Montreal Canadiens: 24 Thoughts On Habs Loss To Canucks
Third Period
Another referee without the stones to call a penalty shot… this happens nearly every game with the Canadiens. I didn’t complain when it was David Pastrnak who should have had one against them, but Josh Anderson definitely deserved one early in the third period and he didn’t get the call. He needs a goal so bad and that could have been the springboard but alas, the Habs head to a power play.
Completely unrelated to the game we are watching but the Colorado Avalanche just announced Pavel Francouz is out for the season. Do they have another Justin Barron we can have for any one of our goalies?
Mike Matheson, whose defensive game I’ve been critical of, has been fine in his own end tonight and he gets the Habs on the board on the power play as he steps up into a scramble in front and fires a puck into the net to finally beat DeSmith.
Anderson got an assist on that goal and I have also been critical of his game but he has played well lately and gotten nothing to show for it. He deserves something to go his way and he got a little something with a second assist on that goal.
Both Nick Suzuki and Brendan Gallagher have lost skate blades on seemingly innocuous plays to start the period. Did the equipment manager forget to put the new ones in all the way or is this some sort of Marc Bergevin prank on his old team? Probably Bergevin breaking into the Bell Centre and undoing everyone’s skate blades in the intermission. Yeah, that seems likely.
The Canucks have been rumoured to be interested in a right defenseman and while they will likely target a veteran and probably one in Calgary, could they be interested in giving up a young forward for one of the Habs young defenders? The Canadiens are stacked on defense but need some more top six forwards for the future. What about Justin Barron for Vasili Podkolzin? Makes sense, I’ll call the league.
Allen has made some incredible saves in this period, robbing a pair of Canucks on two separate cross ice one-timers. I really have no idea which direction the Canadiens will go with the three goalies they have. Does someone overpay for Allen? Does Montembeault leave since he is a pending UFA? Does a rebuilding team find a spot for Primeau and give up a pick for him? I have no idea what happens.
Arber Xhekaj scores an obvious goal that definitely counts and there is a delay as the review room in Toronto desperately tries to find a way to wipe out another Habs goal. They can’t find a reason to not count it so it stands but the Habs lose 5-2 anyway after a couple of empty net goals by the Canucks.
Next. Habs Looking To Re-Sign Montembeault. dark
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