Blue Jackets 3 — Canadian 4 (P) | Martin St-Louis’ options

And to think that not even a week ago, the Canadians were sorry for the insistent criticisms of the numerical advantage.

Four games later, the five-man attack kept Montreal alive on Thursday, en route to a 4-3 overtime victory against the Columbus Blue Jackets. What a hectic life, all the same…

To get there, Martin St-Louis still had to scold his men after a difficult first period. They also had to erase two two-goal deficits. And we had to work overtime to finish it.

The Habs are definitely playing with fire. Finding yourself late night after night is not a sustainable formula, admitted the coach. Being resilient is all well and good, but “why [se mettre à l’épreuve] every match? “, he asked. Good question.

There is some good to be learned from this meeting. Samuel Montembeault, imperfect during the first 60 minutes, was imperial in overtime. And Mike Matheson, despite a few blunders, once again showed how much he is the glue of this often clumsy defense.

We will especially remember Nick Suzuki’s first goal of the season, scored at a very opportune moment. An important goal for him, of course, but also for his trio.

Six games and one period were necessary for the unit formed by the captain and Cole Caufield, with Josh Anderson or Rafaël Harvey-Pinard on the left wing, to finally score at five against five. It’s a bit long.

“It was probably our best match since we played together,” analyzed Harvey-Pinard, reunited with the other two after playing alongside Alex Newhook on Tuesday.

“We applied a good forecheck, we created plays and we managed to create scoring chances. There is still room for improvement, but we are happy with our match. »

It’s true that it went pretty well, especially in the third period. But it is also very true that this trio can do better. The version of this trio with Harvey-Pinard is certainly better than the one with Anderson. Net production is not necessarily more prolific, but the chances are greater.

To transform them into goals on a regular basis, it will still take “a lot of repetitions,” continued the Quebecer. “Creating chemistry doesn’t just take a period. »

Top 6

This timid production is not unique to the first trio. After Kirby Dach was injured early in the second game of the season, the six members of the first two combinations totaled three points at five-on-five: one each for Caufield, Suzuki and Anderson, and none for Harvey-Pinard, Newhook and Juraj Slafkovsky. This in 17 periods.

Day after day, at training camp, Martin St-Louis repeated that he had several “options” to complete the Suzuki-Caufield duo. This quest continues resolutely. We hope, at the CH, that the sauce will take hold for good with Harvey-Pinard. Otherwise, we will (again) have to look elsewhere.

Since the loss of Dach, we also have to look for options on the second line. His iteration with Josh Anderson often produces great things, but there too, the goals are not there. If the big winger only converted a fraction of his quality chances, the conversation would be different. He had two more escapes on Thursday. However, don’t look for his name in the summary, it’s not there.

The possibilities are not endless, unless you dismantle Sean Monahan’s unit, the only one on the club that is truly consistent and effective.

If not, is now the time to call on Joel Armia as reinforcement in an offensive role? The time is not so serious after all. It’s all well and good to have options, but they still need to be viable.

“It’s a matter of time before it works,” predicted Alex Newhook. We could have scored a few goals tonight. »

Martin St-Louis expressed the same optimism, believing that his first two lines were missing “a jump here and there”. The type of leap that “gives you a little confidence”. “If they play at that level, like second and third, I’m not worried,” he said. They will be tiring [affronter]. And it will come back. »

Newhook also delivered, without complaint, a sort of plea for stability. Because “we need our top 6 make a difference every night.”

Nick Suzuki also said he was “very aware” of the need to pick up the pace at five-on-five. “We have the elements to get there,” he pleaded.

Ironically, the key may well come from the five-man attack. At least that’s Cole Caufield’s theory, when asked about the effect of one phase of play on the other.

“When the numerical advantage works, it takes away stress, and we feel more comfortable” at five against five, he stressed.

And to think that not even a week ago, we consoled ourselves for the setbacks of the numerical advantage by relying on the successes at equal strength.

The circle could not be better completed. Until she wasn’t.

On the rise: Nick Suzuki

Finally a goal! His celebration spoke volumes about the relief this first success of the season gave him, in his seventh match.

Down: Justin Barron

He lost his place to the right of Mike Matheson in the third period. Facing the best opposing attackers represents a mission perhaps not impossible for him, but certainly arduous.

The number of the match: 32

With a fight accompanied by a punishment for roughness, which could very well have been one of instigation, here is Arber Xhekaj with 32 penalty minutes this season, second in the NHL.

In details

Montembeault “excellent”

With the three-way fight in front of the net at the start of the season, Samuel Montembeault had not kept goal since October 17. The Quebecer had a strong game, blocking 32 pucks in the victory. In the words of Martin St-Louis after the match: “He was excellent. Excellent. » Montembeault allowed two shorthanded goals, including one he would have “liked to see again”: Emil Bemström’s shot found its way under his right arm. He nevertheless saved his team short of a man at the start of overtime, making three splendid saves in quick succession on shots from Zach Werenski and Johnny Gaudreau. “I think tonight he played to the standards he set last year,” St-Louis said. It’s up to him to continue to maintain this consistency and continue to raise standards. »

Power play goals (!)

The season is short, but the Canadian’s numerical advantage has been faltering so far. Before Thursday’s game, the Habs ranked 17th in the NHL in this regard, with a success percentage of 16.7%. Against the Blue Jackets, he – well, many will sigh – had success, scoring twice rather than once. The Jackets were much more undisciplined than usual: they received 19 penalty minutes in this single duel, compared to 54 in their first six games. The CH moved the puck well on these occasions, allowing Mike Matheson to score with a wrist shot from the top of the slot at the end of the second period. Sean Monahan made it his turn in the third period, skillfully deflecting a pass from Cole Caufield.

“I had fun”

Quebecer Pascal Vincent has come to the Bell Center several times as an assistant coach. Thursday night, for the first time, he was there as head coach of the Blue Jackets. Although he would obviously have liked to leave Montreal with both points, the 52-year-old enjoyed the moment. “I had fun,” he summed up simply, even if he admitted having had “more or less” time to realize the moment. Vincent was happy with his team’s game, but highlighted their lack of opportunism. “The match was divided. […] The Canadian is a team that is very fast, and we have seen it. [Ses joueurs] created chances with speed. They are two relatively young teams, making mistakes system-wise and taking advantage. »