Jets 4 — Canadian 3 | Without Suzuki, eyes turn to Dvorak

There are bad starts to the season. And there’s Christian Dvorak’s start to the season last year.

Simon Olivier Lorange
The Press

Richard Labbe
The Press

In his first 17 games, his first in a Canadiens uniform, he had contented himself with one goal, five points and a differential of -17. A disaster in the famous two directions of the ice rink.

The American was therefore not taking anything lightly, late Thursday evening, when he said how much he wanted to start the new season “on the right foot, not like last year”. Gossip would say he couldn’t do worse. However, as we do not eat this bread, let us rather recall how much he had been, through the countless defeats, one of the most reliable attackers under Martin St-Louis at the end of the season. In this, it will be gratifying for the striker to hear his coach say that Dvorak, since the start of training camp, “picked up where he left off” in May.

Flanked by Brendan Gallagher and Evgenii Dadonov in his first preseason game, the center player showed why he is appreciated by his coaches and teammates alike. Success in the face-off circle, simple but effective play in his zone, and some nice offensive flashes. In the third period, it was his short raised pass to Brendan Gallagher, from the backhand, who launched an attack from the neutral zone which ended in a goal by Cole Caufield. He was, moreover, the most used player of the Canadian, all positions combined (22 min 14 s).

This pass is a prime example of Dvorak’s “underrated” skills, according to Kirby Dach. “It’s little plays that he makes constantly,” he added. “He does a lot of things that people don’t see, but that we love as teammates,” added Caufield. He is very mature in all three areas, he makes few mistakes. He is a smart player who makes our life easy. »

“He doesn’t get all the credit he deserves,” Dach said. You win championships with guys like that. It’s good to count on him and on Nick [Suzuki]. We exchange ideas together. »

Handyman

This last element is worth mentioning, especially since Suzuki, still injured, has not yet trained with his teammates. According to the schedule, he should be restored in time for the first game of the season, on October 12. However, in the meantime, his absence makes Christian Dvorak a handyman that the team frankly needs.

He is, by far, the best center on the team in terms of face-offs. He is the only one who can play on all the special teams. And he is, again by far, the most experienced in his position. He’s actually the same age as Jake Evans, but has played 226 more NHL games. And knowing that Kirby Dach still seems to be learning the inner workings of the center position, his influence is key.

In the absence of Suzuki and Sean Monahan, “everyone has to stand up,” Dvorak said after the game. However, on a personal level, he knows very well that “if Nick can’t be there in the first game, [il va] trying to take over.”

It’s not perfect though, far from it. With a score of 3-2, at the end of the third period, his turnover in the opposing zone caused a surplus which required a nice save from Cayden Primeau to keep the short lead – possibly wasted, as we know.

And after a night of almost 60% faceoff success, he lost two back-to-back duels in the final minute in the defensive zone, which led to the game-winning goal for the Jets.

Nevertheless, Martin St-Louis insists: “I’m very comfortable when he’s on the ice. He is very responsible, he has a good sense of hockey. He took his summer very seriously, I know that. He worked on some things and he picked up where he left off” in the spring.

We have said very little about Christian Dvorak since the start of training camp. It’s a bit like his career, basically, it probably has nothing to displease this little talkative boy, even less demonstrative – although Kirby Dach said he had “a lot of fun” with him outside of the ice rink.

Moreover, given the rebuilding work that the club’s management is engaged in, many supporters expected Dvorak to be traded during the summer. It didn’t happen, either through lack of demand in the market or through management’s willful decision to keep it.

In any case, at the present time, his trainer would not want to compose without him. And that should be the case for quite a while yet.

Up: Brendan Gallagher

Several chances to score, at even strength as on the power play, and the most Gallagheresque goal you can think of. The performance of the veteran is encouraging for him and for his team.

Down: Arber Xhekaj

There’s been a lot of attention around him since the start of training camp. The young man continues to stand out for his robustness and the fluidity of his skating, but he often struggled in his zone, especially in the second period.

The number of the match: 1

The Habs have scored just one goal in almost 128 minutes of five-on-five play since the start of the preseason schedule. And again, that goal, Kaiden Guhle’s in the first period, was scored immediately after a Jets penalty ended.

In details

Facing the Jets’ Club C

You had to have a good knowledge of the minor circuits to be able to recognize all the players the Jets had seen fit to bring to Montreal on that long, slow Thursday night at the Bell Centre. There was Pierre-Luc Dubois, of course, but then you had to dig a little to find NHL players, such as Jansen Harkins (13 points last season), Ville Heinola (5 points last season, but in 12 games) or Nate Schmidt (32 points last season). Evan Polei, who scored the first goal for the Jets, is a 26-year-old guy who spent his career in the minors. Goalkeeper David Rittich started the game in net, and then a certain Arvid Holm took his place. It gave the show it gave, but in the end, the spectators still decided to make the wave during the third period, in a burst of enthusiasm that honors them.

Another good evening for Guhle

As we know, the positions to be seized are not so numerous in the Canadian camp, but the more it goes, the more Kaiden Guhle is making a place for himself, precisely. It’s still early in this camp, of course, but on Thursday night the 20-year-old defender scored the first goal of the game, on another fine attacking push that only he seems to have the secret among the club’s defenders. He also shot at the net four times, a record among Montreal defensemen. “He is committed to the game and he plays physically, noted Martin St-Louis about him. He’s a good young man. I remember, when I came to the league, I thought it was going fast, but in his case, it doesn’t seem like it’s going too fast. »

Another goal for Caufield

Cole Caufield scored another goal on Thursday night, but he didn’t feel like showing off at all. “Obviously I’m thinking about my confidence and the start of the coming season,” he explained. Pre-season games are one thing, but you have to make sure you’re ready for the start of the season, that’s what’s most important. Later in the evening, Martin St-Louis offered this interesting comment about the small forward. “The Canadiens will be a better club because Cole Caufield will become a better hockey player, not because he will become a better scorer,” explained the Canadiens coach. He’s a great scorer, but you have to get him to be a great hockey player. »

They said