|
In Hainsight: The Wheels Came off the Wagon |
|
|
|
|
|
Follow me @KarineHains for all updates about the Montreal Canadiens and women's hockey
For one last time on a Saturday night this season, the Bell Centre was supposed to be rocking with cheers and celebrations for the locals, but the Maple Leafs didn’t get the memo. It had started well for the Canadiens though as they limited Toronto to four shots in the first frame, but the wheels came off the wagon in the second period.
Before last night’s game, the Leafs had scored 102 goals in the second frame this season. In less than eight minutes, they added another four tallies to their already impressive total. A couple of minutes into the second, Max Domi deflected a shot from the blue line to open the score and seconds later, Auston Matthews scored his 64th of the season as the puck he directed to the crease hit David Savard’s skate and went in. After those two goals in 17 seconds, the Canadiens looked shellshocked, especially Samuel Montembeault who went on to give another two goals in 34 seconds. At that point, Monty had given up four goals on 12 shots and Martin St.Louis had enough, he pulled him out of the game (that has only happened twice this season) and sent Cayden Primeau in.
Primeau stopped the next 18 shots, but the damage had already been done. Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield both scored before the end of the period, but those two goals were not enough to turn the tide. The Leafs left town with the two points and are now four points clear of Tampa with a game in hand in the race to the Atlantic division’s third place.
Any Montreal-Toronto game is supposed to be a battle fought with intensity, it’s meant to be one of the best games of the season, but last night, it wasn’t. It was a letdown for the Canadiens’ fans and the Habs themselves. The Leafs were in complete control, even Ryan Reaves allowed himself to ruffle some feathers with Arber Xhekaj out with an injury. In the first period, he dared to push Mike Matheson after the whistle, making him fall on Samuel Montembeault.
Had Xhekaj been on the ice, I very much doubt the “tough guy” would have dared to do that. Michael Pezzetta was dressed though, and he tried to energize his team by fighting with Reaves, but he was simply destroyed. Seconds after the tilt, the Leafs scored their fourth and final goal of the night. On pulling Montembeault, St.Louis simply said: “I just didn’t think Sam was on”, it’s quite rare for the coach to lay something at a player’s door like that.
The Canadiens will have to move on from this quickly as they will take on the Rangers tonight in New York. Kaiden Guhle and Arber Xhekaj will probably still be out, and given the fact both goaltenders played yesterday, it’s hard to know who will get the nod. I’m convinced Montembeault would be grateful to get an opportunity to bounce back right away, but at the same time, this was earmarked as a game for Primeau.
So far this season, the Canadiens have faced the Rangers twice and each team has won a duel. Montreal grabbed the win in February while the Rags signed a commanding win in the middle of February. On both occasions, Samuel Montembeault was in net and he has a 4.80 GAA and a .873 SP against the leaders in the race to the President’s Trophy. Perhaps, St.Louis would do well to stick with the plan and give Primeau the net.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»