Brett Lernout’s recent call-up with the Montreal Canadiens only lasted a single game as he was sent back down to the AHL after Saturday’s loss.
The Montreal Canadiens missed the chance to sweep the west coast swing heading into the Christmas break. Antti Niemi was on his game, but the Habs weren’t. It would be easy to point to the schedule, stare at the fact that it was the second half of a back-to-back and internally scream, “YOU.” However, there’s no excuse for reverting to all the things that cost the Habs games before.
One of the not so nice things about the loss was Brett Lernout. When Shea Weber was shut down, there was a good chance the Habs would call-up someone from the Laval Rocket as an extra. Fortunately, Lernout got the tap on the shoulder and considering what he’s done in the past; this could’ve been a good opportunity for him.
Things didn’t go too well for Lernout, especially in the first period. Some nerves and equipment malfunctions had him lose an edge too many times, and it affected his play.
Brett Lernout beat again. Luckily Antti Niemi is one of the few #Habs to show up tonight. pic.twitter.com/zwVQX5PMS4
— Jared Book (@jaredbook) December 24, 2017
Lernout wasn’t the total cause of the Habs’ loss. The other players on the team had their fair share of turnovers and the Karl Alzner Jeff Petry pair had a rough night as well.
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On the surface, it looks pretty harsh to send Lernout down the AHL after one game. The 22-year-old isn’t going to get a confidence boost from this, and it may be a while before he gets a chance to redeem himself.
To be honest, I think the demotion could be more about Weber than Lernout. The Habs had the tendency in the past to send down players after a single game, but perhaps this just means the team’s number one defenceman will be returning after the Christmas break.
We’ll have to wait for the news on that one. For now, it’s a bittersweet symphony for Lernout in Laval. They’ve lost key contributors to call-ups, and although Nikita Scherbak has returned, they need more. It’s best for Lernout to continue to grow and play top minutes in the AHL. Place Bell is close by, and the drive to show that Saturday night was a one-off could be what he needs to take that team over.
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Do you think the demotion was because of Weber? When will Lernout be back? Let us know down in the comments.