“Our team will not explode every night. We have to win close matches, defend ourselves well; return to responsible gaming, less scattered. ”
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This recipe for success is the one that Bob Boughner presented last week in San Jose. The Sharks head coach explained that with the limited resources he had on hand, his men had to focus on goals within their reach. History has certainly taught us that his club did not follow his instructions against the Habs, but basically, the essential was there.
This statement is oddly similar to the recipe applied by the Canadian on Tuesday night, winning by 3 to 0 against the Detroit Red Wings. He too with a reduced workforce. Jonathan Drouin, already considered as plan C in the center, was injured after three appearances. Brendan Gallagher seemed to suffer martyrdom each time he returned to the bench. And Jeff Petry has been given more than 26 minutes of work as he plays despite an “upper body” injury. Not to mention the many absent whose names we know too well.
This does not prevent that, for the first time this season, and this, at the 11e his team’s match, head coach Dominique Ducharme felt his club played the way they wanted for 60 minutes. “It’s our identity, it’s our way of playing, […] it’s our team, he said. This is what we have to do. ”
“That” is the room for maneuver of the opposing attackers reduced to a minimum by the defenders of the CH and the withdrawing attackers. The famous support for the disc carrier at the exit of the zone and in offensive territory. The proverbial work in “unit of five”, a term seemingly overused but nevertheless relevant in the circumstances. As well as a great start which, after seeing three CH trios monopolizing the opposing zone, led to the first goal of the match.
Greenhouse
The final score is not spectacular. And it’s almost so much the better. Because it is precisely meetings of this kind that the Canadian must learn to win. Those close games that Bob Boughner talked about and that goaltender Jake Allen praised after his second shutout in a week.
In victory as in loss, hotly contested matches have not been the norm this season. In the first 10 games, the eight losses resulted in a differential of -21, excluding goals in an empty net. And the two victories, by a balance of +8.
The rare matches where the gap was one or two goals, again excluding those in an empty net, the CH had lost them all. Against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, against the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes at home, then last Sunday in Anaheim, against the Ducks.
“Close games are crucial,” said Allen. These are the ones we must win. Victories of 4-3, 5-4 and 2-1, these are significant points at the end of the course. ”
That of 3-0, despite dominance in terms of shots on goal and scoring chances, falls into the same category. Because it helps to forge the identity of this team.
The mirage of an offensive machine powered by its wingers has clearly dissipated. The solutions must come from elsewhere.
We had a glimpse of it on Tuesday, against a weak club it is true. The importance is now paramount to “reproduce” the formula as of Thursday, against the Islanders of New York, in the hope of finally sticking a second victory in a row. The road to glory will still be long, but it will always be won – literally.
When Suzuki goes …
There is of course the collective effort, which we can never praise sufficiently, but individual success is not to be denigrated either.
Once again, in the words of Jake Allen: Tuesday Nick Suzuki showed he is the Canadiens number 1 center. He who had been hard on himself after Sunday’s loss in Anaheim. The flight back to Montreal was long, admitted the main concerned. And his first goal of the campaign, against the Wings, “certainly” was a relief, after dozens of missed chances.
PHOTO RYAN REMIORZ, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Nick Suzuki (14)
“It’s been a few games that I haven’t scored,” Suzuki said with a smirk. It feels good. ”
After Monday morning’s surprise practice, unusual after a long trip, the center had a chat with assistant coach Trevor Letowski. The two chatted at length as they analyzed video footage isolating Suzuki’s shortcomings. “Small things that I could improve,” he said.
In the foreground: the battles for the puck. A department where the number 14 excelled on Tuesday, also ending the evening with a rare positive performance in the faceoff circle (13 in 19, or 68%).
“It’s a good indicator,” admitted Ducharme about this last statistic. Is there a greater one-on-one battle than a face-off? He skates better, he’s more engaged and he starts with the puck. It all fits together. ”
“He’s a smart player,” the head coach repeated. And its success invariably depends on “its level of competitiveness”.
That of his club too, should we clarify. Because without a goalkeeper or dominant defender, the Canadian will live and die depending on the performance of his center players.
When Suzuki goes, is everything okay? Let’s not go that far, because there are too many gaps around him. The reverse, however, is true.
So when the young man speaks of a “spark” that he hopes to have found, many are those who hope to see this flame burn. Strong and long.
In details
Cold sweats for Drouin
As the well-known saying goes: If it weren’t for bad luck, the Canadian wouldn’t stand a chance. The most recent player to set foot in the bad luck department: Jonathan Drouin, who had to leave the game after only his third appearance on the ice, during the first period of Tuesday night’s game at the Bell Center. The young forward had to abdicate after receiving a puck to the head, following a Brett Kulak point shot. Then Drouin quickly went to the locker room, then he went to the hospital. The good news though, is that he was seen at the Bell Center at the end of the evening. “We never want to see something like that,” said Dominique Ducharme after the meeting. It’s still worrying, but the news in his case is encouraging. Drouin should therefore undergo further exams on Wednesday, while the Canadian will hold optional training in Brossard. Remember that he started Tuesday’s game as a center for the first line, along with Mike Hoffman and Josh Anderson.
Premiere night for Pezzetta
PHOTO RYAN REMIORZ, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Michael Pezzetta (55) and Danny DeKeyser (65) in front of goalkeeper Alex Nedeljkovic (39)
Michael Pezzetta is often spectacular, both on the ice and in his profile photos, and Tuesday night, he took the opportunity to show off his formidable hair in a National League arena for the first time in his life. No, the support striker did not score, but the 19,547 spectators saw him skating the time of 8:31 and then also, he allowed himself two shots in the direction of the net. With the injuries that are accumulating in the Montreal camp, we will perhaps see him again here a little, which would do his business well. “I feel like I’m capable of playing in this league,” he explained late Tuesday evening. I felt comfortable on the ice, I managed to neutralize opposing plays and did a good job in forecheck, in addition to spending time in the attacking zone with my line. ”
Romanov in the stands
Alexander Romanov did not have a big start to the season, and it had to happen, so it happened on Tuesday night: the young defender had to give up his place in the squad. Instead, head coach Dominique Ducharme chose to bet, in order, on the duos Chiarot-Petry, Kulak-Savard as well as Niku-Wideman to patrol the Montreal blue line. After the game, Dominique Ducharme explained his decision saying that Romanov needed to see the game from above, which suggests that he sees it a little less well when he is below. “That’s what it means when we talk about consistency,” explained Ducharme at the end of the evening. We must not end up with surprises. So we wanted Romanov to watch the game from above the Bell Center, and be able to take a step back. The goal is for him to come back then to correct his game. ”
They said
[Brendan Gallagher] did not have the start he wanted. He’s a guy whose intensity, involvement, commitment you can never doubt. [Or], he can’t play 71 other games like that. We hope he’s okay to play on Thursday.
Dominique Ducharme on Gallagher playing despite injury
When we took him out of the lineup before the game in Anaheim, I heard a couple of coronations. He’s a leader, he wants to be on the ice. He wants to fight to get out of this situation. [Contre les Red Wings], I would have had to tie it so it wouldn’t play.
Dominique Ducharme, on the same subject
You can say whatever you want, but it’s what you do on the ice that counts. There is no better way [de faire], as an individual and as a team.
Dominique Ducharme on Nick Suzuki’s performance
When we experience difficulties, we find ourselves too far from each other in the defensive zone. Using the center of the ice well comes with confidence, but it’s crucial. Nick Suzuki has been in the right place all evening, Christian Dvorak too. The defenders didn’t give anything, and that’s what happens when the attackers fall back well.
Jake allen
The only way to get through [cette séquence difficile] is to continue to work hard. Everyone was on board. We have to start again tomorrow in training and repeat that in the next game.
Josh Anderson
I was excited when I saw that [Michael Pezzetta] had been recalled. I love the way he plays, his energy. I spoke to him when he was sent back to Laval. I told him that I had been there and that he had to keep working hard. He did a very good job tonight. All the credit goes to him.
Josh Anderson
Rising
Nick suzuki
His facial expression spoke volumes after he scored his first goal of the season. A ton of pressure seems to have receded from his shoulders. Overall excellent game.
Falling
Joel armia
Even on the wing of Christian Dvorak, the Finn did not find a way to stand out offensively. His salary of 3.4 million suddenly seems high for such a low contributor: just one assist in 11 games this season.
The number of the match
0-3-0
That’s the Red Wings’ record in three games in Canada this season. They have each been deprived of their best striker, Tyler Bertuzzi, made unavailable for meetings north of the border due to his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The Wings’ record in their other seven games: 4-1-2.