OTTAWA | With the exception of the fate of Juraj Slafkovsky, the main issue at this camp for the Canadiens was on the blue line. We knew that there would be several young wolves in the fight for the last two or three positions.
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Halfway through this camp, after four games now, the construction of the CH defensive brigade remains an unfinished puzzle. But the pieces must constantly move in the offices of Jeff Gorton and Kent Hughes.
If Kaiden Guhle was the main story after a 4-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday at the Bell Centre, it was Justin Barron’s turn to take up the torch.
Happy with Matheson
Barron gained points in this other loss of the blue, white and red. Visiting the nation’s capital, the Canadiens squandered a two-goal lead late in the game, falling 5-4 in overtime to the Senators.
In his third preseason game, Barron scored a goal, had an assist and finished with a +3 record in 19 minutes and 46 seconds.
“I’m not happy with the ending, I don’t like losing, but I was happy to be on the scoresheet,” admitted the former Colorado Avalanche first-round pick. I raised my game offensively. I also feel good with Mike Matheson as my partner, he’s such a good defender. He skates like the wind. I am lucky to count on him. »
Martin St-Louis had good words for his young defender.
“I liked his game, he defended well and he was involved on the attack,” said the head coach. It will give him confidence. He knows he finds himself in a battle for a position. »
“Every player has his moments,” continued St-Louis. There is always a guy who stands out. They have to keep playing well to make our job difficult. This is a good problem for a team to have. Young people know there is a battle. »
Jake Evans scored twice for the visitors, but Shane Pinto and Alex DeBrincat also got braces for the winners.
DeBrincat, acquired from the Blackhawks this summer, showed once again that he was a born scorer. He scored the decisive goal in overtime.
What we noticed…
A FLUID SKATER
Mike Matheson has always had the reputation of a fast defender, capable of reviving the attack. The sample size remains small, but the Panthers and Penguins alum has looked like a worthy first-pair defenseman since the start of this camp. He still had a strong match with Justin Barron as his partner.
ROOKIE VS VETERAN
Owen Beck received another audition skating center from Jonathan Drouin and Mike Hoffman. The choice of 2e tower (33e in total) in the 2022 draft touched the post while redirecting a pass from Drouin. In the face-off circle, the center did not have the same touch. He won 7 of his 17 attempts (41%). Invited to the Camp des Sens, Derick Brassard, 35, dominated the youngster (5 in 6).
AT HOME
Claude Giroux wanted to continue his career with the Senators. Former Gatineau Olympiques, it’s like coming home for him. In his first preseason game at the Canadian Tire Centre, the Franco-Ontarian played on the right wing with Derick Brassard and Alex DeBrincat. Giroux had three assists, including two on goals from Shane Pinto.
BRAVERY
Ridly Greig, a first-round pick (28e) des Sens in 2020, earned points in this match for bravery. He blocked two powerful shots on the same sequence in the first and he started the same game again in the second, but this time blocking a single strike. Armia, Matheson and Barron probably gave him a few bruises.
+
baron
There’s Evans with two goals and Pitlick with a goal and an assist, but Justin Barron deserves the star as he’s fighting for a position, unlike the two veterans.
–
Hoffmann
Mike Hoffman was completely invisible against his former team He did not manage a single shot in the direction of the opposition net despite playing time of almost 18 minutes
First period
1-MON: Jake Evans (1) (Pitlick)16:54
2-MON: Jake Evans (2) (Matheson)19:01
Penalties: Jarventie (Ott) 2:18, Matheson (Mon) 2:47
Second period
3-OTT: Alex DeBrincat (1) (Brannstrom)7:41
4-MON: Rem Pitlick (1) (Ylonen, Barron)14:49
5-OTT: Shane Pinto (2) (Giroux, Sanderson)AN-15:54
Penalties: Jarventie (Ott) 12:48, Guhle (Mon) 15:48, Harvey-Pinard (Mon) 20:00
Third period
6-MON: Justin Barron (1) (Pezzetta)10:33
7-OTT: Mathieu Joseph (1) (Motte)10:53
8-OTT: Shane Pinto (3) (Brassard, Giroux)AN-14:40
Penalties: Matheson (Mon) 14:32, Reinhardt (Ott) 15:44, Pitlick (Mon) 19:06
Extension
9-OTT: Alex DeBrincat (2) (Giroux, Pinto)AN-0:59
Penalties: none
Shoot to the net
MONTREAL 8 – 6 – 2 – 0 – 16 OTTAWA 10 – 13 – 10 – 1 – 34
Guardians:
MON: Cayden Primeau (P, 0-2-1) OTT: Mads Sogaard (G, 2-0-0) and Antoine Bibeau (3rd period)
Numerical advantages:
MON: 0 in 3, OTT: 3 in 5
Referees:
Eric Furlatt, Justin Kea
Linesmen:
Steve Barton, David Brisebois
ASSISTANCE:
15,878
“I really like playing with Mike (Matheson)” – Justin Barron
Justin Barron didn’t have a broad smile on his face. Quite realistically, he knew he had just played a good game against the Senators, but he was not digesting the loss well and he was keeping a long-term view.
In uniform for three preseason games, Barron has now secured two meetings with Mike Matheson as his blueline partner. Martin St-Louis has therefore placed him in winning situations.
“I really like playing with Mike,” Barron said. I am now getting to know him a little better. I have remained calm since the beginning of the camp, I feel that I now have enough experience to know what to expect. »
“But I can take advantage of Mike’s advice, he doesn’t hesitate to talk to me on the players’ bench. He played a ton of games in the NHL. So when he recommends a game or gives me a little correction, I listen to him,” Barron added.
The latter had played his other preparatory match with the Finn Otto Leskinen.
It was against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, in a game that didn’t go down in history. A loss of 3 to 0.
Few right-handers
In this battle of young defenders, Barron has an important card up his sleeve.
He is the only right-handed defender. Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Corey Schueneman, Arber Xhekaj, Mattias Norlinder and Leskinen are all southpaws.
If Barron spent time with Matheson at this camp, St-Louis also reunited Guhle with David Savard. We could see two potential duos for the start of the season. A marriage between youth and experience.
“We don’t have a lot of right-handers,” insisted St-Louis, describing the duo of Matheson and Savard. I want to use it in good conditions. With Matheson, he has a good partner. It was a good sample for Barron, that game against the Senators. »
Evans twice
Like his head trainer, Jake Evans was also in love with Barron.
“Justin is a good defender, he had quite a shot on his goal in the third period, underlined number 71. He played a very good game. You could see that he had confidence in himself. »
If there’s no question about his place in the formation, Evans sent a little message to the team by knowing a good exit in the center of Rem Pitlick and Joel Armia. He scored two goals.
The CH will have several centers during the returns of Nick Suzuki and Sean Monahan. On paper, Suzuki, Kirby Dach, Christian Dvorak are the top three. St-Louis will have to choose between Monahan and Evans for the fourth chair.
“I know I can play in this position, but I have to be better than other candidates,” Evans said. I know it’s still early. But I still have to improve. I will play where the team wants me. I have played on the wing in the past. »