The Montreal Canadiens started the All-Star Game break on a low note Sunday night after conceding four goals in less than 10 minutes to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first period en route to a 6-3 loss.
Posted at 10:03 p.m.
Updated at 10:56 p.m.
Nick Suzuki, Tyler Toffoli and Artturi Lehkonen hit the target for the Canadian, who suffered a sixth loss in a row. Lehkonen also added two assists to his record.
For a fourth consecutive game, the Canadian made a change of goalkeepers along the way. This time, Samuel Montembeault was kicked out of the game after conceding three goals on seven shots. His auxiliary, Cayden Primeau, took over and completed the game with 26 saves on 28 shots. Nothing to help CH’s already fragile confidence.
Head coach Dominique Ducharme’s men will now begin an eight-day hiatus, which will lead them to the Feb. 8 game against the New Jersey Devils at the Bell Centre.
“Of course we would have liked to end on a different note, but maybe [cette pause] will allow us to have more time to find some players. We will see, but it could be positive, ”said Ducharme by videoconference after the meeting.
“Nobody gets used to defeat. It’s a feeling that we don’t like – at least I hate him, and I’m sure it’s the same in the locker room – so we’ll come back after the break and make sure we go back in the right direction”, summarized Ducharme.
Twice Patrik Laine, Jack Roslovic, Eric Robinson, Yegor Chinakhov and Cole Sillinger scored for the Blue Jackets, winning in a second straight game for the first time since late November.
Joonas Korpisalo made 32 saves in front of the Blue Jackets goal.
Perhaps inspired by the return to play of forwards Paul Byron and Brendan Gallagher, the Canadian quickly got going against the Blue Jackets.
Suzuki gave the Canadian a 1-0 lead 1:19 after the opening face-off. During a brief battle for the puck behind goal, Toffoli deftly weaved his way through the action and handed it to Suzuki at the mouth of the net. The CH’s leading scorer converted his own rebound with a backhand, sending the puck against Gustav Nyquist’s right skate.
But chase the natural and it quickly comes back at a gallop.
The Canadian was only in charge for 2:32; the visitors broke the tie less than six minutes later and barely halfway through the period, Columbus doubled the cushion.
Laine started the ball rolling with a shot from the wrists. Roslovic followed up the charge with a dry shot, then Robinson scored on a breakaway.
Thus ended the evening of Montembeault, replaced by Primeau.
This change did not stop the bleeding immediately, no offense to Ducharme. At 13:14, still in the first twenty, it was the young Chinakhov who scored on the breakaway. He took advantage of a scramble from Kale Clague and beat Primeau between the pads.
Then, 39 seconds before the second intermission, Toffoli cut the deficit to 4-2 with a one-timer following a pass from Lehkonen.
The CH continued to struggle. From the right flank, Jake Evans centered towards Lehkonen who deflected with the end of the stick shorthanded at 6:55. All hopes were then allowed.
But lo and behold, after buzzing for many seconds around Korpisalo’s net, Sillinger came on the counterattack and lifted the disc behind Primeau. It was all over with the Bleu-blanc-rouge.
Laine completed in an empty net, with 2:48 on the clock.
Locker Room Echoes
Brendan Gallagher, who returned to action after a 10-game absence with a lower-body injury, was happy to see Paul Byron back.
“I was happy for him, he worked very hard in rehabilitation. I know he had some frustrating times, but there was no doubt that he was going to come back being the same player as before. I’m sure he was happy to be back on the ice. He’s watched enough games from the stands; it was time for him to return to the game.”
Paul Byron, who was playing his first game this season following hip surgery, admitted there was still a bit of “rust” in his game.
“I felt short of breath at times in the game. The game was going a little too fast for me, because I found myself perfect behind the game. But I’m confident that it will come back in time. We haven’t had a lot of training time, but I’m doing my best to continue my progress. I have to do my best to help the team, and that’s it. »
Josh Anderson found it strange to face his former Blue Jackets teammates for the first time since the trade that brought him to Montreal on October 6, 2020, in return for Max Domi.
“It was a bit strange, although I only recognized eight or nine faces from when I played for them. […] I had been waiting for this moment for a while, but with COVID-19 and border restrictions, I knew I had to be patient. I would have liked a better ending, but that’s the way it is. »