It won’t be an ordinary game for three of the Montreal Canadiens as Max Domi, and Nick Cousins get reunited while Brendan Gallagher celebrates 500 NHL games.
As we discussed in the preview, tonight’s game against the Arizona Coyotes will be an important one for the Montreal Canadiens as they try to get their road trip off on the right foot. However, there will be a lot more emotion behind this game.
1. Homecoming
Max Domi has already played a full season away from the Arizona Coyotes and had a successful year doing so. That doesn’t mean it’s not going to tug at the heartstrings a bit to step into the organization who drafted him and play in the city he called home for three years.
It was a massive move for the Montreal Canadiens to acquire Domi from the Coyotes, but it’s been a move that has paid off. He’s thriving in a top market and enjoying the spotlight playing centre after two rough years in Arizona, where the offence was tough to come by.
Speaking of offence, Domi has yet to put up a single point against the Coyotes. Perhaps that changes after tonight given how recharged the partnership between himself and Jonathan Drouin looks.
Of course, Domi isn’t going to be the only player on the Montreal Canadiens to get those kinds of feelings. Nick Cousins was a member of the Arizona Coyotes for two seasons before leaving to sign with the Habs in free agency. Cousins has always been a character guy in the NHL with the ability to chip in offensively in the bottom six and Montreal is getting a taste of that now.
2. 500-game Man
Brendan Gallagher will be playing his 500th NHL game as he laces up for this match against the Coyotes.
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That makes Gallagher the 10th player from the 2010 NHL Draft to hit the milestone and the only player to do it who was taken later than the second round. It’s an incredible feat for Gallagher considering how little hope organizations place in fifth-round picks. At the same time, Gallagher’s size wasn’t as appreciated then as it is now.
He had to work and prove he was strong enough to compete in the professional realm of hockey and has become one of the league’s better crease producers. The way Gallagher plays isn’t a surprise to many anymore after watching him for so many years, but his consistent production continues to be a pleasant surprise.
The 27-year-old is sitting on back-to-back 30-goal seasons and is on pace to do it again with five goals in 11 games.
3. Can They Keep It Up?
Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia have risen to the top of most Habs fan’s minds. Drouin did his best to work on his details over the summer on his own and with Dominique Ducharme, and it’s paying off. He’s committed himself to a more engaging style of play that is earning more of Claude Julien‘s trust while putting himself in a position to score.
The same goes for Armia, who looks as if he’s put all his tools together this season. A lot about Armia’s production screams unsustainable – in particular, the 23.1% shooting percentage – but it’s hard to doubt him based on how well he’s using his size and skating.
Drouin is tied for team-lead in overall points with ten while Armia’s six goals (three of which were on the powerplay) are the most by any Montreal Canadiens player. If they can continue to produce in this way, the Habs won’t have a hard time worrying about scoring.