(PITTSBURGH) Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed. The maxim is well known, its origin is less clear. Was it really first written by Antoine Laurent de Lavoisier in 1789? Or was it rather the good Anaxagoras, 2300 years earlier, who had the scoop?
No matter: the theory will be put to the test on Saturday evening, during the Canadian’s visit to PPG Paints Arena.
The fact is that for the Penguins, as for the Canadian, we come back from emotional matches. The Habs hosted Patrick Roy in style on Thursday, in a playoff atmosphere, and ended up winning 4-3 thanks to a saving goal from Sean Monahan 2:12 from the end of the match.
Drops in emotion often threaten teams after such evenings, and it appears that the Habs will have to do it without the one who excels at bringing out feelings, often bellicose feelings: Brendan Gallagher, suspended five games for a blow to the head which the NHL deemed dangerous and unnecessary.
“Gally brings energy, he brings the world to the battle,” recalled the Canadian head coach, Martin St-Louis, after the morning exercise. It’s not something you replace with just one player. Collectively, we have to bring what we bring. »
For their part, the Penguins played Friday at home against the Florida Panthers, who tossed their heads all evening, with Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett feeling the hatred. Eleven penalties were awarded in this match, and it is reasonable to believe, if we rely on the documentary Slapshot, that the culprits felt shame. The Penguins also tied the game with 42 seconds left in the third period, before losing in a shootout.
“I don’t know if it’s a challenge, but it’s the job,” agreed St-Louis. There may be times when the job is easier, emotionally. I watch yesterday, there was a sequence between [Aleksander] Barkov and [Kris] Letang and it immediately brought emotions. And these are real emotions, you don’t try to create them, it happens with the situation. Sometimes you get help, but you also have to be able to go get her. »
“We play 82 matches. It won’t always be emotional games, added defender Mike Matheson. But you still have a job to do and it’s up to you to have this emotion. »
Homecoming
In fact, it is simplistic to talk about the risk of a day “without” emotion, because there was some emotion at the Habs’ morning training. For example, when Kristopher Letang came out of the Penguins locker room to come to his team’s bench, his former teammates Tanner Pearson and Mike Matheson came to greet him and chat. It felt like a certain joy.
“This is where my son was born, so there will always be a connection to Pittsburgh,” Matheson recalled, after the session.
Then, still at the start of the session, a few CH players sat at the blue line and had “a horizontal bars competition”, in the apt words of RDS colleague Patrick Friolet. When Cole Caufield shot straight at the rod on his first try, another emotion was created: wonder.
Jesse Ylönen must have felt happiness, even though he is usually good at hiding it. Gallagher’s suspension will allow him to return to the lineup after being sidelined for the last three games.
PHOTO MATT SLOCUM, ARCHIVES ASSOCIATED PRESS
Jesse Ylonen
Jordan Harris undoubtedly experienced the same emotion upon learning of his return, even if his purgatory lasted one game less.
Arber Xhekaj, for his part, may have felt disappointed since he will be left out. Is this linked to his two penalties from the last match, for which he was also repentant on Friday?
“We are healthy and it’s a competitive league,” replied St-Louis.
Xhekaj had already lost his place on the second power play unit on Thursday, to Kaiden Guhle. It was a first indication of the disappointment that awaited Xhekaj on this Saturday morning.