Montreal Canadiens face St Louis Blues, with playoff hopes driving both teams

The Montreal Canadiens enter their battle with the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night with the same approach, like every other game - it's a must-win.

It got off very rocky for the Canadiens during their recent game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche. At one point the Habs were trailing 4-1, but the boys represented the CH valiantly, climbing back to 4-4 before the end of regulation. Most impressive would have to be the effort the Habs penalty killers made killing off a two-minute minor, before pushing the contest to a shootout.

Montreal ultimately lost the game to the Avalanche, but they battled back in a game where zero points was a reality for most of the game. Gaining that one point, while seemingly insignificant from the outside looking in, could be the difference for the Habs playoff hopes after the wrap-up game No. 82.

St. Louis is a formidable foe, with a former Stanley Cup goaltender between the pipes, and the club has retained some of the pieces from that 2017-18 roster. Robert Thomas, Jordan Kyrou and Dylan Holloway power the clubs' offence, with Holloway just short of joining the other two with 60-plus points. And on the blueline, Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk steer the ship, though Parayko is out.

It will be a heavy game, with both teams throwing their weight around, and the offensive battle should shape up to be a must watch ticket.

Onto the game

17:08 reads on the clock, and the Canadiens trail the Blues in shots 3-0, but Samuel Montembeault has been the difference early.

Montreal has looked a little slow out of the gate, a trend that looks to be well on its way to becoming how they start games. They find themselves down, and battling back, which is a dangerous game to play, especially when you're playing in the playoffs.

Nearly seven minutes are off the clock, and it hasn't been an easy start for the Canadiens, who have been challenged hard by the Blues rapid forecheck, and quick sticks. They have yet to register a shot on the net.

Mike Matheson whiffed on an easy passing leaving the Habs zone and turned the puck over. Thankfully, Montembeault was more than up to the job, making a routine save.

It feels like the momentum could be swayed with a big hit or some sort of breakthrough for the Canadiens to get their feet under them. St. Louis is quick on loose pucks, and they converge fast on the forecheck causing headaches for the Habs all over the neutral zone.

With St. Louis dominating the shot board 9-0, they are the first team to earn a power play. Arber Xhekaj is in the box for slashing Alexei Toropchenko.

The Canadiens killed the penalty, and Christian Dvorak, a staple on the penalty kill, came up with a great scoring chance, off a great play and pass from Jake Evans.

It's been a Bluesy period for the Canadiens, but the score remains 0-0, so it could be much worse.

Jayden Struble made his way through the neutral zone on the backcheck, and stapled his assignment into the Canadiens bench with a thunderous body check. Suzuki nearly victimized Robert Thomas stripping the puck from him, and nearly nutmegging him, en route to a clear lane to the net.

Josh Anderson sat in the low slot and got a great feed from Dvorak cross-crease, but Binnington robbed No. 17 with a quick save.

Dylan Holloway truck-sticked Alexandre Carrier during a zone exit attempt. And a few moments later, Jordan Kyrou had a moving screen, and crept close to the net before firing a shot, untouched past Montembeault. The Blues 12th shot of the period, which is nine more than the Habs.

But the most important goal was the next one, and Lane Hutson was like a predator on its prey, scanning the offensive zone from the blueline. Hutson placed a perfectly-tippable wrist shot toward Binnington and Suzuki tapped the puck past Binnington.

Tyler Tucker was having a discussion with Anderson, and none other than Brendan Gallagher swooped in and spewed some venom toward Tucker.

Holloway, with four seconds on the clock tipped a Philip Broberg point shot past Montembeault to regain the Blues one-goal lead.

2-1 Blues after 20 minutes.

Second Period

Less than a minute into the period, the Blues rumbled down the ice, and into the Canadiens zone, making a bee-line for Montembeault. Radek Faksa got a whack in, and Anderson stood up for his goaltender.

Anderson is looking to inject some energy into the Canadiens, who survived the first period but need to pick up the pace here in the middle frame. Unfortunately, it turned into a penalty, but Anderson drew a penalty also.

And it's off to four on four, with Nathan Walker in the box for St. Louis.

I would say the exact opposite of the way that Martin St. Louis drew it up, is how the next goal went. It went past Montembeault, with Robert Thomas catching No. 35 for the Blues' third goal of the game, increasing their one-goal lead to two.

Lane Hutson, who assisted on Suzuki's goal, for his 54th point of the season, nearly made a saucer pass that spanned the the entire neutral zone directly onto Gallagher's tape. Even still, Gallagher tracked down the puck in the corner, negated the icing, and then started a solid cycle.

It was nothing more than a bit of offensive zone time, but that could be tremendous for the Habs' confidence right now. And the next-shot mentality is the best one to adopt when trailing your opponent by two tallies.

The Blues smother their opponents all over the ice, I can see this roster making some noise in the West during the playoffs. They currently hold onto the second wildcard spot in the west with 81 points, and the Vancouver Canucks trailing them by three points.

St. Louis is the hungrier team still, and Montebeault is bending, and the break could be imminent. In my opinion, this should have been a start for Jakub Dobes. But, it is what it is.

St. Louis struck again, the fourth goal of the night allowed by Montembeault, who had been tested all night. But, I think the Habs are not with it right now, and giving Dobes the net for the remained of the game, could be huge for his confidence.

4-1 Blues.

8:39 reads on the scoreboard, and the Canadiens have a three-goal hole to pull themselves out of.

Alexandre Texier's minor for holding could be just the spark the Habs need to break the damn. Caufield fired a puck at Binnington, and the rebound dropped to the ice, just beside his pad. Slafkovsky tried to collect the rebound but ran into a wall of Blues defenders.

Patrik Laine has two consecutive shots against No. 50 but has failed to strike for the Habs second of the game. Hutson nearly scored a great tally, and the rebound bounced to Slafkovsky, but nothing is going in. Laine had another chance, but the story remains the same.

Matheson had an option on the right half-wall, but instead hesitated, and then lost the puck forcing a zone exit. The Canadiens had to exit the zone, essentially killing a scoring opportunity.

Five minutes remain on the clock, and the Blues remain in the driver's seat, sporting a 4-1 lead.

It has been a tough outing for Carrier and Matheson, who have been on the ice for all four goals tonight. Carrier is a great defender, so that is rough for him to have a performance like that.

Alex Newhook fired a snapshot from the blueline, and Joshua Roy tried to collect the rebound and fire it toward Binnington in one swoop. But nothing came together.

The shot margin has shrunk, but No. 50 is dialled in, and that means trouble for the Habs so far tonight. 2:58 is on the clock, and the Canadiens are still looking for any crumbs left by the Blues.

Matheson ripped a shot wide, that would be lethal, if it were more accurate, but the puck sits in the corner.

Newhook has found his legs, and he and Laine have traded zone entries, and attempts on the net. But the Stanley Cup ring in Binnington's trophy case is there for a reason.

Binnington has surrendered one goal on 18 shots through 40 minutes of play.

Third Period

Montreal has a big hill to climb, to attempt to draw even with the Blues here in the third.

Before the period was three minutes old, Newhook looked on from the sin bin, after he received the gate for hooking Nick Leddy. The Canadiens' penalty killers came up big.

Matheson made an all heart effort to kill off the penalty but left himself vulnerable and got lit up by Zach Bolduc along the boards.

Six minutes have come and gone, and Montreal needs to make a push for their second, to cut the Blues' lead down to two.

Walker got Hutson with a big hit, and then Bolduc caught Slafkovsky with a big hit. Xhekaj stepped in, and he and Walker are off to the box for roughing minors, exchanging pleasantries from their place in the box. Four on four for the second time tonight.

Matheson turns the puck over at the Blues blueline, trying to do too much, and turning the puck over, leaving Carrier to backtrack and defend the odd-man rush.

Amazingly, No. 8 for the Habs, who is a minus four, is on the ice during a four-on-four with Carrier. The Habs' worst defence pair tonight is playing four-on-four. Why?

Montembeault let in a squeaker, and the seams are starting to split in his game, it's time to pull him, and let Dobes finish the game. This is embarrassing. Broberg has a goal and three assists tonight.

It's 5-1, why wasn't four goals enough to pull him. It wasn't happening, and that hasn't changed. Finally Dobes gets the nod, and Monty the yank.

Nine minutes remain in the game, and this game is just not going Montreal's way tonight whatsoever.

Xhekaj made a nice move, and before he could retrieve the loose puck, his stick was lumberjack-whacked out of his hands by Oskar Sundqvist. Habs are off to the power play, with 6:56 on the clock.

Suzuki attempted a cross-crease pass, that was disrupted by Binnington's trapper. Blues' penalty kill is successful once again, remaining unblemished tonight.

Nobody wants a piece of Xhekaj, and Walker, who is driving everybody nuts tonight in a red jersey, doesn't want a piece of No. 72. Anderson and Xhekaj each got tossed for their work, and Anderson received an extra two for roughing.

St. Louis strikes again pulling ahead 6-1, Bolduc has his 15th goal of the season. And Montreal is getting dog-walked by the home team.

Montreal needs to shift their attention to the next game on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. Tonight was a stinker, and hopefully a lesson to Marty to give his backup more starts. This was a great example of Matheson having an awful game, which is becoming a bit of a streak, and Montembeault looking tired, also a bit of a norm lately.

6-1 final.