Tatar: 'I think our fans deserve better'

DENVER - Given the way things played out on Monday night against the Bruins, Claude Julien's troops fully expected Tuesday's practice in the Mile High City to be extra tough.

It certainly was, and it gave the veteran bench boss a prime opportunity to remind his players that failing to compete at any given time is completely unacceptable.
This particular reminder came in the form of a long chat on the ice before practice officially began. After Julien spoke, associate coach Kirk Muller addressed the players before turning things over to assistant coach Luke Richardson.
Julien's message, in particular, was rather simple and direct.
"We have to compete better than we have lately. Talent comes out when you make an effort," said Julien, following the high-intensity workout ahead of Wednesday night's tilt against the Colorado Avalanche. "I've found that in certain games lately the effort isn't there. When it is, that gives us a better chance to win."

Julien's talk and subsequent practice plan resonated with the group as a whole, according to assistant captain Paul Byron.
"I think his message was pretty clear to us. It doesn't matter what the X's and O's are. It doesn't matter what the system is. If you don't compete, we don't have a chance," said Byron, who was featured on a line with Jonathan Drouin and Max Domi on Tuesday. "Our compete level needs to be a lot higher than it was against Boston."
In addition to that, the Canadiens also have to avoid getting too high on themselves when they're enjoying some success. That can sometimes lead to bad habits, added Byron.
"I think every time we get a couple of games winning streaks, we start to get comfortable a little bit, and I think we forget what gives us success. We start playing a bit more of a skill game. That's not our identity," explained the Habs' No. 41. "We're a team that attacks, we compete, we hound pucks, and we make life really difficult for the other team. That's what we have to do to have success."

For his part, Tomas Tatar appreciated working up a serious sweat at the University of Denver. Like the rest of his teammates, the loss to Boston left an extremely bitter taste in his mouth.
"I think we needed it. We didn't play hard enough, and I think everybody felt the same way," mentioned Tatar. "I think our fans deserve better. We're sorry, but it's our fault. We have to be better. That's why we worked hard and we have to bounce back."
There was one other line change of note on Tuesday, with Andrew Shaw being paired with Artturi Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Mete returns from Laval
After being recalled from the AHL's Laval Rocket on Monday night, Victor Mete joined the big club on their trip to Colorado.
The 20-year-old defenseman believes his stay with Joel Bouchard's contingent was a productive one.
"I think I learned a lot in the three weeks I was there. I really worked on a lot in practice, closing on guys and kind of stick-on-puck. I've been keeping track during the games, too," said Mete, who suited up for seven contests with the Rocket, scoring one goal, collecting four points and posting a plus-2 differential. "They've been telling me that my numbers have been going up, so that's a positive."

Mete believes lessons learned with the Rocket will easily translate to his NHL game going forward.
"A lot of the practices there were a lot of battling drills [like they were on Tuesday in Denver], and that's what they kind of wanted me to work on, battles in-tight and in the defensive zone. That's pretty much 90 percent of the practices, battles down low," explained Mete, who was partnered with Jeff Petry on Tuesday. "It helped me a lot, and I think I can add it to my game now."

And, it didn't take Mete long to become a fan of Bouchard's methods.
"He's a great coach," praised the young blueliner. "He just wants you to work hard. If you work hard and give it your all, he's happy."
It remains to be seen if Mete will play on Wednesday night at the Pepsi Center as Julien wasn't prepared to confirm his lineup for the matchup against Colorado just yet.
If Mete does get the nod, though, it would mark his first game with the Canadiens since November 27.
Getting the power play back on track
The Canadiens have gone eight straight games without lighting the lamp while up a man.
The work to remedy the situation continued on Tuesday.
Admittedly, Tatar isn't at all pleased with the Habs' results in this department.
"It's a little frustrating with all the talent we have," said Tatar. "We have to be better, and I think the main focus is we have to outwork the penalty kill. I think that's what we're not doing right now. We're not working hard enough there, and we have to battle for each other."
What's next?
The Canadiens will hold a morning skate at the Pepsi Center on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. ET (10:30 a.m. MT).
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. MT).
Following the contest, the Habs will fly to Arizona where they'll battle the Coyotes on Thursday.