Montreal Canadiens: Habs Cannot Catch a Break as Their Slump Continues

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, this happens.

Max Pacioretty went arm-first into the end boards trying to make a play at the end of the second period during the Montreal Canadiens' 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers. He may have been rewarded with a serious wrist injury for his intensity.

Pacioretty didn't come out for the third period and, for the most part, it didn't really look like the rest of the team did either.

Perhaps they were frustrated by the Panthers' rookie goaltender, Jacob Markstrom, who, up to that point had saved 26 of the 27 shots that the Habs had put on net.

Though the Habs added another 14 shots in the third period, they were mostly from the perimeter and the team was unable to capitalize on the few rebounds that Markstrom gave up.

Running into a hot goalie is not a new story. The Canadiens firmly outplayed the Buffalo Sabres last week, but Ryan Miller was the difference-maker.

So, faced with a must-win situation before having to play the Philadelphia Flyers and the Boston Bruins (twice), the Habs not only lost to the Florida Panthers, they may have lost their only forward who was playing like the games meant something.

Lars Eller is trying to make things happen, but there is only so much he can do playing on a line with one legitimate scoring winger in Andrei Kostitsyn (sorry, Travis Moen.)

Tomas Plekanec, Michael Cammalleri and Brian Gionta do not look like the makeup of a top line in the NHL. They are not making things happen when the team needs them to.

Max Pacioretty, along with David Desharnais and Erik Cole, were playing very well. It was difficult to contain the two power forwards on the same line.

And then Pacioretty went into the boards.

If it wasn't for bad luck...

I'm still not convinced that the team is losing because of coach Jacques Martin. To be honest, I'm indifferent about the whole situation.

Obviously, if the team continues to lose (which looks like a likelihood over the next three games), the axe will have to fall. The majority of the Habs' fanbase is already calling for his head.

Fire him if you can find a suitable replacement. 

Blaming the losses on bad luck and injuries is not going to cut it for much longer.

I shudder to think about how the team will play without Patches--regardless of the coach.

This could be a very long season.

Jason is on Twitter: Follow @jhytel