The Canadian | Head held high, despite the ranking

If you had to bet any money on a breakaway contest, which Michael Pezzetta or Jonathan Drouin would you choose to grow your holdings?

Simon-Olivier Lorange
Press

If you answered Pezzetta, you have the eye of a scout. The man with the princely hair had the upper hand over his teammate at the end of Monday morning’s training, causing frenzy among his teammates and plunging the Quebecer into shame.

For those who missed it, the Canadian posted the scene on his social networks.

A cynical observer might argue that the Canadiens, having had one of the worst start to the season in their long and glorious history, can only get better. And another, even more acidic, might be offended that the time was for fun rather than autoflagellation.

The first would not be completely wrong. And the second would not be really right.

Because if the players submitted to a friendly competition, it was only after sweating blood and water for 45 minutes of high intensity training.

Transition game, five-on-five work in the opposing zone, one-on-one battles, puck recovery… The coaching staff had prepared a tough program after a Sunday off. “We want to make sure we build on what we did on Saturday. We don’t want to take a step back, ”said head coach Dominique Ducharme.

Against the Nashville Predators on Saturday, the Habs posted a convincing 6-3 victory – although the visitors’ comeback in the third period betrayed the fragility of a team whose confidence is not at its peak.

“The season is not over after 20 games,” said Christian Dvorak. You have to start a winning streak and go one day at a time. ”

Allen, Edmundson

The supporters of the half empty glass will say that it is all well and good, but that it is already late to start a comeback from the bottom of the general classification. Defenders of the half-full glass will retort that good news is finally coming. On this point, everyone is right.

The Canadiens have yet to win two games in a row this season. So to align 3, 4, 5, or even 15, it will be necessary to get started. On the other hand, elements do indeed allow us to hope for a little less gloomy days.

First, Jake Allen took part in his team’s full training on Monday. The goalie, who suffered a concussion just over a week ago in Detroit, will know this Tuesday if he has the green light to play a game. Cayden Primeau’s dismissal at Laval suggests good news is expected for Allen, who, despite his uneven performance this season, remains the Canadiens’ best option in net pending the return of Carey Price.

Some of the other many injured are approaching a return. Cédric Paquette could play as early as Wednesday, said Ducharme. Joel Edmundson will have to wait a bit longer, but he will be on the team’s three-game trip. His coach has spoken of a possible first game next week in his case.

The defender, whose injury (still undisclosed) deprived him of training camp and the first 20 games of the season, took part in a full first practice on Monday. Like Paquette, he wore a jersey reserved for players who cannot be touched. However, he worked with energy and intensity.

His return will have a “stabilizing effect” in the defense of the Canadian, believes Ducharme. Ice time and assignments will therefore be distributed differently.

“He’s an experienced guy, who plays a simple but effective game,” Ducharme recalled. He’s tough to face, he carries the puck well without being spectacular, he defends well, he helps out on the penalty kill… All of that will have an impact on the squad. ”

The head coach also reiterated that his team had shown encouraging signs over the past two weeks, aside from last Thursday’s horrific performance against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Canadian has indeed collected points in three games in a row – two losses in overtime and one victory – before suffering two relatively narrow losses. The game against the Penguins followed, followed by Saturday’s victory against the Predators.

“We were getting closer,” Ducharme summed up.

Does this mean that the conditions are met to finally put points in the bank?

“Yes, but it’s just what we’re going to do in the next few games that will say it. ”

Close-knit group

What the celebrations at the end of training have also revealed is how the Canadiens’ players continue to form a tight-knit group which, despite the defeats, has not given in to fatalism.

“We all want to reverse the trend,” assured Dvorak, who speaks knowingly. The former Arizona Coyotes missed the playoffs four times in his five seasons in the wilderness.

“It’s never a good thing to mope and come to the ice with your head down,” he continued. You have to keep your head up, and the group, tight. ”

“People can think whatever they want, but everyone is close in this locker room,” said Chris Wideman.

By the way, what will be the consequence for Drouin after losing the breakaway contest? “We’ve got a little something for him,” Wideman promised mischievously. You’ll see that on Tuesday. ”

Practice is scheduled for 10:30 am The response shouldn’t be long overdue.

In short

Two revenge matches

The Canadian will fly to Washington on Tuesday, the first stop on a short but busy trip, which will then take him to Buffalo (Friday) and Pittsburgh (Saturday). The duel against the Capitals will be the first between the two teams this season, but the next two meetings will serve as revenge matches. The Sabers indeed humiliated the Canadian 5-1 in mid-October, and the Penguins have barely wiped their feet on the Montrealers (6-0). Dominique Ducharme focuses first on the match in Washington, which will be another opportunity, after four failed attempts, to sign two consecutive victories. “It does not add pressure to us, however, he assured. We are all aware of the situation. The only thing we control is to increase our pace even more ”than in training on Monday.

Dvorak: “I put a lot of pressure on myself”

The thing was covered in full, but Christian Dvorak did not have a dream start with the Canadian. However, the American has just registered three points, including two goals, in his last three games. His acclimatization to his new team continues, he said Monday, without using it to explain his bumpy start to the campaign. “I put a lot of pressure on myself to contribute more,” he said. When the team loses I know I have to be better. “His troubles were also reflected on the defensive level, as wrote Press Monday morning in his assessment of the first quarter of the CH season. And Dvorak is also a member of the shorthanded unit, which continues to get into trouble. “You have to play tighter, force shots from outside and block shots,” he explained. Sometimes we just have to simplify things. ”

The infirmary, the suite

Keeping up with the news about injured Habs players could turn into a full-time job. While Allen, Paquette and Edmundson reunited with their teammates, Mike Hoffman (upper body) and Mathieu Perreault (eye) skated together with an athletic therapist on Monday. Neither will play in the short term. Perreault had to undergo a second eye operation, early last week, and he has not regained 100% of his vision, Ducharme said. The precise nature of this disability makes a return date difficult to predict. As for Carey Price, he hasn’t jumped on the ice since his skating session last week. However, he trained in a gymnasium. On 91.9 Sports, general manager Marc Bergevin said he could “not guarantee” a return to form for the goalkeeper before the holidays.