Montreal Canadiens: 24 Thoughts On Habs Lopsided Loss To Blues
Third Period
Slafkovsky looks like a completely different player. Makes a great move to the middle of the ice on the opening shift of the third period, but can’t quite get the shot off. Takes a hit to make a play along the boards behind the net but takes it in stride. Gets to the front of the net and tips a shot that nearly goes in. He looks far better on the first line than he ever did on the second.
Referees are funny things. Sometimes they make fairly weak calls like they did when Mike Matheson was grabbed. Then, sometimes, since the team is already on the power play, they don’t call things like blatant hooks that knock down Justin Barron and allow a Blues player to go in all alone on a breakaway from his own zone and score a shorthanded goal to make it 4-2.
Kovacevic doesn’t offer a lot offensively, but man is he good defensively. Who is playing defense on this team at this time next year? Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher are probably here but Matheson, Guhle, Harris, Xhekaj, Barron, Savard and Kovacevic are signed next year too. Logan Mailloux and Mattias Norlinder were terrific in training camp. That’s 11 guys.
Monahan actually loses a faceoff and everyone is so confused they forget how to defend for a second. It is just long enough for Brayden Schenn to fire home his first goal of the season and give the Blues a big 5-2 lead.
Matheson is playing a lot with Harris tonight and I like that pairing. Matheson is a pretty high risk player and I think Harris can become a really dependable defensive defenseman who plays a ton of minutes and just doesn’t let bad things happen when he is on the ice. He’s getting a chance to prove he can do that tonight and looks calm and comfortable in his own zone.
Newhook gets outmuscled in his own zone and instead of an easy clear the puck ends up in the Habs empty net to make it 6-2. He skates so well and has a lot of potential yet, but there are some warts he needs to work out.
Aside from gliding around on the power play while facing away from the other team’s net, I haven’t noticed Josh Anderson at all. Did you know that he is making $8 million this season?
After starting the season 5-2-1, the Canadiens have lost three straight. A tough road trip that started with a kind of uplifting loss to the Vegas Golden Knights in a shootout. Now 5-4-2 the Habs are barely above 0.500 and have only beaten the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres in regulation after 11 games played. It is starting to look like a long season ahead.
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