Kane decides in shootout and the Canadian loses 5-4 against the Red Wings

(Montreal) The Canadian was unable to end his season in style.

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Patrick Kane decided in the shootout and the Montreal club lost 5-4 against the Detroit Red Wings at the end of its 2023-24 campaign, Tuesday evening at the Bell Center.

The Habs (30-36-16) were therefore unable to match their number of victories for the 2022-23 season (31). However, he had eight more points than last season (31-46-6).

Kane was the only one to score in the shootout. The Habs therefore concluded their season with a sequence of four losses, all in tiebreakers.

Juraj Slafkovsky and Brendan Gallagher each had a goal and an assist, while Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield also scored for the Canadian. Cayden Primeau stopped 36 shots.

For the Red Wings (41-32-9), Daniel Sprong had a goal and an assist, while Moritz Seider, Joe Veleno and David Perron also hit the target. Shayne Gostisbehere had two assists and James Reimer made 29 saves.

The Red Wings were nevertheless eliminated from the playoff race by virtue of the Washington Capitals’ 2-1 victory against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Defenseman Logan Mailloux played his first game in the NHL. The 21-year-old Ontarian was selected by the Habs at 31^e rank in the 2021 NHL draft session, even though he was convicted of a sexual crime in 2020, in Sweden.

The NHL gave its blessing for Mailloux’s arrival in the NHL.

“We have met with Logan Mailloux several times over the last eight or 10 months. We believe that he is aware of the seriousness of the actions he took and that he wishes to improve and make more responsible decisions in the future. He got the green light to play in the National Hockey League,” we read in a press release issued by the Bettman circuit on Tuesday morning.

Forward Tanner Pearson was also inserted into the Habs lineup. Johnathan Kovacevic and Jesse Ylönen were left out.

Michael Pezzetta did not complete the meeting. The forward appeared to injure his right shoulder while taking a check from Veleno early in the first period and did not return to the game.

The Canadian’s management will offer its assessment of the last campaign on Wednesday morning. Several players will also share their feelings during the day.

Fishtail

The Canadian was the first to knock on the door. A turnover caused by Slafkovsky led to a two-man attack against the Habs goaltender. Slafkovsky, however, missed the target after an exchange with Caufield.

Newhook opened the scoring at 11:32. He barely beat Reimer with a one-timer following a pass from Gallagher during a two-on-one attack.

On the streak, Newhook amassed a 100^e career point in the NHL. He also smashed his personal high with a 34^e point this season, in just 55 games.

The Red Wings responded with 1:31 left in the first period. A long shot from Seider from the blue line moved the strings. The puck seemed to deviate along the way, possibly onto Nick Suzuki’s skate.

Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat hit the post early in the second period, after a stupid turnover by Josh Anderson at the Canadian blue line.

Gallagher then gave the Habs the lead again at 6:17. Reimer fumbled a shot from Joel Armia during another overkill attack from the home club. Gallagher only had to push the puck behind the goal line.

Newhook in turn reached the post for the Canadian, then Caufield widened the gap a few moments later, at 10:09. The American scored on a return after a splendid staging by Suzuki for a one-timer by Slafkovsky.

The Red Wings cut the lead to one goal just 36 seconds later. Primeau seemed to lose sight of the puck after a shot from Gostisbehere and Veleno completely surprised him on the return.

Reimer kept his team in the game with a spectacular save with about three minutes left in the second period, during a Canadian power play. He made the save with his shield after a cross pass from Suzuki towards Caufield, who thought he had an open net in front of him.

His teammates thanked him by tying the score 3-3 3:31 into the third period. Sprong surprised Primeau from behind the goal line, ricocheting the puck against the inside of the American goaltender’s right pad.

After another important save by Reimer against Suzuki, who had escaped, Slafkovsky gave the Canadian the lead again with 7:14 left in regulation. The 20-year-old Slovakian was credited with his 20^e goal and its 50^e point of the season when a shot from Lane Hutson hit him before crossing the goal line, much to the delight of the spectators.

A denied punt with 7.7 seconds left allowed the Red Wings to extend the suspense. Perron scored with 3.3 seconds left on the clock, thanks to a powerful one-timer.

Kane ultimately played the hero in the shootout.