It’s hard to look for issues following a win. But for the Montreal Canadiens, there’s one that’s getting tough to ignore, even if a win is covering it up.
The power-play units went quiet, finishing 0-for-3 on the night.
With the lackluster night, they’ve now gone four games without scoring with the man advantage. Even outside of this drought, it’s been nearly impossible. The Canadiens have exactly four power-play goals this season.
Not a typo. It translates to a success rate of 11.4%.
Two of those goals belong to Zachary Bolduc. Another belongs to an injured Nick Suzuki.
Through the early going of the season, the Canadiens power play has been one of the worst in the NHL. While these woes are very real, the real question is when they have to get more serious about it.
At what point should the Canadiens smack the panic button?
It’s early in the season, so the answer is they don’t have to panic just yet. Whether or not you panic now could be dependent on how much you think the power play will ultimately make or break this team.
Correlation between the power play and winning would be a reason to raise concern. Of the bottom 10 teams for scoring with the man advantage, only three are above the playoff line.
Those exceptions include the Canadiens, as well as the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Colorado Avalanche. The other two teams have been able to win despite having middle-of-the-pack penalty kills.
With that said, an explanation can also be that they’re simply two of the best teams in the NHL every year. The Canadiens don’t have that rapport quite yet to fall in that category.
Meanwhile, the Canadiens, with less of a track record, have been successful 5-on-5, but they’ve also had a respectable penalty kill unit this season.
They held the Blues to a shutout in part because they matched them and held them to 0-for-3 as well. Doing that helps, and it’s a major reason they’re above the playoff line.
None of this means there shouldn’t be concern. There should always be concern when the power play isn’t clicking. Having the ability to absorb the blow and taking the blow are two different discussions.
So on the panic meter, where should this be placed? Let’s call it a 6.5 out of 10. It’s favoring panic, but they’re in a position where they still have racetrack. If Bolduc ever struggles, feel free to spike the meter higher.
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