I'll tell you something that really, really, really surprised me: in the blowouts (score-wise, not necessarily play-wise), the Habs seemed to stop trying halfway through the third. It's somewhat easier to understand beer-leaguers taking it easy when they are down 3, 4 or 5 goals, or if they somehow feel that the refs are against them, but I have a harder time seeing pros affected by this.
As a fan, I obviously prefer to win (although the letdown of victory can be less stimulating than the agony of defeat). But win or lose, I would at least want my team to keep it up until the end.