We can’t blame the Canadiens players for giving up. Three times on Saturday evening, they came from behind. In fact, they even came close to achieving it a fourth time.
Juraj Slafkovsky knocked on the door three times instead of once with a few seconds left in the third period. On the last occasion, with a net gaping in front of him, the Slovakian saw John Carlson intervene in extremis.
The 19-year-old was so angry that at the sound of the siren, he took out his frustration on the ramp. He was fuming again back in the locker room.
“I’m not surprised he’s angry. He’s a hungry player who wants to make a difference,” said Martin St-Louis.
As much as we can praise the Habs’ resilience, they only have themselves to blame for spending the evening playing catch-up hockey.
The defense of the enclave, which is sorely lacking these days, has once again sunk the Habs. Both Anthony Mantha, Sonny Milano and Aliaksei Protas ignored tight coverage to beat Jake Allen.
Three goals out of four. To think that just last week, St-Louis had stipulated that its players had to be more alert in this place.
“When the puck is up and you’re not far from the net, you have to take care of an opponent. You must not be hypnotized by the puck,” insisted St-Louis.
Evans as a spectator
We have to believe that video sessions will be required.
In one of the sequences, we will certainly see Jake Evans playing the role of spectator while Protas jumps on a throw return. Speaking of Evans, his unit with Tanner Pearson and Josh Anderson has been completely invisible.
They spent most of their time in defensive territory. On one of the rare occasions they managed to reach the neutral zone, Anderson committed an offside befitting an Abercorn Comets player.
Or St-Eusèbe leisure activities, as Rodger Brulotte would say.
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Slafkovsky confident
Slafkovksy was unable to tie the game, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He fired seven shots on net. To think that not so long ago, he was criticized for not trusting himself enough.
Moreover, he and his linemates totaled 17 of the Habs’ 31 shots. Nick Suzuki took the opportunity to reach the 20-goal mark for the third season in a row. He and Slafkovsky continued their streak of games with at least one point. Ten for the captain and eight for the youngster.
At least this combination wasn’t the only one to hit the target. Alex Newhook’s trio was on the playing surface for two of the home side’s three goals. On the second, we can only salute the work of Joel Armia who opened the game thanks to an effective forecheck.
The big guy had a good one.