept his team afloat with a .958 save percentage and a stingy three goals against. The fact that the Habs walked away with two out of a possible four points despite scoring just three goals should be enough to illustrate Price’s dominance this week.

If it isn’t, here’s some more evidence.

Something something Carey Price pic.twitter.com/a18yGyVgU4

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) November 30, 2016

Carey Price is everywhere all the time. He's also 13-1-1. pic.twitter.com/eAdH6lmWd6

— NHL (@NHL) November 27, 2016

And just for fun, here’s a famous clip from the 2005 NHL draft where the Columbus Blue Jackets’ management were ecstatic the Habs took Price. How else would the Jackets be able to nab generational talent Gilbert Brulé sixth overall?

1 – Alex and Alex

There was a period of time this year where it was appropriate to debate whether or not Alex Galchenyuk and Alexander Radulov have the best chemistry on the team. That debate has ended. The answer? Of course they do. The real question is whether or not they’re the most dynamic duo the league has to offer. Overtime winners like this one stack the odds in their favor.

Alexander Radulov sets up Alex Galchenyuk for the OT winner against Detroit. Chucky kisses the Habs logo for the celebration. pic.twitter.com/SLmZWy3B0j

— Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) November 27, 2016

The goal is one thing, but that celebration from Galchenyuk is a thing of beauty. And although Jeff Veillette is a Leafs’ fan, he has a beautiful idea. Radulov and Galchenyuk for ever and ever and ever… and ever.

Next Week:

The Canadiens drift further into uncomfortable territory, as they visit the Shark Tank in San Jose for the date with the Stanley Cup finalist on Friday at 10:30 pm EST. The Habs conclude the California segment of their road trip with an afternoon affair with the Los Angeles Kings on Sunday at 3:00 PM EST. On their way back to the safe confines of the Bell Centre, the Habs make a stop in St. Louis for a matchup with the Blues on Tuesday at 8:00 pm EST. Montreal will finally return home on Thursday, as they welcome Mike Cammalleri (I had to) and the New Jersey Devils at 7:30 pm EST.

For more updates, analysis and debate, follow Rabid Habs on Twitter and like us on Facebook!

Follow me on Twitter @BoisvertIan