Gallagher: 'You learn more from a loss than you do from a win'

MONTREAL - After a day off on Sunday, the Habs took to the ice for their first practice since suffering a 4-3 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators over the weekend, and they were ready to take their licks and grow from the experience.

"You have to learn from losses. That's how you get better. You learn more from a loss than you do from a win. We made some mistakes. We understand the errors we made," said Brendan Gallagher, who was held off the scoresheet in 14:04 of ice time in the nation's capital on Saturday. "It's one thing to go through them, it's another thing to learn from your mistakes and correct them. That's what we're trying to do, correct the things we did."
No. 11 pointed out that one reason behind the team's early success has been their ability to bounce back from a bad outing, although they'll have some new lessons to learn after allowing the Sens to come back from the 3-1 lead they had built for themselves in the first.
"After our previous losses, we've done a pretty good job of responding. This is a little bit of a different situation, where we let a lead slip away," explained Gallagher, who has four goals and one assist in seven games. "Now, we have to react the appropriate way, come back strong with a good effort, and learn how to play in those situations."

Despite the small step backwards, the Canadiens have taken huge strides forward from where they were at a similar time last season. After earning just 3 points in their first seven games of the 2017-18 campaign, Montreal has notched 10 of a possible 14 in that same span so far this year - seven games fewer than it took them to reach the 10-point mark the year before.
For Andrew Shaw, at least part of that result has to do with the mood in the room and the burning desire to succeed that has accompanied it.
"A very positive, very hungry, excited locker room here," outlined Shaw, who returned to the lineup in Ottawa after a two-game absence with the flu. "We might not be the biggest team, but we work hard and play hard. That's going to give us success this year, for sure."

Gallagher noted that the hard work Shaw was referring to doesn't just happen isn't just a switch that's turned on for games; quite the opposite. The Habs have been working hard behind the scenes, knowing that their efforts will spill over from there.
"That's one of the things we've tried to do: create a strong work ethic. That doesn't just happen in games. That kind of identity and DNA has to be created through practices," described Gallagher, who netted a career-high 31 goals last season. "Since day one of training camp, that's what we've talked about - competing in practices. We have a lot of guys who aren't in the lineup who are very capable players. They're pushing for spots and opportunities, and that usually ups the competition level at practice."
That said, practice was a little different on Monday, as the Canadiens skated at the Bell Centre following their annual team photo. Gallagher had mixed feelings on the matter.

"It's nice to be here. It's a different feel when you come here. The team picture day is a little bit painful for us at times, but it's special for a lot of people in there," he shared. "You sit there, you take a picture and then you get on with your day, get on with your practice and get to work."
"Painful" for some, but an unforgettable keepsake for others such as rookie Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
"It's a big honor. When I'm older, I'll be able to look at old pictures and remember being here with the guys," he concluded. "It's awesome."

The Canadiens take on the Calgary Flames at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.
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