(Montreal) Nature abhors a vacuum, and, frankly, is there emptier than three days in a row without a Canadian game in the middle of October?
This void is particularly felt when the last match before the said three days off ended in a bitter setback for CH and the captain and highest earner of the club, Nick Suzuki, is looking for himself. It was a bit of the theme of the day this Saturday at the Bell Centre.
It started after morning practice, when Martin St-Louis argued that the media are quicker to focus on “the negative, on what needs to be corrected.” This is where colleague Luc Gélinas intervened with words of wisdom like only he holds the secret.
“Is it worse when you don’t play?” “, he suggested in St. Louis.
Coach’s response: “I know. You have to hold on to something! »
This time, however, St-Louis will not have to worry about too negative comments about its team between now and the next game, since the Habs defeated the Capitals 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night.
The numerical advantage took only 27 seconds to generate a goal, while Nick Suzuki and his wingers Cole Caufield and Rafaël Harvey-Pinard buzzed in the opposing zone from their first presence. In short, from the outset, the famous negative aspects which had dominated the conversations took the edge.
PHOTO DAVID KIROUAC, USA TODAY SPORTS
Cole Caufield (22) and Hardy Haman Aktell (4)
“I was bad”
That said, the doubts expressed about the captain’s outfit were clearly justified. St-Louis himself indicated this week that Suzuki had to “be better”.
The Ontarian had only one assist in three games. Certainly a small sample, but it was also an identical record to that of his Capitals counterpart, Alexander Ovechkin, and he too did not escape questions about his performance on Friday.
“Sometimes you ask difficult questions,” St-Louis recalled Saturday. I don’t want to lie. I had conversations with him, he was the first to say that he needs to play better. »
Suzuki had just spoken to exactly that effect in the locker room. “I was pretty bad in the previous two games,” he admitted. I knew I had to be a better player for the team to be successful. […] Against Chicago, I was going around in circles without it leading to anything, and it continued against Minnesota. »
Were his failures overanalyzed during the break? “Everyone analyzes everything, and I do it myself. I knew I had to be better,” he insisted.
What he accomplished. He concluded the match with two assists, not exactly a coincidence at the end of an evening where the number 14 continually fed the 22. Caufield also finished the match with 12 shot attempts, including five on target. The puck was going to him.
“He’s our leader, I’m not worried about Nick,” assured the other hero of this match, goalkeeper Jake Allen. He’s the last guy in this locker room I’m worried about. Everyone will have a few games where they feel less like themselves, where they score less. He showed his calm this evening. »
PHOTO CHRISTINNE MUSCHI, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen (34) makes a save against Connor McMichael (24) of the Washington Capitals.
The idea will now be to find a certain consistency, an objective formulated by St-Louis. One thing is certain, the schedule will not be easy, the Canadian starting a series of five games in eight days. “Our next training is only Friday,” recalled the coach.
This pace, however, comes with the advantage of not leaving gaps to fill. This is true for those who cover them as well as those who analyze themselves a little too much.
Rising: Sean Monahan
He scored on the power play, did some work shorthanded and was dominant on faceoffs. Two well-deserved points for him.
Down: Michael Pezzetta
He experienced a first presence of thunder, making Darcy Kuemper’s post resonate. But the numerous penalties on both sides eliminated it from the match script.
Quote from the match
In four games, this is the third time we have found ourselves up by two goals in the third period. That, I like that.
Martin St-Louis, on the subject of the leads lost by the Canadian in the third period
In details
“Allen!” Allen! »
It had happened before, but it had been a while. The name of Jake Allen resonated in the stands of the Bell Center on Saturday evening, a well-deserved salute to the Habs goaltender who received the first star after a 30-save performance. He reserved his two best actions for Anthony Mantha, on a two-on-one in the first period, and for Nicklas Bäckström, who arrived in the second wave at the end of the second period. On this last sequence, Allen finished both pads in the air, like back when there were just 21 clubs. “The three-goalie situation is difficult, but Jake is a pro,” said Martin St-Louis. You know what to expect from him. He deserved this first star. » Allen mainly focused on the way his teammates protected him. ” After [la défaite] against the Minnesota Wild, it’s impressive how the group responded,” he said. And of fans chanting his name, he noted it was “the kind of thing you remember at the end of a career.”
Ovechkin gets out of hand
Much has been made of two consecutive games without Alexander Ovechkin being awarded a shot on goal, a first in his entire career. The Russian quickly made sure his drought didn’t stretch any further. From the seventh minute of the first period, on the power play, he received the puck at the face-off point to the right of the goalie, his favorite place to work. His shot wasn’t very powerful, but it hit the target. In the entire match, he had eight shot attempts, five of which were on target. However, strangely, it was through his passes that he was most threatening. In the first twenty, his overhand delivery was almost perfect for Anthony Mantha, who came up against Allen. Then, in the third, it was he who set the table for Ryan Strome’s first goal, which reduced the gap to 2-1. However, Ovechkin has still not found the back of the net after four games this season, settling for two assists. This is the second time in his career that he has had such a slow start, while in 2012-2013, he only broke the ice in his fifth outing.
Six players for one goal
From Jake Allen to Mike Matheson, behind the Habs goal. From Matheson to Brendan Gallagher, in front of the net. From Gallagher to David Savard, along the strip to his right. From Savard to Tanner Pearson, leaving the zone. From Pearson to Sean Monahan, via a long throw into opposing territory. Monahan carries the puck, breaks away from the opposing defender, puts the puck back toward the center as a scrum forms in front of the goal. Gallagher rushes at the loose puck and scores. The first goal of the season for little number 11 was the result of a collective effort that could be described as almost perfect. “I saw Pearson rush towards the net. Generally, good things happen when there are so many people there,” analyzed Sean Monahan. “It was vintage Gallagher, added Jake Allen. For years, this is how he has earned his salary. I’m happy for him that he scored his first goal of the season this way. The right way. »
Simon-Olivier Lorange, The Press