Montreal Canadiens: Battle amid Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk
There’s been an ongoing battle for the lead in scoring on the Montreal Canadiens between Brendan Gallagher and Alex Galchenyuk.
When it comes to scoring for the Montreal Canadiens this season, the one name that comes up is Brendan Gallagher. In most years, you’d look at Max Pacioretty or Jonathan Drouin based on the excitement and expectations set for him over the summer, but it’s been all about number 11 in that category. Gallagher has been the driving force of the Habs this year as far as overall effort and play on the ice as well as offence.
These last two seasons have been difficult for the 25-year-old going through back-to-back injury-plagued years, but he’s fully returned to form, and it’s been great to watch. Gallagher matched his career-high in goals against the New Jersey Devils in early March, and as he sits with 28, the possibility of a 30-goal season is there for him. The team leader in goals has Gallagher’s name all over it, but there’s been an ongoing battle for the top spot in points.
Alex Galchenyuk is having a rejuvenated season as well after starting the year with a reduced confidence gauge that at times made him invisible. He’s slowly continued to work his way back into the trust of Claude Julien and the coaching staff while at the same time, generating the offence that he’s known for. Galchenyuk will probably not reach the production from the 2015/16 season, but with an assist in Saturday’s game, the 24-year-old has already surpassed his totals from last year.
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First and second have been tied down to Gallagher and Galchenyuk respectively for the last few weeks. The question is, who finishes on top? Both have been equally as hot as of late as Galchenyuk has four goals and seven assists in his last 13 games. Gallagher has put up six goals and four assists in the same time frame. To even things up even more, the production for both in these 13 games have mostly been at even strength making this battle for the top more intense.
Galchenyuk may be able to skip the scale in his favour with his scoring at home, but there are only three games left at the Bell Centre. Additionally, we can’t look past how dialled in Gallagher has been this season which may give him the edge. The 2010 fifth-round pick can set a career-high in points (previously at 47) in these remaining games for the Montreal Canadiens. Gallagher isn’t the type to focus on offensive contributions, but it wouldn’t be surprising if those individual goals are adding more fuel to his fire in the final stretch of the season.
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It’s going to be something worth tracking as the Habs wait for the 2017/18 season to wrap up. Even if you’re completely on board with the team tanking and losing every game of the year, you can still cheer for individual success. At the same time, it doesn’t have to be just this season. The growth of Gallagher and Galchenyuk right now can be a precursor of what to expect down the road.