The Florida Panthers will need several more points to win the race for first place in the Atlantic Division and they will have to respect the opposition offered by the Montreal Canadiens, whom they will face two more times by the end of the schedule. regular.
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Despite firing 42 shots on goaltender Jake Allen, head coach Andrew Brunette’s men didn’t have it easy on Thursday at the Bell Center, leaving the building with a tight 4-0 win. 3. Also, they will know what to expect when they meet the Habs on Tuesday at Sunrise, then April 29 in Montreal to conclude the campaign. Since the arrival of Martin St-Louis at the helm of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, he has not been easy prey as was the case before.
Brunette also gave credit to her rivals despite the result in her favor.
“We fell asleep on a few of our blankets. Montreal really worked hard. They fought and played a typical playoff game. They have a few pieces up front and have gotten scoring chances. We were a little nonchalant at times, but kudos to them for playing so solidly,” the driver said, as reported by the Panthers website.
Certainly, the players of the Florida team believe that they will have to remain alert to reap success in Eastern Canada; they will be in Ottawa and Toronto on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Despite eight wins in their last 10 road games, nothing is won.
“It’s a big trip for us. We face three very good teams inside hostile buildings. It was no different this time. We do not look at the starting formation of the opponent. At this time of year, anyone can beat anyone. We saw it, they played with ardor, “said Quebecer Anthony Duclair, author of a goal, Thursday.
don’t stop
In the standings, the Panthers are well placed with their priority of seven points at the top of their section and a game in hand on their closest pursuers, the Maple Leafs. However, any slackening will prove costly, given the quality of their rivals. Moreover, they must face Toronto three times and will see the Boston Bruins and the Tampa Bay Lightning once each.
The acquisitions of Ben Chiarot and Claude Giroux should certainly help the team to remain in a favorable position. Already, they have created a good impression, the second notably amassing two assists against the Canadian.
“I think they were good, assessed Brunette. It was a complicated situation to disembark with us. Ben didn’t participate in any training with us, only one morning session. We knew they would take a bit of getting used to, but I think they fit well. It was good to see them together on the ice. Now, we will work to build chemistry and rhythm with them.