The Canadian can say that he stood up to the best team in the NHL for 45 minutes and that he was less messy in the second period than usual. But it will take more to hope to defeat the best team in the NHL.
• Read also: Rangers too strong, CH now 28th
The Rangers inflicted a third loss in a row on the Habs.
Photo Getty Images via AFP
This time, it was the Habs’ numerical inferiority that was lacking in this 5-2 loss, suffered on the ice at Madison Square Garden. This unit, so effective, during the month of March, experienced a second difficult evening in three games.
The locals took advantage of two of their three opportunities to transform a 0-1 deficit into a 2-1 lead. It must be said that there were big names on the Rangers’ massive attack. Chris Kreider (17) and Mika Zibanejad (12) are two of four Blueshirts players to score at least 10 goals with the man advantage this season.
Moreover, the New York team is the only one on the Bettman circuit to bet on such a quartet.
Out of gas
It was a second match in 24 hours for Martin St-Louis’ men, and a third in four evenings. Against three opponents known for having a diversified attack.
By being attacked in waves, the Montrealers ended up running out of legs. Especially after Artemi Panarin gave the locals a two-goal lead in the first portion of the third period.
The resilience that kept the Habs in the game until then took the edge.
Once again, the absences of Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj were felt. Jayden Struble, over 20 minutes, and Justin Barron, over 18 minutes, is way too much for the little experience they have.
And let’s say that Peter Laviolette took great pleasure in sending the trio of Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafrenière against Jordan Harris and Johnathan Kovacevic as soon as he had the chance.
Primeau gets up
There was this goal from Alex Newhook which brought hope for two, three minutes in the blue-white-red camp. Let’s say that it was more the result of a cramp in the brain of the Rangers’ defense, they having bottled up the Canadian in their zone.
Rather, it was Cayden Primeau who allowed his teammates to believe in a happy ending. Less than 24 hours after replacing Samuel Montembeault, he was the Canadian’s best player.
The young American faced a barrage of 45 shots. He reserved some important stops for Panarin. One in an escape, the other using a perfectly calculated lateral movement. Panarin finally won his case with a four-point evening (one goal, three assists).
Despite his ninth defeat of the season, Primeau recovered fairly well after the more hazardous outing he experienced against the Lightning.
When a goalkeeper is able to get back up after a bad evening, it’s a good sign.
Caufield again
Cole Caufield took advantage of this visit to Manhattan to score a goal in a fourth game in a row. He now has 24. A more than interesting streak for the club’s sniper, limited to just one goal in his 19 previous games.
However, at the risk of repetition, this trio has far too much impact on the team’s results.