First of all, we must not neglect the mental aspect of the human being behind the hockey player. In the case of the Montreal Canadiens, the fact that they lost the Stanley Cup final late in the summer due to the pandemic is causing serious damage.
The players had little time off to rest, both physically and mentally. The mourning was not concluded when training camp opened, a facet that Marc Bergevin explained during his media tour last week. The guys weren't sharp from the start and Dominique Ducharme wasn't able to bring them back.
Ducharme is a bit of a shrink, but it's not his full-time job, so he can't totally handle that side of things, the mental side. The players have a duty to find a way to correct the situation, but as I mentioned at the beginning of the game, it's human nature to have that mental shock after such a tough loss.
So, starting tonight, the Habs should regain their mental toughness to turn the tide, right? Could we see more substance, confidence, concentration and bite?
