The Montreal Canadiens engaged in a matinee battle towards the Buffalo Sabres at the side of Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the US. The guests have been seeking to halt a six-game slide and within the course of earn their first victory in November. Mission achieved, albeit in gonzo vogue, with a 7-5 closing. A recreation that was at all times hanging within the steadiness due to glorious play and a few dangerous play. Listed below are three takeaways.
Canadiens’ Stars Are Their Stars
Each sports activities fan – hockey disciple or in any other case – has heard this expression: “Their stars have to be their stars tonight!” It seems like a platitude, a dumbfoundingly apparent assertion. However in some cases, it most actually applies, and Monday afternoon was one such event.
On the TSN telecast across the begin of the sport, a graphic was proven which displayed that Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky, the three nice hopes of the 2024-25 season, had gone pointless in 4 video games or extra. Proper on cue, all of them performed main roles versus the Sabres.
Caufield was again to his scoring methods. Furthermore, he netted twice on the facility play from his regular workplace, near the goalie’s proper. The primary was a tipped shot from Lane Hutson within the second interval, and the second was the game-winner, additionally on the person benefit. He now has 12 markers for the marketing campaign.
Suzuki’s brace got here with sensible timing. Down 3-2 with lower than a minute remaining within the center body, an odd-man rush allowed Slafkovsky to feed his captain, who despatched a low, highly effective wrister previous an outstretched Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. Then, 22 seconds later, Slafkovsky’s sensible forechecking in Buffalo’s zone fed Suzuki for one more purpose in shut and a 4-3 benefit on the scoreboard.
To not be missed, Emil Heineman earned his third of the season within the closing interval, and Josh Anderson opened the scoring due to a stunning breakaway go from Christian Dvorak. However what most individuals will keep in mind from this match are two targets for Caufield, one other two targets and an help for Suzuki, and a trio of helpers for the tall Slovak.
What else is there to say? Montreal’s stars have been their stars.
Cayden Primeau Can not Be Trusted
A number of weeks in the past, we devoted an article to Montreal’s backup netminder, Cayden Primeau. It argued that if the Canadiens wish to attain a modicum of success and consistency, he’d need to play effectively, or at the least higher than regular. In any case, Samuel Montembeault can’t get the nod each time. Even then, the Québecois goalie hasn’t been as much as par this season. Primeau, due to this fact, wants to assist steal some matches.
That didn’t occur on Monday afternoon versus the Sabres. By the point he obtained the hook a couple of minutes into the third interval, he had coughed up a quintet of targets on 14 photographs heading in the right direction. That’s an abysmal save share (SV%) of .643. As soon as once more, head coach Martin St. Louis needed to name upon Montembeault’s companies for assist.
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Earlier than Monday’s recreation, by six video games (4 begins), his general save share was .861 and his goals-against common (GAA) was 4.38. With all due respect (we don’t purpose to disparage his character or reduce how difficult it’s to be an NHL goalie), these are atrocious figures. Final season, he partook in 23 matches and accomplished the marketing campaign with an 8-9 tally, a 2.99 GAA and a .910 SV%. These weren’t dangerous in any respect.
However this season has been a totally totally different story. True sufficient, Montreal’s defence has put in appalling performances at occasions, awarding the opposition a plethora of high quality scoring probabilities. In different phrases, the Habs’ netminders have needed to be on their toes like by no means earlier than. Merely put, Primeau has not been on his toes. His degree of play is unacceptable. The criticism goes past the variety of targets he concedes (though that’s a powerful foundation for judging a keeper). The roster is younger and nonetheless working to seek out confidence. Giving up 5 targets in lower than 45 minutes just isn’t serving to accomplish that.
Connor Hughes and Jakub Dobes have put up good statistics with the Laval Rocket within the American Hockey League (AHL) this season. Simply saying.
Canadiens Bounce Again From Errors
Successful is enjoyable. Successful after a string of defeats certainly brings with it a particular sweetness. For these causes, the Canadiens should take pleasure in the remainder of this vacation Monday. It was a panoramic contest, in any case.
By the identical token, the secret this season is discovering methods to enhance the membership from contest to contest. Two factors really feel good, however there have been loads of the explanation why Montreal possibly wasn’t absolutely deserving. It took the Sabres 28 seconds to equalize after Montreal scored the opening tally. Buffalo then responded to Caufield’s first purpose within the second interval by levelling 19 seconds later. Heading into the ultimate body, the Canadiens led 4-3. By the three:51 mark of the interval, it was 5-4 within the Sabres’ favour.
Even victories have classes for gamers and groups. A win doesn’t imply a membership performed completely. This was about as far faraway from an ideal recreation as one can think about regardless of popping out on prime. Montreal’s psychological fragility in huge moments was on full show for all to see. Effectively, anybody who had Monday off from work. Momentum is a fickle factor in group sports activities, however the Habs generally take that idea to staggering new heights (or lows).
On the flip facet, it could possibly simply as simply be argued that at any time when the Sabres punched again, the Canadiens settled down. Contemplate that they solely allowed 18 photographs on purpose. Buffalo by no means discovered a constant groove both, and at the least a few of that needed to do with stingy play from the Montreal blueliners. It sounds wild in a recreation that ended 7-5, however that’s the way in which the cookie crumbles.
The group’s four-game highway swing concludes on Thursday night in Minnesota towards the Wild. The Wild aren’t solely having a fantastic season up to now however will likely be significantly offended after someway shedding to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday. Wins have come occasionally for the Canadiens this season, so will probably be fascinating to see how they reply on Thursday. If they will pull off an upset, they return residence to face a really beatable Columbus Blue Jackets squad on Saturday. However have a look at us now, getting forward of ourselves. One recreation at a time, lads.
