ANAHEIM – It’s just a letter.



That’s all it is, really, but hockey culture places so much importance on that letter, it can sometimes be a burden.



Just ask Max Pacioretty.



He would never say so, would never dream of it because it means so much to him, but the letter “C” sewn over his heart on his Canadiens jersey makes times like this so much more difficult.



Pacioretty is not playing well. He knows it, more than anyone else. Since scoring in the Canadiens opening game of the season in Buffalo on Oct. 5, Pacioretty has not had a point in six games. It is his longest pointless streak since he went 10 games without one from Jan. 3-23, 2010.



Pacioretty was 21 at the time, so it wasn’t a big deal. He’s not 21 anymore, and it is a big deal.



In a way, the fact he has gone all that time – he played 477 games between the end of that streak and the start of this one – without a pointless...