Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens fall in overtime against the Penguins despite furious comeback attempt
The Pittsburgh Penguins may not be predicted to excel this season, but on opening night, no one impressed more than the Penguins who won 7-0 in Philadelphia. The Montreal Canadiens also won opening night 3-2 in Toronto.
The two undefeated clubs met in Pennsylvania on Saturday night. The Canadiens made it close, but fell 6-5 in overtime.
Head Coach Martin St. Louis considers good hockey when the Canadiens hold on to the puck in every zone, rather than give it away for any reason whatsoever. It’s easy to talk about, but much harder to execute. Opponents are always trying to take away time and space. The team that wins that battle usually wins the game.
When watching the Canadiens, look for it all of the time especially in the defensive zone when forecheckers are trying to force mistakes. On the first Montreal goal, an outstanding example of Montreal calmly keeping possession while they moved it up ice.
Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki got the helpers as they moved it into the offensive zone for Cole Caufield to streak in on the right side. Caufield looked far side high, and as he does, he found his target perfectly. Caufield with his first of the season.
In game one, all three who counted points on the first goal, didn’t count points on night one. Hutson, Suzuki and Caufield also had horrible analytics, so it was an extremely positive moment for the Canadiens early in game two of 84.
Also, it should be noted on the first goal that Chris Kreider went straight to the front of the net and created a great fly-by screen making it difficult for Pittsburgh goalie Arturs Silovs.
Montreal could have added more in the first ten minutes as they dominated. The transition game was strong. It didn’t appear that the Penguins could keep up. Josh Anderson and Jake Evans had breakaways that they couldn’t convert. Montreal had an 8-1 shot advantage in the first 10 minutes.
After that, there was very little to like for the next 30 minutes. Suzuki scored a tremendous goal on an individual effort taking it all the way to the goal against four Penguins. He backhanded it in from three feet just under the cross bar.
The top line kept it going in the third period as the architects of all of the team’s offence. Caufield with his usual perfect shot as he counted his second of the night.
It should be noted that as much as Kreider was criticized on opening night, he should be praised in the second contest. He was doing exactly what he does well. He won pucks, and he went to the net for screens and deflections.
Kreider can be effective on that line without carrying the puck. If Kreider goes to the net and takes a defender with him, that opens up ice for Caufield to shoot as he did for two goals.
Kreider went to the net on the 5-4 goal. Suzuki was behind the net, and Kreider made himself a perfect target for a one-time shot from 10 feet. Still, the Canadiens needed one more goal to pull off a remarkable four goal comeback in the final 21 minutes.
They got it with only 44 seconds left. It was Hutson to Suzuki to Ivan Demidov on an absolutely remarkable passing play. The Canadiens with a stunner of a comeback in a game they could have easily packed in late in the second period. Suzuki a four point night. Hutson a three point night.
Montreal lost in overtime, but credit to them for a valuable point that will feel important in April.
An example of what bothers Martin St. Louis as a head coach was the first goal against. It was a power play marker by Evgeni Malkin. However, what bothers the coach happened far before that breakdown. The power play was created on a call against Mike Matheson defending Sidney Crosby.
Matheson wouldn’t have had to defend Crosby, if the Canadiens weren’t called for icing before it. That’s where we finally arrive at the irritant for the head coach. He wants the club to hang on to the puck smartly. He doesn’t want to see panic.
Panic is exactly what Jayden Struble did. He had the puck in a free spot 25 feet in front of his own net. All Struble had to do was calm himself down, because he had plenty of room to make an intelligent play. Struble iced the puck needlessly. It was a chain of events that didn’t need to have a first link.
The Canadiens looked poor in the second period. They couldn’t get any offensive zone time. Dobes had difficulty as well. His Goals Saved Above Expected on the second goal was minus .60. On the third goal, as much as it was a scramble, he can’t be on his stomach either trying to make saves.
Dobes was the best goalie in the playoffs last season in Goals Saved Above Expected. Without Dobes, the Canadiens would not have been even close to the final four. However, in Pittsburgh, Dobes was poor with a GSAE of minus 3.15. It was an abysmal night for Dobes.
The analytics tell an honest tale of the tape. The line of Philip Danault, Alexandre Texier, and Kirby Dach was horrendous. Their Expected goals was a stunningly bad 26 per cent share. It’s a line without an identity. Danault brings defence, but his offensive days are over. Lining up with Texier and Dach neutralizes the offence they could bring.
The defensive pairing of Noah Dobson and Mike Matheson also weak with a 47 per cent.
On the fourth goal against, Matheson was beaten at the Pittsburgh blue line. No forward saw the danger, so Noah Dobson was by himself to poorly not take away the pass on a two-on-one. The number one pairing cannot look like this, if the Canadiens are to meet their lofty predictions of success.
The plain truth is that the best pairing last season and this season already is Hutson with Dobson. Last year, they had a 62 per cent Corsi as the top pairing by a long mile. This year, after an injury to Carrier, Hutson and Dobson were paired and clocked a 90 per cent Corsi share.
Overall, a worrisome night as the Canadiens were chasing the game. A team predicted by some to win the Stanley Cup shouldn’t be slower to get to loose pucks, scrambling to defend, and finding the hockey too fast for them for 30 minutes despite a powerful offensive comeback.
A top team doesn’t allow six goals against.
Naturally, as the Canadiens graduated players top draft choices into the NHL, the prospect pool shrunk. However, it’s still a strong group that could become successful pros. Throughout the season, in this space, the highs and lows of the prospects will be featured.
Likely, the number one prospect is Michael Hage. It was surprising when Hage decided on a third season at Michigan, but when a young man tells you that he wants more seasoning and schooling, then he must be allowed to follow his own pace and dreams.
The Wolverines are the benefactor, while the Canadiens will have to wait their turn. In the first game of the season, on Friday night, Hage shone even more than he shone last season when he was excellent averaging more than a point-per-game with 52 in 39.
On opening night, Hage had two goals and an assist in a 7-2 over Bowling Green. They met again on Saturday night, and Hage had an even better night. Hage had a goal and three helpers in a 4-3 win. Hage with a stunning seven points in two games to start the season.
Laval also had a big opening weekend with Jacob Fowler playing both games just to show how busy they want him to be this season in preparation for a back-up role in the NHL. Fowler was exceptional in both games. Friday, Fowler lost despite stopping 29 of 31 shots. Saturday, Fowler won allowing only one goal in 24 shots. Three goals allowed on 55 shots is an outstanding .946 start to the season.
Luke Middlestadt picked up where he left off after a strong training camp with three assists in the 6-1 win Saturday. David Reinbacher was a plus-two in the easy victory.
Other prospects that will be tracked intensively this season are Bryce Pickford who remains out of action after summer shoulder surgery, Alexander Zharovsky and Gleb Pugachyov who are playing in Russia. All of these players have a serious chance at an NHL career.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
