Canadiens host the Sharks in battle of Calder Trophy favourites

The Montreal Canadiens are on a two-game winning streak, and their opponents the visiting San Jose Sharks are last place out of 32 teams.

This Sharks team is full of young players, who will flip the script for the Sharks soon. At the top of the list is Macklin Celebrini, a former teammate of Lane Hutson with the BU Terriers. Thursday's match up will be the second battle between the two former Hobey Baker nominees, and current Calder Trophy favourites.

Basing it off points alone, Hutson has 43 points in 58 games - while playing on the number one power play, and being a defenseman. Celebrini has 42 points in 47 games, as an 18-year-old rookie. It's quite the debate with each side having strong arguments.

Thankfully none of that matters tonight, it's Habs-Sharks and Hutson's focus is the same as Celebrini's to get the two points in the bank. Anybody that is watching the game knows that for that reason, it will be a can't miss game between No. 71 in teal, and No. 48 in bleu, blanc and rouge.

There was a sense that both players would excel in the NHL after dominating in the NCAA, but the speed that they have adapted to the league is a little bit ridiculous.

Onto the game

The Sharks took the lead early, when Fabian Zetterlund scored a gimme on the doorstep with Samuel Montembeault looking the wrong way. Rookie centre Will Smith made a nice stop behind the net, and found Zetterlund with a tape-to-tape pass. Zetterlund had the yawning cage to shoot at and he hit his shot at 03:56.

At one point the Sharks were leading 4-1 in the shot column, and the Canadiens weren't getting much done.

Second half Slafkovsky, however, continued his strong play, making a nice poke check on the defensive side of the neutral zone. Cole Caufield collected the puck, and then pivoted in transition to the offensive zone, with captain Nick Suzuki open across the ice entering the zone at the same time. Caufield caught Suzuki with a well-place pass, and Suzuki showed his wonderful catch-and-release ability, firing a bullet past Alexandar Georgiev.

Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky have been feeling pretty good about themselves since returning from the break. Perhaps the rest for Slafkovsky, and the snubs by their respective countries for Caufield and Suzuki igniting a flame in the trio. In the past three games, the trio has combined for 12 points in their last six periods and 16 minutes of a period against the Sharks.

Montreal is controlling the shots, and the play has been relatively back and forth, but the Sharks struck for the second time of the period. Nico Sturm finished a nice passing play with Klim Kostin and Collin Graf. Graf made a couple of nice moves entering the zone, before feeding the puck to Kostin who's shot trickled over to a wide open Sturm.

The Canadiens have made a push to tie the game, and lead pretty substantially in the shot department - 12-6. Montreal is infamous for playing well against the stronger teams, but they have problems with the potential draft lottery teams. With under two minutes to play, I think it's most important to keep the deficit to one goal - of course they need a goal, but not at the risk of surrendering one.

And Mr. Reliable - Captain Suzuki struck with 54 seconds on the clock, firing home a perfectly placed wrist shot over Georgiev's trapper-side shoulder. Hutson scored his 40th assist of the season, adding insult to injury, pulling two points ahead of Celebrini and tying the game.

With 40 minutes to play, and his line providing the offence for the Canadiens to this point - Suzuki is on hat trick watch. Caufield and Slafkovsky are making plays all over the ice, and feeling good about themselves. They are up to 13 points combined over the last seven periods of hockey they've played together - Suzuki's 18th of the season makes that 14 points.

And now the second period

It's been rather 50/50 with neither team giving much space, but that hasn't discouraged the effort from each side. Owen Beck, still searching for his first NHL point has made some nice passes. He also has shown a willingness to be a heavy forechecker, going airborne after the opposing defender moved out of his way.

A few moments later, Suzuki nearly got sprung on a breakaway, but entering the zone he heard the dreaded whistle. He was offside, and frustrated that he lost a golden chance to go up 3-2, and less importantly wrap up his hat trick.

Canadiens continue the shot lead 15-11 at the five minute mark of the period.

After a long sequence pinned in the corner, two combatants came out and shed their gloves. Barclay Goodrow and Jayden Struble decided to settle their differences with their fists. it was a spirited bout, with both players getting in a couple of good licks.

Struble is now a goal short of a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, after he registered an assist on Suzuki's second goal. Struble now has six assists, and two goals for eight points in 32 games this season.

It's getting a little chippier with each minute that passes, both teams refuse to back down from the scrums. Shots are 4-2 in favour of the Sharks with 10 minutes to play.

Celebrini nearly fired home a wizard-like feed from William Eklund, but caught Montembeault's pad. Beck nearly answered back with a chance of his own. But the masked men have come to play this period.

Hutson held in a zone exit effort by the Sharks, and nearly put Suzuki's hat trick tally on a silver platter for the captain. Crazy sequence, and minutes before it, Caufield was inches from scoring his 28th of the year.

Jake Evans, Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak nearly put together the ultimate fourth line energy-style goal. With Josh Anderson in the infirmary, Marty has paired his two bottom six centres together with Gallagher for every other shift.

Xhekaj just missed intercepting a zone clear, and Smith collected the puck in the neutral zone. After entering the attacking zone with plenty of space, Smith wired a wrister past Montembeault, to put the Sharks up 3-2 with under three minutes remaining in the period.

3-2 Sharks after forty minutes

It's the third

Beck has continued doing all the little unsung things right, and it finally worked out for him. Beck drew the first assist of surely many. Alex Newhook ripped home a feed from Patrik Laine in the slot. Without Beck taking a big hit, the play would have never happened.

With 15:27 to go in the game, the game is tied 3-3. The Sharks made the next mistake too - Hutson tried to make a defender look like Bambi, and drew a tripping penalty. Canadiens to the power play.

Slafkovsky went right to the net with the puck to set the tone early. Then Hutson hit Laine with a pass in his sweet spot. But Georgiev stood tall.

Still 3-3 after the power play.

Josh Anderson nearly got sprung on the breakaway, but Shakhir Mukhamadullin held him up. Montreal back to the man advantage to try and pad their lead by two.

Newhook hasn't been trigger shy, making sure to get a shot each time the second unit comes over the boards. He hasn't capitalized, but it isn't all for naught. A shooter's mentality should be ingrained in the forwards' minds.

The game is still up for grabs with 5:45 to go in the final frame, and Suzuki just played a shift with Beck and Newhook. Not sure what happened there, perhaps the icing.

60 minutes was too few minutes for the Habs and Sharks to settle their business, so off to overtime it is.

Overtime

Dvorak, Suzuki and Hutson started overtime, but Dvorak went off after the faceoff. Hutson nearly hit Caufield with a pass as he snuck into the attacking zone. But nothing materialized.

Newhook found Emil Heineman in the slot, but he missed his opportunity, just whiffing on the puck.

But what was to come was absolutely ridiculous stuff from Caufield, that very few would try, let alone successfully pull off. Caufield slipped the puck behind his back and around the defender, before finishing forehand shortside with a beauty for his 28th of the season.

The top line is playing like a dynamic top trio. Suzuki and Caufield earned first and second star nods, and the vibes are positive in Montreal.