We have known it since the first game of the season, but we will repeat it anyway: the Canadian is sorely missed by Phillip Danault.
In the face-off circle, five-on-five, shorthanded or just a cross from Brendan Gallagher, no one was able to replace him. The finding was even more cruel for Montreal fans on Tuesday night, when they saw the ex-Tiger in person for the first time in his new Los Angeles Kings uniform. The very people who won 3-2 in overtime, stretching their streak to six in a row and extending the unfortunate streak of CH to three straight losses. At least that one gave a point, the jovialists will say.
It is now fashionable, in the most exclusive circles of the province, to ask: who, then, will succeed in putting on his skates?
Christian Dvorak first appeared as the obvious candidate. With a result, let’s be polite, lukewarm. The expectations were perhaps excessive, or the comparisons, clumsy. The American is still looking for his bearings, both in attack and defense.
Danault himself had some wise words about it after Tuesday’s game. “I think there are too many comparisons, he said bluntly. This is what creates the pressure. ”
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
The Kings gave Danault a victory on his return to Montreal.
“I see it from the outside now. Looks like we’re targeting someone and trying to compare them with certain players. When you let a player go, it’s normal for a team to change a bit. It is part of the game. “
“I put myself in their shoes and it’s not always funny […] not to live up to what people think they should be, ”he added.
All of this is not only wise. This is also true.
On the other hand, maybe we can turn the spotlight on another center player in Jake Evans.
Let’s put aside the goal he scored when he pulled Tobias Bjornfot out of his athletic support late in the third period. That’s all to the merit of number 71, but that doesn’t define the player he is in any way. Neither did his misreading of Adrian Kempe’s winning goal.
Flanked by Artturi Lehkonen and Joel Armia, he completely silenced Anze Kopitar and his trio, who did not get any quality scoring chance five-on-five against Evans’ unit (according to the Natural Stat website Trick).
It’s not only noteworthy: it’s recurring. Remember the same Evans-inspired performances against Connor McDavid last season.
Obviously irritated to have seen his team once again lose against the Kings, Evans was of course not the heart to party after the meeting. But he still admitted that he “had a lot of fun” ruining the night of the best forwards in the NHL.
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
Josh Anderson on the attack ahead of Alex Iafallo in 2e period
Similar
Let’s follow Phillip Danault’s advice: beware of comparisons with him. Because if we risked it, we would arrive at the unfortunate observation that Evans is much more limited offensively than his mentor. At least for the time being, or even at the same age. We can see it this season, as Evans seems more effective in attack when playing with more defensive wingers, whether on a third or a fourth line. All summer long, he was seen in the center of Mike Hoffman and Brendan Gallagher, two 30-goal scorers. Bad casting ? Possibly. At the wrong time? Certainly.
On the other hand, if we compare the two players at the same stage of their career, it becomes interesting. Jake Evans played his 70 on Tuesdaye career season game and scored an 18e point. After 70 games, Danault had… 19. At the time, the Quebecer was 23 years old. The Ontarian is now 25, but arrived in the NHL late after a successful college career and two full seasons in the American League.
“He’s a young player who learns on the job,” said Ben Chiarot. He’s only in his second year with the team, but it’s a big chunk for us. He keeps getting better and better. ”
Now it is a question of whether he will be able to take the next step and become a regular contributor on the offensive level. On this subject, head coach Dominique Ducharme moderates the ardor… but remains optimistic.
Obviously, the youngster will “probably not score 25 or 30 goals,” he noted. On the other hand, when it comes to speed, intelligence of the game and skills, “he has enough to produce,” Ducharme nuance.
Now, “to be able to take your game to another level, it takes consistency”. An objective within the reach of a “young intelligent player, who understands his role” and who knows “the way to be successful”.
“He will continue to mature and it will show in his game,” predicted the coach.
Jake Evans may become the next Phillip Danault. Or not at all. But to see him go on Tuesday, hope is allowed. Which is still a sacred rarity in this season which is going, slowly but more and more surely, adrift.
In details
Danault got hot
Phillip Danault’s return to Montreal could easily have turned sour. The ex-Canadiens played a strong game overall, but missed a golden chance to score when he got robbed on a two-on-one game. Jake Allen made a success of his move to the left, but was still flat on his stomach. “I was at arm’s length, I should have lifted her,” Danault admitted. Allen was solid tonight, he played a big game, you have to give it to him. Then, Danault was chased out with 2:12 minutes to go in the third period. “The boys played for me and they passed a big penalty at the end,” he added. Danault finished the match with two shots on goal and blocked three from CH in 19:45 on the ice. He won 45% of his face-offs (10 of 22), but on one of those he lost at the start of the third period, his teammate Alex Iafallo immediately took off and recovered the puck in a second. Like what the wingers can also make their end to help put in play …
Lemieux, the poison
Definitely, Brendan Lemieux is enjoying himself against the Canadian. Jocelyn Lemieux’s nephew on Tuesday scored his fifth goal in just eight games against the Habs, goals scored with each of his three teams in the NHL: Kings, Rangers and Jets. It’s all the more impressive given that Lemieux only has 24 goals in the NHL; it is therefore 21% against an opponent that he has never had in his division. Lemieux also has a bit of fatherhood up his sleeve, disturbing the opponent as only Claude knew how to do. This time, he did it by tripping Cédric Paquette behind the game, in what looked like a croc-en-leg. Coincidence or not, Lemieux received a visit from Michael Pezzetta in the third period, twice rather than once, but refused to enter the fight. The second time around, it gave the Kings a power play.
The key game
Checks are rarely a highlight of three-on-three overtime. “There is so much space, the players do not run this risk and even avoid these contacts,” said Kings head coach Todd McLellan. Except in this case, Dustin Brown’s turn to Nick Suzuki was the turning point, as CH had been in possession of the puck for most of the fourth period before that. “I think Brownie was still a little frustrated from a previous game,” said McLellan. He hit a very talented player, that allowed us to take the puck back and go in the other direction. It can work against you sometimes, but it helped us tonight. The Canadian was playing a first overtime this season. He had the advantage 4-2 on penalties, but did not have the upper hand in the most important category.
They said
It is very frustrating. We work so hard in training and in matches. We are a tight-knit team. We have to meet again. I believe it will happen. We can just get better at this point.
Jake evans
Jake Allen deserves a lot of credit for the second period. If it weren’t for him, we would have lost the game then.
Jake evans
We were still relaxed in the second period, and that’s something that needs to be corrected. I do not know [pourquoi] we find ourselves on our heels halfway through the game. [Néanmoins], we are happy with the way we took the momentum in third, which we had difficulty doing recently.
Ben chiarot
In the last seven minutes of the second period, we shot each other in the foot. We gave them momentum through our execution. When we try to make the match more complex, we harm each other.
Dominique ducharme
I had more energy than I would have thought, with the back-to-back (second game in two nights). It’s sure that it ran through my head a bit, but at the same time, I was really happy that it was a back-to-back, because I didn’t have too much time to do it. to think. This morning, I was able to relax a bit, I also saw my dog, it had been two months! He’s coming to Los Angeles now. I’m really happy with the way the team came out.
Phillip danault
It was an incredible goal. He had tons of speed and he controlled the puck regardless. We count on him for these situations in overtime, he already has several winners like that.
Kings goalie Cal Petersen on Adrian Kempe’s goal
I’m not happy that I allowed that goal, but sometimes you just have to tip your hat. Jake is one of my best friends. When he was in Los Angeles, we spent time together. I just texted him, I asked him if we could say that we had drawn. He achieved the spectacular goal and I have the victory. Well done to him, it was quite a goal.
Petersen, on Jake Evans, his former Notre Dame teammate
Kopitar had a very long presence and he has used up the entire penalty [à Danault]. Their downtime actually helped us, because it allowed us to give him a rest and leave him on the rink.
Todd McLellan, Kings Head Coach
Rising
Jake evans
His trio completely neutralized that of Anze Kopitar five on five and he scored the best goal in CH so far this season. Too bad he looked bad on the Kings’ winning goal in overtime.
Falling
Jake allen
Obvious blunder on the Kings second goal. And on the first, the shot was precise, but Brendan Lemieux is not Auston Matthews either.
The number of the match
7
Alexander Romanov manhandled the Kings players all evening. Official scorers credited him with seven hits, some of which resonated throughout the Bell Center.