(Montreal) The Canadian continues to accumulate defeats, but the players still offer reasons to smile at their coach.
Mika Zibanejad was the only one to score in the shootout and the New York Rangers defeated the Montreal club 4-3 Thursday night at the Bell Centre.
Zibanejad took down goalkeeper Samuel Montembeault with a series of beautiful feints. Igor Shesterkin then got in front of Alex Belzile, which ended the encounter.
The Habs suffered a fifth loss in a row (0-3-2). Much like Tuesday in a shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, he fought well without being able to impose himself.
“I’m so proud of the group. I’m so happy with the way we played, insisted Martin St-Louis. Yes, we would like to win for the guys, but there are a lot of positives. I am happy with what we are building.
“Our collective game is stronger than the individual. We have a lot of injuries […]guys come in and the train keeps moving,” he added.
Kaiden Guhle had a goal and an assist, while Belzile and Josh Anderson also scored for the Canadian (26-33-6). Montembeault made 30 saves.
Patrick Kane and Jacob Trouba each had a goal and an assist, while Alexis Lafrenière also moved the ropes in regulation time for the Rangers (36-19-9). Artemi Panarin had three assists and Shesterkin stopped 23 shots.
The Rangers won their first game in three outings since acquiring Kane from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Guhle was back after a two-game absence with what appeared to be a shoulder injury. Forward Anthony Richard was recalled from the Laval Rocket for the game. Jordan Harris and Christian Dvorak were left out with both lower body injuries.
The New Jersey Devils will be at the Bell Center on Saturday.
Another good fight
Guhle was quick to celebrate his comeback, surprising Shesterkin 35 seconds into the game by pivoting to hit a bouncing puck.
The Rangers, however, quickly responded. Lafrenière deflected a shot from Adam Fox into the goal at 3:16, on a power play.
Montembeault showed up with about five minutes to go in the first period. Even though he was lying on his back, he managed to stop a point-blank shot from Vladimir Tarasenko.
The Habs goaltender was rewarded, as Belzile scored at the other end of the rink with 2:58 to go in the first period. The Quebecer thwarted Shesterkin with a precise shot during an outnumbered attack.
Rangers tied the game 48 seconds into the second period. Trouba was able to advance to the face-off spot to the left of Montembeault and he beat him with a throw on the side of the mitt.
The Canadian took the lead for the third time in the game at 13:20 of the second period. Anderson beat Shesterkin to the mitt side on a shorthanded breakaway.
Guilty of the turnover that led to Anderson’s goal, Kane redeemed himself before the Rangers power play ended. He scored at 14:31 thanks to a precise shot from the side of Montembeault’s mitt.
Zibanejad came close to giving Rangers the lead for the first time in the game with just over four minutes remaining in the second period. His one-timer shot hit the crossbar, however.
Johnathan Kovacevic came to Montembeault’s rescue a little later, deflecting a Lafrenière shot out of harm’s way as the 2020 first-round pick believed he could throw into an abandoned cage.
At the other end of the rink, Mike Matheson reached the post to the right of Shesterkin during a four-on-four sequence.
Both goaltenders closed the door in the third period when scoring opportunities were scarce. Shesterkin made the best save on another Anderson breakaway.
The extension did not make a master. Anderson went alone ahead of Shesterkin for the third time in the game. His shot hit the post. Then, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard deflected a shot from Mike Hoffman against the crossbar when the Canadian found himself on the power play.
Zibanejad finally made the difference in the shootout.
Locker Room Echoes
Alex Belzile is happy with his recent attacking successes, as he scored in a third game in a row.
“It’s fun to contribute offensively. It’s going well these days. I throw the puck, I keep the plays simple. I haven’t changed much. The difference is that the puck goes in. But often when you do the right things in the long run, results will follow. »
Samuel Montembeault insisted that the fate of the Canadian could have been very different in the last games.
“Yes, it’s frustrating to lose, but I’m happy with the guys’ effort. Martin (St. Louis) said it, we’re 0-3-2 in our last five games, but we could be 5-0. The effort is there every night. We can compete with everyone. We have to keep working like this. »
Josh Anderson blamed himself for not taking advantage of all his chances to score.
“It’s the difference between a 20-goal scorer and a 30-goal scorer. I must take advantage of these quality chances. Sometimes that’s what makes the difference in a game. »