Jake Allen says he’s never had to share the net with two other goalies in the NHL, but everything indicates he’ll have to start getting used to it, if he hasn’t already.
Here we are at Christmas, or almost, and the Canadian is still there, asking three goalkeepers to split the task in front of the goal.
With the trade rumors that have been circulating since the start of the season, often with Allen’s name at the center of it all, one would have thought that the three goalkeepers’ file would be resolved around this date.
But no, nothing has been resolved. Which doesn’t seem to bother the veteran too much.
“It’s not more difficult than it was,” Allen explained Friday afternoon in Brossard. This is a question that I am often asked, as it is asked of Cayden (Primeau). But it’s the same situation; there are three guards here. Sam (Montembeault) played very well, and he deserved the last two starts. Me, I’m waiting for my chance. »
This opportunity will not come Saturday in Buffalo, since it is Primeau who will be in net against the Sabres. According to the principle of rotation already established, Allen would therefore obtain the following start, that of Sunday evening at the Bell Center against the Nashville Predators, which has not yet been confirmed.
This is something that is completely out of my control. I’m the Canadiens’ goalie, that’s who I am, and I want to be here.
Jake Allen
While waiting for his next opportunity, Allen must find his bearings, having had a superb month of October, with a record of 3-0-1, an average of 2.63 and an efficiency rate of .930.
Since then, it has been a little more difficult, and he has escaped his last six starts, without having been able to taste victory since October 28. Most goalkeepers believe that it takes games to get out of a bad situation, but Jake Allen doesn’t have that luxury, nor does Primeau, who will try to bounce back on Saturday after a very bad night of five goals against the Florida Panthers.
“We don’t play often but that shouldn’t be an excuse,” added Jake Allen. We have to be ready to go on the ice when it’s our turn; there are attackers or defenders who sometimes go 7 to 10 games without playing. It happens, it’s not a big deal […] We always want to get back in front of the net as quickly as possible, but there are two other guys here who deserve to play too. »
Either way, according to Allen, it shouldn’t be surprising to see more and more teams employing a three-goalie system in the future.
“I think it will little by little become the norm… There are what, five teams that started the season with three goalkeepers? Because of the nature of the position, I wouldn’t be surprised if that number eventually increased to eight teams. Not everyone is banking on a (Andrei) Vasilevskiy or a (Igor) Shesterkin who can play 65 games a year. »
In Buffalo without Savard
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
David Savard
The return of defender David Savard seems imminent… but it won’t be for Saturday night in Buffalo. In fact, the veteran did take part in Friday’s optional training in Brossard, but he did not make the trip with his teammates to the city of the Sabers, he who injured his left hand on October 23, against these same Sabres. It remains to be seen if he will be able to participate in the following game, that of Sunday evening at the Bell Center, against the Nashville Predators.