CALGARY | A week ago, Martin St-Louis insisted that Jake Allen was still his club’s number 1 goalkeeper. After a few tough outings, Allen gave his trainer some solid arguments.
• Read also: Emotional return to Calgary: ‘Just thank you’ – Sean Monahan
Thursday night, at the Saddledome in Calgary, the New Brunswicker stopped 45 of 46 Flames shots to allow the Habs to maintain their narrow 2-1 lead until the sound of the last siren.
It was Allen’s best performance since the start of the campaign. Along the way, he frustrated Blake Coleman on a breakaway, rose in quick succession past Mikael Backlund and Andrew Mangiapane and withstood a three-on-one.
“Lately, I had a few games that weren’t up to my expectations. During the last duel, even if we lost, I thought things were going better. I wanted to build on it and, tonight [jeudi]I felt good,” said Allen, for whom it was the seventh win this season.
Monahan’s evening
If Allen has found his bearings, Sean Monahan, for his part, has found his old supporters. Back in Calgary for the first time since the trade that brought him to Montreal in August, the 28-year-old forward had a blast with two assists.
Moreover, those who encouraged him during the first 656 regular games in the NHL rose to give him a nice ovation at the end of the short tribute video presented on the scoreboard. Monahan did not fail to greet them.
At that time, he had already contributed to the Canadian’s good start to the game. Sent into the fray from the start, Monahan was behind Juraj Slafkovsky’s net from the 13e second by forcing goalkeeper Jacob Markstrom into a bad outing.
“I don’t think I’ve ever scored a goal or got a point in my first appearance on the ice before. There was no better way to start the game,” Slafkovsky said.
A protective boot
Moreover, one can wonder if the reunion did not come close to falling into the water. Monahan showed up at the Saddledome with his right foot encased in a therapy boot.
Earlier in the day, he had left morning training several minutes before his teammates. A sequence of events that followed his withdrawal from Wednesday’s session in favor of a day of treatments.
“There was no question of me missing a game. It was a special night, I will remember it for a long time, Monahan said. I want to thank the fans. I came to Calgary as an 18 year old young man. Calgary has a special place in my heart and always will. »
Caufield in good company
Cole Caufield, who was competing in the 100e match of his career, scored the winning goal while Mangiapane was in jail.
According to the TSN network, Caufield became the fifth player in CH history, since the 1929-1930 season, to move the ropes at least 40 times in his first 100 games.
Maurice Richard (80), Jean Béliveau (48), Bernard Geoffrion (42) and Johnny Gagnon (40) are the others.
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Sean Monahan
Difficult to miss the jubilee of the day. For his return to Calgary, Sean Monahan participated in the Canadian’s two goals. He was sent into the fray for 19min45s. It’s his busiest night of the season in a game that didn’t require overtime.
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Jacob Markstrom
The Flames goalkeeper was, in a way, responsible for the Canadian’s two goals. On the first, he miscalculated his exit, giving Juraj Slafkovsky a gaping net. On the second, he was behind the punishment that his teammate Andrew Mangiapane received. Cole Caufield scored on the ensuing massive attack.
First period
1-Mon: Juraj Slafkovsky (4)(Monahan, Guhle)0:13
Penalties: Harris (Mon) 10:03
Second period
2-Cgy: Elias Lindholm (7)(Huberdeau, Ruzicka)19:31
Penalties: Mangiapane (Cgy) 0:57, Xhekaj (Mon) 10:23
Third period
3-Mon: Cole Caufield (13)(Suzuki, Monahan)AN-6:2
Penalties: Harris (Mon) 2:04, Mangiapane (Cgy) 5:58, Backlund (Cgy) 10:17, bench (Mon) (served by Slafkovsky) 12:31
Shoot to the net
Montreal 6 – 8 – 5 – 19 Calgary 12 – 13 – 20 – 45
Guardians:
Mon: Jake Allen (G, 7-8-0) Cgy: Jacob Markstrom (P, 8-6-2)
Numerical advantages:
Mon: 1 in 3, Cgy: 0 in 4
Referees:
TJ Luxmore, Tom Chmielewski
Linesmen:
James Tobias, Tyson Baker
ASSISTANCE:
18 106
Juraj Slafkovsky
★★★
What we noticed…
At lightning speed
By opening the brand from the 13e second, Juraj Slafkovsky scored the fastest goal for the Canadian, at the start of the match, since December 2, 2010. Brian Gionta had then scored after 11 seconds of play.
Gallagher out, Hoffman injured
Brendan Gallagher did not face the Flames. The Canadiens said the veteran was “evaluated for a lower body injury.” In addition, the Habs placed the name of forward Mike Hoffman on the injured list. Hit in the lower body, he has not seen action since the second period of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers on November 19.
Rare massive attack goal
Lamentable against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, the Canadian’s power play finally gave a sign of life. Cole Caufield’s goal was only the second scored by CH with the advantage of a man in the last five games (2 in 20).
Formation with seven defenders
To compensate for the absence of Gallagher, the CH recalled Rem Pitlick, from the Laval Rocket. Since the school club was playing for victory against the Comets in Utica on Wednesday, the 25-year-old Ontarian did not arrive early enough to put on his uniform. So it was Chris Wideman who took on the role of 12e attacker. However, the American resumed his role as a defender from the second period.
Huberdeau manifests
After having experienced a rather slow start to the season, Jonathan Huberdeau seems to be finding his bearings in his new adopted city. By being an accomplice to Elias Lindholm’s goal, the Quebecer collected at least one point in a third game in a row. This is his longest streak of the campaign.