This version of the Hidden Sport is devoted to Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes.
When a staff is outshot by a 2:1 margin — because the Canadiens had been in Wednesday night time’s 4-3 victory over the Utah Mammoth on the Delta Heart — we don’t care what number of targets had been allowed. All that issues is the win.
Dobes clearly has seized the No. 1 goaltending place
with Montreal — at the least for now. That doesn’t imply Samuel Montembeault needs to be thrown underneath the bus. And the veteran virtually definitely will begin one of many subsequent two video games on this highway journey, Friday afternoon at Las Vegas or Saturday afternoon at Colorado.
However Dobes is the recent netminder at the moment. And Dobes is the profitable netminder at the moment. Each level and each victory is all that issues within the battle to safe a playoff berth.
Memo to Gary Bettman:
Hockey wasn’t working in Arizona, so the NHL commissioner, in his infinite knowledge, determined to relocate the franchise to Salt Lake Metropolis. Attendance on this night time — on the eve of U.S. Thanksgiving — was 12,478. Take a bow, Mr. Bettman. As professional franchises go, solely the Toronto Argonauts, a staff no person needs to educate, can relate to that determine.
How about these Canadiens?:
The staff usually takes its supporters on a roller-coaster trip, and this night time was no completely different. Up 2-0 after the primary interval, down 3-2 following 40 minutes. It could have been straightforward to acquiesce on the highway. However this staff by no means quits. Kudos to go coach
Martin St. Louis
.
The US$10-million man:
Logan Cooley, the third total draft selection in 2022, scored 4 consecutive targets in Utah’s 5-1 win in opposition to Vegas on Monday. He ought to have saved a few of these targets for Wednesday. Cooley, 21, signed an eight-year extension on Oct. 29, with a median annual worth of a cool US$10 million. Hopefully he can survive on that.
The long run is now:
The Canadiens dressed six rookies in opposition to Utah, together with defenceman
Adam Engstrom
, who was making his NHL debut. He performed a modest 10:42 and had a shot.
Florian Xhekaj
, taking part in his second NHL sport, logged 8:51, had a shot, blocked one and had two hits. Jared Davidson, taking part in his fifth sport, was restricted to five:23 and had 9 shifts.
Information you want (Half I):
This was Utah’s first loss when main after two durations.
Sieve of the night time:
Mammoth goalie Karel Vejmelka allowed two targets on seven pictures within the first interval. Then he was overwhelmed on the 14th and fifteenth pictures he confronted within the third. His save share was .765.
Dumb penalty:
Jack McBain tripped
Lane Hutson
within the offensive zone eight minutes into the competition.
Cross of the night time (Half I):
Hutson to
Zachary Bolduc
on the Canadiens’ opening purpose.
Information you want (Half II):
Bolduc had gone 13 video games with out scoring, relationship again to Oct. 22. He was due. Some would possibly recommend overdue.
Like watching paint dry:
By means of the opening 14 minutes, Utah was held to 2 pictures.
Cross of the night time (Half II):
Cole Caufield to Nick Suzuki on the Canadiens’ second purpose.
Milestone:
The purpose, Suzuki’s sixth this season, was the four-hundredth level of his profession.
Unusual however true:
Sure, that was Hutson killing a penalty within the first interval.
How the sport can flip:
Within the twelfth minute of the second interval, with the Canadiens main 2-1, Caufield had a breakaway from centre ice — however was stopped. Seconds later, Kailer Yamamoto tied the rating.
How to not backcheck (Half I):
Oliver Kapanen
on the Yamamoto purpose.
How to not backcheck (Half II):
Joe Veleno on Utah’s third purpose, scored by Michael Carcone.
Information you want (Half III):
The Canadiens have now been outscored 33-22 within the second interval this season.
Greatest timeout of the night time:
It was referred to as by Utah head coach André Tourigny, after Juraj Slafkovsky scored the obvious tying purpose within the third interval. Following a video evaluate, it was accurately decided that Slafkovsky was offside on the play.
This one counted:
Moments later, Suzuki tied the rating.
It’s starting to look so much like Christmas:
Wednesday was the beginning of the Canadiens taking part in 16 video games over 28 days earlier than the NHL breaks for the vacations. That features 5 pairs of back-to-back video games.
Fast stats:
Caufield had three of Montreal’s 17 pictures. Veleno had three hits. Alexandre Service blocked 4 pictures, however was additionally minus-2. Dobes’s save share was .912. The Canadiens gained 51.7 per cent of their faceoffs whereas outhitting Utah 20-18. Nick Schmaltz had six of Utah’s 34 pictures, however has now gone seven video games and not using a purpose.
They mentioned it:
“Typically as a result of we have now a few unhealthy minutes in a row, that doesn’t outline your sport,” Dobes advised the media in Salt Lake Metropolis. “Simply due to a few targets, you’re not going to vary one thing. Simply stick with the plan. It labored out. I didn’t make the additional save for a few minutes, but it surely doesn’t outline the sport.”
“After all I used to be just a little bit nervous at the beginning,” Engstrom advised reporters in Salt Lake Metropolis. “When you get into it, it’s effective. It was an superior expertise. I felt good. I felt I made good performs. Some good defensive zone performs, too. After all every little thing strikes so much quicker right here. You must make faster performs with the puck. In the beginning it felt like individuals had been coming at me quick, however then you definately get used to it.”
“I’m pleased with the fellows’ efforts to come back again,” Suzuki mentioned in Salt Lake Metropolis. “I’m simply making an attempt to do my finest on the market. I get to play with numerous nice gamers. They’ve helped me get to the place I’m as we speak. I’m positively grateful for that.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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