Ivan Demidov’s anticipated CH playoff debut

If the Montreal Canadiens, who haven’t sniffed anything come playoff time since 2021, weren’t excited about their looming first round matchup, Ivan Demidov cranks the excitement to richter scale-level numbers.

Now, put him against the best Russian hockey player in NHL history Alex Ovechkin, and let the two studs separated by 20 years of age, battled it out for bragging rights.

Doesn’t that sound fun? I’m ready for this series like a kid in a candy store waiting for a lollipop. 

Montreal has a million reasons to be excited and beaming with pride, when you consider they were written off in December. But they turned the ship around completely. 

Now, like a sportsboat, the Habs have flown up the standings, clinching a playoff berth in the penultimate matchup of the year (game 82).

Cole Caufield scored 37 goals, Nick Suzuki 85+ points, and Lane Hutson scored 60 assists.

Juraj Slafkovsky had a great season worth of lessons, and he should be a big part of what the CH do in the playoffs. No. 20 established a career-high in points (51)

Ivan Demidov is two games into his NHL career, and he has already had the Bell Centre rocking, so the playoffs should be a whole new animal.

No. 8 versus No. 93.

And there are a tremendous other players on both benches, it should be an excellent series.

Now, for game 1 of the first round between the Habs and Caps.

Onto the game.

First Period

Samuel Montembeault gets the start for the CH in the net, and Logan Thompson for the Ovechkin-led Capitals.

This should be electric before it every heads back to Montreal for game three and four at the Bell Centre.

Samuel Montembeault has bailed out the Ch early, but they need to repay the favour soon.

Washington looks energetic, and Montreal is trying to get their feet wet.

Both sides have established a heavy forecheck, and are finishing their checks at the top of the blueline.

Montembeault has been the story so far. Washington has a 9-4 shot lead.

Taylor Raddysh got caught for a slash, giving the CH their first powerplay of the series.

So, who breaks the ice here?

Hutson found Laine in his sweet spot and it popped off his stick into Logan Thompson’s chest quickly.

Ivan Demidov is out there, and three CH shots have solved nothing.

Soon he needs to be promoted.

Monty has been the Habs safety net so far, a bold strategy to be sure.

Everybody is after Lane Hutson, and Kaiden Guhle took a penalty defending his defence partner. 

Andrew Mangiapane, Guhle and Alex Newhook each have two minute minors.

Washington power play.

Josh Anderson took out John Carlson, with a slewfoot-like play. But it went uncalled.

Capitals remain on the man advantage. Two minutes rest in the period.

Ovechkin remains, unsurprisingly, in his office firing missiles at Monty.

Ovechkin caught Montembeault between his five-hole. 1-0 Washington with 1:26 to go.

Montreal hasn’t exactly exuded much confidence offensively.

Raddysh grabbed Slafkovsky after the whistle, and the combattants are back to exchanging pleasantries.

Slafkovsky and Raddysh are both in the box for roughing. Four on four to end the period - 46.4 seconds remain.

1-0 after twenty.

Second Period

The four on four penalties are over, both sides will play at five on five again.

Montreal is trying to slow the opposing forecheck, and establish one of their own.

Mike Matheson almost gave Washington a gift with a bad pass leaving the zone.

No harm done though. 

Patrik Laine and Ryan Leonard chirped a bit after the whistle, and it is playoff hockey season, folks. It feels good to say that.

1-0 after eight minutes burned off the clock.

Anderson got tripped interfered with, but no call.

Jayden Struble and Alex Ovechkin exchanged words, slashes and shoves.

Montreal needs some puck luck it feels like. Some good old-fashioned puck luck. A greasy goal would do.

Dowd held Suzuki’s stick for a five count, and no call. The referees are letting them play.

Bold strategy.

Matheson, please just make a move, and not muff the puck at the blueline. Please.

Alex Newhook had a fine chance, but fired his attempt into a Capitals defenders shinpad.

The play came around, and Anthony Beauvillier doubled the Caps lead. 2-0 Washington.

It may come back, after video review looked like a high stick. But Martin St. Louis took it on the chin.

Montreal trails by two, with 7:25 to play in the middle stanza.

Laine high sticking penalty. Capitals power play with 3:40 to go in the period.

David Savard layed in front of Ovechkin’s shot lane. Cutting off any angle.

Montreal needs a big kill.

They got it, and now they need the big guns to get firing. 

Pretty bad start to the playoff run. 

35 seconds to go, before the Habs get to recoup before a big third period push.

Maybe playing Demidov would help, I don’t know though. How about you Marty?

Third Period

Big hill ahead for the Ch to try and climb, it will have to be done in four five-minute increments.

Two minutes have gone by in the third, and Montreal still searches for their playoff opening goal.

Montreal has lots of work to do, and the officials aren’t giving any handouts to the CH.

Washington’s neutral zone almost trap style has slowed the Habs forecheck emphatically.

26-22 Caps lead in shots. 

Thompson continues to be a brick wall between the Capitals posts.

In a losing effort, the lack of Demidov ice time is appalling. We need goals, he creates offense, c’mon now.

10:30 remains.

Pierre-Luc Dubois tripped up Caufield, giving Montreal a power play with 9:57 to play. And a two-goal hill to climb.

Montreal is blank through their 24 shots, but Caufield struck with 9:28 to go. 2-1. 

It’s a one-goal game with plenty of hockey left to be played.

Caufield tried to catch Thompson cheating with a shortside shot by the masked man’s ear.

Lane Hutson teed up a great feed from Caufield, but it got blocked.

It’s been a quiet offensive game for the CH, not a great trend.

Suzuki got lost in the weeds and cleaned up a bouncing puck. 2-2 game.

Montreal is pressing for me, and they took over the shot lead.

As Montreal pushes in the final 15 seconds, they force Thompson to freeze the puck.

2-2 with 14.1 seconds in the game.

And, we’re off to overtime.

Lane Hutson had a massive two-assist third period in his first playoff game.

Overtime

I hope to see Ivan Demidov in overtime, he has played 11:04 through 60 minutes.

He has played, but not a whole lot. We shall see what happens.

Alwx Ovechkin scores and the Capitals win 3-2 and go up 1-0 in the series.