Canadian 7 — Devils 4 | Play for sticks

(Newark, New Jersey) Before analyzing the wild evening that ended with a 7-4 victory for the Canadiens over the Devils, let’s take a detour to Philadelphia.

Last week Keith Yandle’s fabulous 989 game streak came to an end. Not because Yandle was injured, but because his head coach simply decided to leave him out.

Many fans and observers were outraged by Mike Yeo’s decision. Everyone understands that the Flyers, dropped from the playoff race, must develop their young defensemen. But how to justify that Yandle was deprived of the chance to reach 1,000 games in a row, while Nick Seeler, a 28-year-old player labeled seventh defender, was part of the formation?

However, in his chronicle 32 Thoughts, colleague Elliotte Friedman recalled that support players like Seeler, who survive on one-year contracts, also attract sympathy. If they spend the last 15 games of the season in the stands, what will be their bargaining power when summer comes?

Chris Wideman is not the same type of defender as Seeler, but he is in the same thankless position as a 32-year-old on a one-year contract. He was left out even though he had just amassed 11 points in his last 13 games. He doesn’t have the physique of a Craig Ludwig, nor the defensive faculties of a Rod Langway, but in a squad with no real offensive defender due to the breakdown of Jeff Petry, he has his uses.

Thursday, Martin St-Louis therefore reinstated him in training, leaving aside Jordan Harris, who was watching it from the press bridge, possibly located in a different postal code than the rink.

St-Louis therefore left aside Harris, a defender who could be part of the future of CH, in favor of Wideman, a player who worked in the KHL last year.

“I try to manage the young people and the veterans, the locker room, explained St-Louis. When you make a decision, you have to know what affects you. It’s a balance. »

The good teammate

Wideman responded with a one-goal performance and two assists. He didn’t play a perfect game. Game reading errors, for example, allowed the Devils two breakaways.

But beyond the points, he showed his nose to defend his teammates and go after PK Subban, after Joel Armia had scored to give the Montrealers a 4-2 lead.

“I like the wolf pack mentality,” Wideman said. Our group is having fun, regardless of the position in the standings. We defend each other. »

What about fights, for a 180lb guy? “I don’t know if it’s fun, but it’s part of hockey. If Nick [Suzuki] and Cole [Caufield] are being brewed, they will be brewed until the end of the year. We must defend them. Teams need to know that if they come after our players, we’ll be there to defend them. »

“All year he’s been a good teammate,” said Jake Evans. Whether he plays or not, he keeps smiling, he makes jokes. Even in the last days, he remained the same teammate, positive for everyone. »

Wideman, on the other hand, has just had a season in the KHL, an option that is no longer really an option for North Americans, for obvious reasons.

“I’m so lucky and blessed to be here,” Wideman said. Last year, I was paying for my poles! As soon as you’re in training, it’s special. »

The two games in the stands were “a chance to recharge the batteries. I tried to do my job and help the team. »

Wideman certainly did, Thursday. That said, the return of Jeff Petry seems imminent, after the veteran had spent a good half hour on the ice Thursday morning. It will further complicate St. Louis’ decisions for the final 11 games of the season. It will be interesting to see how he manages to find the famous balance.

Up: Christian Dvorak

Three-point night for the man still in control of his emotions. He showed great speed on his goal, and got an assist by winning a face-off in the offensive zone.

Down: Jesse Ylönen

It was difficult for the CH fourth line in general, but Ylönen was particularly clumsy with the puck. He had been playing good hockey since his recall.

Match number: +4

That’s defender Damon Severson’s differential in this game, a feat in itself. The Devils therefore scored their 4 goals during his 20 minutes on the ice, and allowed the 7 goals during the other 40 minutes.

They said

In details

A comeback in defense

We had almost forgotten him, because he had been absent for a month, but Kale Clague is still a member of the Canadiens and he was back in training on Thursday. In the absence of Justin Barron (injured) and Jordan Harris (left out), Clague was therefore entitled to a chance to assert himself. He had better take advantage of it, because as Martin St-Louis pointed out before the game, the Habs have 10 defenders in their ranks right now. Clague started his evening with a turnover in his territory on his second appearance, which led to a dangerous incursion by Andreas Johnsson, and multiplied the kind of play that makes him a seventh, even eighth defender in a hierarchy. He finished his game with a goal (scored from a thin angle) and two assists, obtained on the two quick goals at the start of the third period. But for some reason, his three-pointer night doesn’t seem to have the same value as Chris Wideman’s.

Back to Earth

Andrew Hammond has been one of the Canadiens’ surprises this season, although his time in Montreal was as brief as Adélard Godbout’s first term as premier. The former glory of the Senators had, remember, won his three starts with the Habs. But his adventure with the Devils looks like a harsh reality check for a goaltender who had been stuck in the American League since 2018. His first start was a disaster; his team led 6-2 after 40 minutes, and lost 7-6 in extra time. And this time, against CH, it was not much better, even if he was the victim of heavy traffic in front of him on a few goals. Even his saves were tricky, including one against Christian Dvorak who shot from a thin angle, off the edge of the ramp. His night at work ended early in the third period. In two games with the Devils, he allowed 13 goals on 60 shots, for an efficiency of .783.

Bounce back in defeat

The hatching of Jesper Bratt is one of the positive points of this 2021-2022 season for the Devils. Thursday morning, the Swede admitted, however, that the last games had been difficult for him, and that he was not creating as many chances offensively as he would like. Against the Canadiens, he therefore ended a four-game pointless streak and finished the game with a goal and an assist, to bring his total to 67 in 66 games this season. He could have even scored a hat trick, but fell victim to Jake Allen’s two best plays: a pad save at the mouth of the net, and a skillful harpooning when Bratt came on the breakaway, all at the start. of second period. With Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer, the Devils are starting to form an interesting offensive core; in this sense, the outbreak of Bratt reinforces this core. If the lottery smiles on them, they can add another promising element to the draft.