It’s time for the season to end and we all saw it in the Canadiens’ 3-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
Fortunately, Samuel Montembeault saved the day with a masterful performance of 47 saves in a match where CH were downgraded 50-14 in penalties. This is not nothing and we understand why the head coach, Martin St-Louis, did not feel like talking too much in his post-game press briefing.
He also summarized the situation very well by saying that the only positive point in this meeting was Montembeault. Once again, I take my hat off to the Canadiens goalie. He stands out and he takes the opportunity to leave a good last impression before the holidays.
Besides, he should serve as an example to his teammates. It’s important to end the season on a high note, if only for the respect of the fans. Saturday’s game could have ended 6-0 or 7-0 and that’s not what the spectators at the Bell Center want to see.
However, I understand the situation. What often happens in endless, dead-end season ends is that players start cheating. Everyone plays for their personal goals, we think about our statistics in attack, we block fewer shots and we are less involved. Most of the time, it is the goalkeeper who pays the price. I’ve seen this many times.
A matter of pride
All in all, the season has been positive despite the numerous injuries. Expectations weren’t high and overall the players gave their best. People recognize it. We shouldn’t spoil that in the last five games by suffering a few thaws. So, guys, I ask you one last effort before the holidays. It is important.
As Martin St-Louis said, the evaluation of the players is not badly completed, but finishing on a good note is important. It’s a matter of pride and respect, but not all players think the same way.
Personally, I’ve always prided myself on finishing strong when we’ve had a tough season. I wanted to be in the net every game and I feel the same desire in Montembeault. He’s really gone elsewhere and if you remember at training camp, I criticized him precisely because I didn’t feel he really wanted the number one position.
He has really improved and he gives his team a chance to win every game. This is what we look for in a number one goalkeeper and he has reached the point where we will probably give him the chance to be at the top of the CH goalkeeper pyramid next season.
As for Jake Allen, he is having a difficult end to the season. I don’t feel hungry, but he has nothing to prove, unlike Montembeault. We can see, however, why he was never a real number one. Nothing to do with guys like Ed Belfour or Patrick Roy who wanted the net and got stoned every night. There, it looks like Allen agrees to be overtaken by Montembeault.
In short, in the last five games, I want to see more guys with an attitude like Montembeault’s. I want to see guys who play the right way and are still willing to sacrifice. I’m sure St-Louis and Kent Hughes will take note.
– Interview by Gilles Moffet
snippets
The Farrell File
I always like to see young people arrive from the junior or university ranks at the end of the season, but the presence of Sean Farrel in the lineup in Philadelphia has caused quite a stir. I think we should have prepared him better with a few practices before playing him, but we immediately threw him into the mouth of the wolf. We understand that it was more the idea of the general manager, Kent Hughes, but I liked the reaction of Martin St-Louis. He demonstrated that he was not a puppet without planting his boss.
Quebec goalies
So it’s refreshing to see a Quebec goalie succeed in his first NHL start. Friday, Devon Levi was spectacular in front of the Buffalo Sabers net in a win over the Rangers. At 6 feet, he’s not the tallest keeper, but he’s had success everywhere he’s gone. It just doesn’t occur to me that some NHL scouts are instructed not to look at goaltenders below 6’2″. It’s stupid. I know that few small goaltenders will succeed in the NHL of the 2020s, but there will always be exceptions and Juuse Saros, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy is the most beautiful example. The day after Levi’s victory, Samuel Montembeault shone brightly at the Bell Centre. It was like a weekend in the 1990s, when the Quebec goalies were dominating.
Frame Levi well
I don’t know what’s going on in Buffalo, but we let go of goalies like Linus Ullmark and Robin Lehner. I hope we’ll take good care of Devon Levi who is only 21 years old. Everything happens between the ages of 20 and 23 for a goalkeeper. When I arrived with the Canadian, I had the talent and the character to succeed, but it was Roland Melanson who really developed me. Without him, I would not have had the career that I have known. At least Levi said 41-year-old veteran Craig Anderson took him under his wing and that’s fine. Is Anderson ready for a career as a goalkeeper coach?