(Montreal) In this league, everyone talks about controlling what can be controlled, but it’s not that easy.
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Take the case of Jake Allen, exchanged at least once a week on social networks since October.
The Canadiens goaltender must play with the confidence of someone who is imperturbable, but recently, with these rumors growing, it must be quite difficult to do that. Which can lead to more difficult evenings, like Saturday at the Bell Center, where the Washington Capitals collected a 4-3 victory.
Is it entirely the goalkeeper’s fault? Of course not. But from the first goal of the visit, on a shot from Anthony Mantha which falls into the category of those that a goalkeeper would like to see again, Allen seemed hesitant, lacking in confidence, nervous on the slightest shot, to the point of give lots of feedback.
PHOTO ERIC BOLTE, USA TODAY SPORTS
Anthony Mantha scores a goal against Jake Allen.
It’s the nature of the game, I’ve been in this league long enough to know that sometimes there are long moments where you can see the puck very well. But there are also times when it’s complete chaos in front of you… You have to know how to navigate that.
Jake Allen
Allen continues to say that rumors don’t bother him, but at the same time, these rumors manage to sneak up on him regardless.
“It’s something that bothers my parents more… I know it’s part of the game. It started in November or October, and it’s going to get even more intense as the trade deadline (8 March) will approach.
“But I have no control over that. These are rumors, and most people who speculate do so for the sake of speculation. Someone told me the other day that I was being traded to Colorado, and my phone almost blew up from so many messages…”
In the meantime, performances like that of Saturday evening will not help Kent Hughes if he ever wishes to take action between now and the date we know.
Since the start of the new year, Jake Allen has only one victory in six games, and we don’t feel the club has full confidence when it’s him who is automatically, although the Canadian was one only goal to be able to move on to overtime on Saturday evening.
Martin St-Louis must ensure that everyone can stay focused despite the rumors.
“We always talk about controlling what we can control,” replied the Montreal pilot. There are more stressful times sometimes. But we have to focus on the day ahead of us. The other things that might happen, there’s no point worrying about that. That’s the future. You have to focus on the present. »
PHOTO GRAHAM HUGHES, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Aliaksei Protas scored in the third period.
With all this and casually, the Canadian looks more and more like the Canadian of last season, the one who concluded the season at 28e rank in the general classification. Saturday evening, the club occupied the 26e rank of this same classification.
We can clearly see some signs of progress, including the possible emergence of a real first trio — Nick Suzuki achieved his 20e goal of the season on Saturday evening – the club’s results, for now, remain more or less the same.
It remains to be seen if the players will still be the same after March 8, and then between now and then, maybe Jake Allen had better put his cell phone on mute.
Rising
Arber Xhekaj
PHOTO ERIC BOLTE, USA TODAY SPORTS VIA REUTERS CON
Arber Xhekaj
A good game overall and also a goal, his second of the season, clocked at 102.2 miles per hour according to Sportsnet.
Falling
Jake Allen
A very bad goal to start the evening, and then, far too many bad rebounds.
The number
10
Nick Suzuki scored, making it his tenth straight game with at least one point.
In details
A pride and a disappointment for Xhekaj
Arber Xhekaj received an unexpected call before the match. It was his father, Jack. On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia, and his father, a refugee from Kosovo, wanted to remind his son of the importance of the date. “Usually he doesn’t call me before a match, he’s always working, but this is the first time he’s done that this weekend,” Xhekaj revealed after the match. He said: mark for me and for Kosovo’s independence day. » The game was only 5 min 4 s old when he granted his father’s wish, with a powerful slap shot, made possible by a puck won by Alex Newhook in defensive territory. That said, the colossus defender blamed himself after the match. On the Capitals’ third goal, he was caught by veteran Max Pacioretty, who lost him before joining Sonny Milano in front of the net. “I just wanted not to be deported towards the gang, but my arm got stuck behind him. This is what happens when I’m too aggressive,” lamented Xhekaj. He therefore ended the evening with a neutral result, which nevertheless represents an improvement after evenings where he was in the negative.
One point and missed chances
Juraj Slafkovsky’s streak continues. With an assist on Nick Suzuki’s goal, he extended his streak of games with at least one point to eight (6-6-12). Except that the big winger, generally smiling and relaxed in front of the media, appeared with a serious look that we rarely see. In fact, it’s as if he didn’t have time to lose his temper after a frustrating end to the match. At the sound of the final siren, he indeed slammed his stick with all his might on the band; seconds earlier, he had missed a shot into a seemingly empty net, but the puck was blocked. “ [Dans la dernière minute], he had three very good shots, he hit the target all three times, recalled Martin St-Louis. On one of the shots, it passed near the goalie’s shoulder and blocker. On the third, John Carlson blocked it. I know the net looks deserted, but it’s not empty if there are people out front. But I’m not surprised he was emotional after the game. He is hungry and wants to make a difference. » Slafkovsky finished the evening with 12 shot attempts; clearly, the youngster hesitating to shoot is a thing of the past.
Minutes for Edmundson
Joel Edmundson was back at the Bell Center for the first time since he was traded to the Capitals. The Canadian highlighted his appearance after an advertising break by presenting it on the giant screen, which earned him applause from the spectators, but to quote a lout on the catwalk, the record ovation reserved for Maurice Richard at the Forum did not was not threatened. Normal for a defender certainly appreciated by his teammates, but unspectacular and too often injured in recent years. Edmundson is forced into a more limited role in Washington this season, but on Saturday he must have felt like he did during his famous 2021 season, in which he, Shea Weber, Jeff Petry and Ben Chiarot formed the trusted quartet on defense. Martin Fehervary left the match after just three minutes, suffering from a leg injury. The Capitals therefore finished the game with five defensemen, and Edmundson spent nearly 22 minutes on the ice, his second total of the season.
Guillaume Lefrançois, The Press