When Juraj Slafkovsky beat Devon Levi to score the game-winning goal in the shootout, he received hugs from several of his teammates at center ice. Another handful of Canadiens players skated towards Cayden Primeau to celebrate.
The real star of this meeting wore a mask and leggings. Without Primeau, the CH would never have beaten the Buffalo Sabers 3 to 2 in a shootout on Saturday at KeyBank Arena.
Primeau redeemed his disappointing outing against the Florida Panthers, where he gave five goals from the glove side, with an exemplary performance against the Sabres. He blocked 46 of 48 shots from the stripe to Rasmus Dahlin. And while it won’t count in his stats, he made two other saves in the shootout against Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka.
In a first duel against another Northeastern University alumnus in Levi, Primeau showed that he had heart in his stomach and that he could get back up. He was brilliant from start to finish. In the first period, the 24-year-old American stopped 17 shots from the Sabers who were attacking from everywhere. He was quick in his movements and completely confident.
If we believed that the three-goalie menage was coming to an end, Primeau offered good arguments to Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton to continue this experiment.
Northeastern’s evening
The Northeastern Huskies alumni put on quite a show this Saturday evening in Buffalo.
Primeau, who played two years at Northeastern and won the NCAA goalie of the year title in 2019 (Mike Richter Trophy), signed his third victory of the season. He did it under the watchful eye of Levi, another former Huskies and another recipient of the Mike Richter Trophy (2022 and 2023).
The young goalkeeper from Dollard-des-Ormeaux also had a very strong match. In the third period, he scored a gem against Cole Caufield with a quick move to his left. Of his 29 saves, Levi made nine against Caufield.
The Habs’ number 22, however, hit the target in the shootout, scoring one of his team’s three goals. Jesse Ylönen and Slafkovsky had the other goals in the shootout, while Victor Olofsson and Owen Power scored for the Sabres.
It’s not just Northeastern’s former guards who have gotten attention. Jayden Struble, another alumnus of this university program, scored his first NHL goal. He achieved this in his ninth match.
Struble opened the scoring in this game by redirecting a pass from Johnathan Kovacevic in the second period. He was not afraid to attack and he was rewarded. Despite a costly turnover in the third period, which led to the Sabers’ first goal (Jeff Skinner), Struble had another very encouraging game.
For a 22-year-old rookie defender, Struble earns points thanks to his calmness, his poise in his territory and good exits from the territory. In the second period, the Habs’ 2019 second-round pick prevented Tage Thompson from escaping with a good retreat.
A fight and a decisive goal
On the right wing of the first line for a third game in a row, Slafkovsky once again passed his exam. Used for just over 18 minutes, he generated several scoring chances. In the third period, he missed a golden opportunity by hitting the post on the power play.
At the end of this sequence, the Slovakian engaged in a fight against Connor Clifton. He was in his first fight in the NHL, while Clifton, a former Bruins, was in 16e fight.
Slafkovsky possibly vented a bit of frustration during this waltz with Clifton. But he had regained his senses for the shootout. The fourth skater used by Martin St-Louis, he slipped the puck with his backhand into the net after a superb quick feint.
Slafkovsky was only having his second experience in a shootout. It was his first goal. A goal he will not forget. And which should once again give him confidence.
Hit by a one-handed shot from Peterka in the first period, Tanner Pearson only made six appearances against the Sabres.