Max Pacioretty wasn't merely good he was far and away the best player on the ice (not named Ryan Miller).

Desharnais - Kostitsyn - Pacioretty looks like a keeper line.

Raphael Diaz flashed some veteran skill & savvy on his first NHL goal.

Alexei Emelin dished out six hits including one on former Montreal Junior Luke Adam that a season ago might have resulted in Adam needing a stretcher instead of a band aid.

Travis Moen coming to the defense of Emelin after the rookie Russian was upended by Paul Gaustad.

Moen bouncing back up after getting decked in his fight with Cody McCormack and eventually dropping McCormack.

Hal Gill played his strongest game of the young season. His total ice time? 14:50. Keep the 36 year old at 15:00 or less.

Scott Gomez was 64% in the face off circle. Thomas Plekanic 61%.

The boos for Zdeno Chara as the 2nd intermission RDS highlight package on the scoreboard revealed that the gentle giant ("I never try to hurt anybody") captain of the Bruins had been tossed from Boston's loss to Carolina.

The long, loud pre - game ovation for Anthony Calvillo.

Ryan Miller.

THE BAD

Gomez not coming back hard enough on Buffalo's first goal - scored off a rebound by defenseman Jordan Leopold.

Desharnais losing a key face off in the dying seconds of the second period, resulting in the winning goal by Thomas Vanek. Andrei Kostitsyn not taking his man off the draw. And Carey Price going down too soon to allow Thomas Vanek to pick his spot.

PK Subban was -2. Now -5 on the season.

THE UGLY

Andreas Engqvist won one of six face offs (17%) while playing under 5:30

You're telling me the Canadiens can't do better? Even Tom Pyatt would be an improvement.

For the second time in three losses with Carey Price on the bench for a 6th attacker Josh Gorges was on the ice. Who's bright idea is this?

Consensus Clint says if there's really such a thing as a "good loss" the Habs suffered one in game 5 of the season. But those lost points in the standings won't be coming back in late March.