Montreal Canadiens: 24 Thoughts On Habs Slump Busting Win
Second Period Thoughts
Another great shift from the Suzuki, Caufield Slafkovsky line to begin the second period. Kind of feels like we could be talking about this line for the next decade. We have known for a while what Suzuki and Caufield can do together but they always seemed to be missing a big skilled winger to round out the trio.
Jayden Struble made a subtle little pass along the blue line to keep the play alive and it led to the Canadiens second goal. It was interesting to see Arber Xhekaj sent down to the Laval Rocket yesterday and though I don’t expect him to stay there long, he wouldn’t have gone down at all if Struble was struggling. With David Savard also close to a return, and Xhekaj likely only going to the AHL for a couple of games, it will be interesting to see who stays in the lineup.
Speaking of the Habs second goal, it was Tanner Pearson who snapped home a rebound and he looked pretty relieved to finally see a puck go in. He didn’t score in the month of November, but he does play a smart two-way game and isn’t really hurting the team. That’s eight points in 25 games and he is an experienced Stanley Cup winner. Could see him dealt at the trade deadline as well, though he wouldn’t fetch the return Monahan will.
Either way, Pearson once said he just hopes he can hold his kids again after his hand injury last season was not properly dealt with by the Vancouver Canucks so you like to see him healthy and contributing.
Brendan Gallagher got an assist on that goal as he tipped the puck on its way to the net from the top of the crease. This led to the goaltender not playing the puck cleanly and an easy rebound for Pearson. This is the 700th game of Gallagher’s career and most would have guessed he would have played zero when he was younger. The scrappy, undersized winger was a fifth round pick, but he worked for everything he has ever received and dealt with serious injuries along the way. It is quite an achievement for him to get to 700.
Monahan scored a second goal and this one was a beauty setup with Suzuki and Caufield on the power play. Monahan is now on pace for 26 goals and 49 points so that trade value is climbing back up.
The Canadiens got that power play because Slafkovsky took the puck through the middle of the ice, split the defense, chipped the puck behind them and just about broke in along on the goalie but Adam Larsson hauled him down. Big boy play by Slafkovsky and it resulted in a goal.
Jared McCann scores for the Kraken after the Habs veteran line of Brendan Gallagher, Christian Dvorak and Pearson gets caught in their own end for a nearly three minute shift. This just reminds me of the team time the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for McCann, protected Alex Kerfoot in an expansion draft instead, and then lost McCann to Seattle. Interesting decision. Then they signed Nick Ritchie because they needed a first line winger.