Islanders 3 — Canadian 4 | Getting a bullet out of your foot

We have stopped counting the number of times the Canadian has been the architect of his own misfortune this season. Where, as his trainer often sums it up, he shot himself in the foot.

It happened again, Thursday evening, and not just a little. While the Habs did a good job of protecting a 3-1 lead, Brendan Gallagher put his teammates in trouble by receiving a major penalty, the result of a violent and gratuitous hit to the head of defender Adam Pelech . The Islanders took the opportunity to score twice and tie the score.

However, for a rare time, someone managed to remove the rifle bullet which had lodged in the foot of the CH. The surgeons’ names were Sean Monahan and Samuel Montembeault. Final score: 4-3 for the locals.

We will talk about the two heroes later. Because we haven’t heard the last of Gallagher’s absurd punishment. We might as well get back to it right away.

When Pelech had just crossed his blue line and got rid of the puck, the CH forward elbowed him in the head. The New York defender, who never saw his attacker arrive, remained on the ground for a long time and left the match. Just like Gallagher, who was sent off.

It is not uncommon for Martin St-Louis, when he did not like a situation or the performance of a player, to argue that he will have to watch the sequence again with a clear mind. For this detail freak, it’s an escape from openly criticizing one of his players.

Commenting on Gallagher’s hit, which presumably will lead to suspension, he spoke of the “fine line” that those, like the number 11, walk with such intensity.

Can this sequence be classified as “thin line”? he was asked. After a long silence, St-Louis said he “understood” that Gallagher, given “where he was on the ice,” had “tried to slow down the opponent.” “It’s happening quickly. I would have to look at this from many angles. I’m sure the league will watch. »

“I think we played with fire,” said the coach again on the general theme of indiscipline. We almost got burned. » Because no, it wasn’t just Gallagher who almost ruined the evening. Arber Xhekaj pulled out all the stops by receiving two penalties, his second and third in two games since his return from the American League. So many avoidable punishments.

The defender, obviously, took no time to regain his bad habits from the start of the campaign. “I don’t love it,” St-Louis commented on the subject. Xhekaj, by the way, even though he has barely played 19 games this season, has already taken the lead in the penalty minutes column for the Habs.

Pillar

As we know, however, the Canadian got out of trouble.

Sean Monahan reminded, if necessary, how fundamental a piece he is to this team’s offense. On the power play, in the first period, he was the architect of Montreal’s first goal, before scoring the third himself in the same circumstances.

Since we moved him to the center of the zone rather than stationing him in front of the net, his efficiency has exploded. His unpredictability, when passing to a teammate, is probably the CH’s best weapon with an extra man.

“He played there for a long time with the Calgary Flames,” recalled Nick Suzuki, who praised his sense of “timing”. In general, “he helps us a lot,” he added. “He is very consistent and his attention to detail is very high. He had quite a match. »

And not just one: here he is at 10 points in his last 6 games, and 34 in 48 in total.

His recent performances have increased his popularity with the public, who are clamoring on social networks for the organization to offer him a contract extension. Now, as the trade deadline approaches, if Monahan becomes the most coveted player in the league, will general manager Kent Hughes receive an irresistible offer? We haven’t finished talking about it.

A quick word, in closing, about the other savior of this match, Samuel Montembeault. Since 1^er January was already the third time in seven starts that he faced more than 40 shots. His record in these play-offs: 2-0-1. He certainly defines himself as a man of special occasions. And it was one, Thursday, given the highly anticipated visit of Patrick Roy.

After being pulled from the game Saturday in Boston, he gave the galvanized fans the performance they deserved.

“During the national anthem, I couldn’t see the giant screen, but the crowd was shouting throughout,” the goalkeeper said. If that doesn’t make me want to play hockey, I don’t know what will. »

If he had a microphone in his hand, he might as well have dropped it then.

On the rise: Samuel Montembeault

After allowing eight goals to the Boston Bruins, he was imperious against the Islanders, blocking 44 of 47 shots. If the person awarding the three stars reads this column, write to us to explain why they received none.

Down: Brendan Gallagher

Without wanting to focus on his case, we cannot give the dunce cap to anyone else given the major punishment he received in the third period.

The figure: 6 min 36 s

It’s the ice time of Lucas Condotta, center player recently recalled from the Laval Rocket. When more than a third of the game involves special teams, a replacement player rarely has the opportunity to stand out.