Bruins 2 – Canadian 1 (P) | Patience and maturity

Did the Bruins and the Canadiens have a good match? Hard to say. When the shots on target counter stops at 24-19 and good chances to score are so rare, especially in the Montreal camp, we know that we have not witnessed a duel of titans.

Did the Canadian, nevertheless, play a good match, despite a 2-1 defeat in overtime? The answer is definitely yes.

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Maybe not offensively. The specialist site Natural Stat Trick calculates that the home side only had four high-quality scoring chances at five-on-five, including three in the first half. And the power play continued to be ordinary. Nobody said it was perfect.

On the defensive side, however, the Habs probably offered one of their most inspired performances of the season.

After the morning warm-up, Martin St-Louis issued a warning. The Bruins, he warned, “is not a team that is going to shoot itself in the foot.”

“You have to be patient, you have to play their game. If you start their attack, it’s going to be difficult,” he added.

Again, nothing is perfect. The first 10 minutes even looked like the genesis of a catastrophe. Midway through the first half, the visitors led 7-1 in shots on goal, and the men in red’s only shot on target was actually a clearance.

Everyone, however, breathed through their noses. “We started to play better,” analyzed goalkeeper Samuel Montembeault. Secondly, we weren’t afraid to knock pucks away, to send them to the neutral zone instead of forcing plays in our zone. When they are away, they cannot score. »

During this second period, CH only allowed five shots on target, less than half of its average before this match (11.3).

David Savard felt that he and his teammates had fought a “good battle” against “a strong, well-established team, which has been playing together for a long time”.

In this context, as their coach announced, they had to be patient. And that’s what the Canadian did.

Montembeault, again: “No one tried to force the game. Both teams trusted the way they played. »

“We managed the match”

The record of the team that deserved better is starting to wear out for the Habs. When a team, in its last 14 games, has a record of 3-7-4, sometimes you have to force yourself to see the glass half full. There can be a fine line between optimism and triumphalism.

Last week, against the Carolina Hurricanes, we were pleased to fill the gap separating CH from the best clubs in the league. This after having suffered complete domination in the third period.

After the game against the Bruins, however, the findings were certainly positive, but lucid, measured. We had sober enthusiasm, in light of the performance we had just given. If it had ended in victory, it would have been deserved.

We repeat almost daily how young this team is. Simply because it’s a fact, even more so since the departures of Sean Monahan and Jake Allen. This type of “mature” match therefore has a very particular value. Especially when it happens against a league power and not against the Anaheim Ducks.

“We talked about it all year,” added Kaiden Guhle. The worst thing you can do is find yourself 0-2, chase the game and try to make plays that aren’t the right ones. If we play the right way, the chances will come, and the goals too. This is huge for our group. »

The same Guhle potentially erred on the side of enthusiasm when he added that his team still believed in its chances of sneaking into the playoffs. The 11 points behind the current qualified team, with one match less to play and five teams to overtake, make this objective virtually impossible to achieve.

There was curiously a lot of naivety in this remark. A lot of youth, one might add.

However, no one will take offense. Because if maturity could settle on the ice for good, that would already be a big step forward.

Rising: Joel Armia

All he lacked was points. Seven shot attempts, three of which were on target. Three hits. He was in all the fights, both at equal strength and shorthanded.

Down: Rafael Harvey-Pinard

His chemistry level with Colin White and Tanner Pearson, on the fourth line, was zero. His shorthanded play redeemed a difficult evening at five on five.

In details

A mark that leaves Slafkovsky frozen

By obtaining an assist on the Canadian’s only goal Thursday night, that of Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky brought his total points this season to 35, while getting closer to a team mark, that of the best season, in chapter of points, for a player 19 years of age or younger. The great Slovak is only four points away from this team record (39 points), established by Mario Tremblay during the 1974-1975 season. But for Slafkovsky, it’s a mark he doesn’t attach much importance to, especially not after a loss like this, by just one goal. “Statistics are one thing, but I would like to win matches like these at the end of the day,” he explained in the Montreal locker room. What we’re trying to do is about victories, not about personal statistics, or where I stand in the history of the club with my points in a certain category. I just want to help the team win games. »

Armia on fire

Joel Armia did not end the match with points on his record, like almost the entire team, but once again, the Finnish striker offered a solid performance, including some inspired play on the disadvantage. digital. Armia was just as inspired on offense, often leading the charge and finishing his evening at the office with three shots on goal, a record in this regard Thursday night among Canadiens players. “I think I played well, and also, our line had several good chances to score against the Bruins,” explained the veteran. It could have made the difference during the match, but we didn’t manage to score, so this end is a little frustrating. »

A profitable strategy for the Bruins

Coach Jim Montgomery surprised the hockey world a little, and maybe even more, by sending John Beecher onto the ice for the start of overtime. You should know that this young 22-year-old forward had just been recalled from the American League, and that he started this game on the Bruins’ fourth line. But Montgomery saw something no one had seen, obviously, and the Bruins and Jake DeBrusk scored the game-winning goal 24 seconds later. “John was our best player on faceoffs [jeudi soir], made a point of pointing out the Bruins coach. You want to try to start overtime with possession of the puck. But even though he lost the faceoff, he was good at applying pressure and then he made a good change, which allowed us to send Brad Marchand on the ice. »