CBJ@MTL: Time to turn things around

BROSSARD - It seems like a good time for the Canadiens to be back home.

They've just returned from a trying three-game road trip down South with no points in the standings to show for it and are currently mired in their longest regulation losing streak of 2018-19.
But for alternate captain Brendan Gallagher, the Habs' track record this season has given him hope that they can turn things around in short order.
"It's something we've taken a little bit of pride in, bouncing back from losses. You want to end it, and you want to end it quick. You don't get any easy games; no one is going to take it easy on you. Every game, every point seems to be so critical right now," outlined Gallagher, who scored in Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Panthers in Florida. "For us, it's about getting back to what's made us successful. Everyone needs to show up, do their job, contribute to the team's success, feel that accountability and responsibility towards the group. If we do that, we feel like we'll be alright."

At Tuesday's morning skate, head coach Claude Julien found himself without a couple of regular faces as defenseman Jeff Petry was undergoing therapy, while forward Phillip Danault was absent for family reasons. Paul Byron, however, took in his first skate with his team since injuring his arm earlier in the month, and the club announced later in the day that he had been given medical clearance to play.

The fact that Julien was missing some pieces to his puzzle afforded him the opportunity to shake things up with his forward lines. Forward Max Domi, who scored twice against the Panthers, was reunited with Jonathan Drouin after starting the last several games between Tomas Tatar and Andrew Shaw and took it all in stride.

"That's part of the game. Sometimes, you come to the rink and you have new guys," explained Domi, who is only one tally away from hitting the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career. "It's not a big deal; it's part of what being a pro is: you have to be ready to play no matter what. It should be fun."

For Julien, the shakeup was brewing in his head, although the dust hasn't quite settled given that the statuses for Danault, Petry, and Byron are still not confirmed.
"We had one line who did well last game, but we still need production from all our lines. I've definitely thought about making changes," he shared. "It's not so obvious, however, because of all the uncertainty around some of the players."

With Columbus holding the same number of points as the Habs in the East, Tuesday's game could have a big impact on the playoff push for both teams, but Gallagher is trying to avoid doing too much scoreboard watching and checking of the standings.
"The easier thing to do is to look at our schedule, try and win our games, take care of own business. It's all that we can really control. You don't want to be in a position where you're looking for other teams to help you out. You want to be in a position where you control your own destiny," he concluded. "The only way to do that is to win hockey games. We have a chance tonight to pick up a couple of points; that's our focus right now."