The Canadian has become a real goal-scoring machine. Tonight, at the Bell Centre, it was the Senators who paid the price for this unrecognizable attack.
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Led by two-point nights from Cole Caufield and Jake Evans, the Habs made short work of their opponents, toppling them 5-1.
While admittedly the Senators have had their share of troubles this season, it was the fifth time in nine games that Martin St. Louis’ squad scored four or more goals.
“Everything we do in training is linked to the matches. We work hard, we try to improve our offensive game every day and our creativity. It brings good things. That’s what we have to keep doing,” said Paul Byron, who scored his second goal of the season.
Once again Cole Caufield lifted the crowd with a perfect shot into the top corner. We repeat ourselves match after match, but the young man has never seemed so comfortable since wearing the colors of the Canadian.
He has now shaken the ropes in each of his last four games. Moreover, in each of these meetings, Caufield collected two points. Today, he was complicit in Brett Kulak’s third goal of the season.
Jake Allen, solid
Meanwhile, Jake Allen managed to repel the majority of the Senators’ attacks. We cannot say that the New Brunswicker has been in trouble very often. Nevertheless, of the 28 shots he received, some were not convenient.
In the second period, he had to shine in front of Tim Stützle and Adam Gaudette, who came alone in front of him following a soft pass from Jeff Petry, to allow his team to maintain their 3-1 lead.
“He was solid. He transposed his performance from the last game into tonight’s game. He made some big saves from the start. He kept us in the game,” said Josh Anderson, who was making a comeback.
Josh Norris, in numerical superiority, was the only one to deceive his vigilance. Allen was thus able to savor his fourth victory (only!) of the season at the Bell Centre.
♦ Joel Armia, by deflecting a shot from Corey Schueneman, was the other scorer for the Canadiens.
What we noticed…
HOFFMAN FOLDS DOWN
Martin St-Louis is such a passionate coach that he managed to sell the concept of defensive play to Mike Hoffman. The 32-year-old striker who has never been recognized for his valor on the playing surface has become aware of this important aspect of a game. Tonight, we saw him press the accelerator to make a defensive withdrawal. In the second period, he had the presence of mind to take the place of Corey Schueneman, who had compromised a little too much in front of the Senators players.
A LONG PRESENCE
Keeping attendances short is one of the messages most hammered home by coaches. But sometimes that’s easier said than done. Especially when the opponent is prowling your territory and you find yourself a hundred feet from your bench. At some point in the second half, Christian Dvorak’s trio, bottled up near Jake Allen, spent almost three minutes on the playing surface (three minutes flat for Artturi Lehkonen). Schueneman did not help his teammates’ cause by committing himself in a disallowed clearance.
DROUIN ON THE ATTACK
For his return to the game after two months of absence, Jonathan Drouin was used for 13 mins 57s. St-Louis had provided him with a place on the first massive attack unit, where his mandate was to position himself near the opposing goalkeeper, on the red goal line.
NEWS FROM THE INFIRMARY
In addition to doing so for Carey Price and Jonathan Drouin (page 72), the CH offered updates on the state of health of its injured. Poehling and Hammond will be out for another week or two. Same for Kale Clague. As for the cases of David Savard, Tyler Pitlick and Brendan Gallagher, injured in the lower body during the visit of the Stars, they are evaluated on a daily basis.