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Calgary 3, Montreal 2 (OT). “We’re working arduous nevertheless it’s not straightforward,” Gallagher says.
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We dedicate this version of the Hidden Recreation to Cody Fajardo, Davis Alexander, Austin Mack, Marc-Antoine Dequoy and Geoffrey Cantin-Arku.
Though they’re getting ready for his or her greatest recreation this season — Saturday’s East Division closing in opposition to the Toronto Argonauts at Molson Stadium — the Alouettes gamers have been on the Bell Centre for Tuesday evening’s recreation between the Canadiens and Calgary Flames.
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Your correspondent can report the gamers, a minimum of most of them, ate heartily within the press room earlier than the opening faceoff and once more through the first intermission. We received’t report on what they consumed as a result of a few of it, we could diplomatically counsel, may not have been on a dietitian’s really helpful record of wholesome meals.
However then once more, we’re not a dietitian, so what do we all know?
Whereas their bellies have been full, all the gamers appeared to depart on the finish of the second interval. Early to mattress and early to rise. And, in spite of everything, how a lot movie and playbook research can a man take in earlier than his mind shuts down?
Greatest transfer of the evening: Within the second interval, Canadiens mascot Youppi! poured some popcorn on the top of a spectator sporting a Flames jersey. The man laughed. Plus, he bought some free popcorn. We name this a win-win situation.
Homecoming: The Flames have two Quebec-born gamers — Jonathan Huberdeau from St-Jérôme and Longueuil’s Anthony Mantha. Though Huberdeau leads Calgary with 5 targets this season, he did not beat Samuel Montembeault. As for Mantha, he endured a comparatively quick evening, not returning for the second interval with a lower-body damage. Huberdeau, by the way, stays two assists shy of 500 in his profession.
Highway to the Cup
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They don’t make them sticks like they used to: Within the recreation’s fifth minute, and whereas the Canadiens have been on the ability play, Juraj Slafkovsky — caught on one aim this season — was in an ideal place to attain his second on a rebound. However his stick broke after it was hit by a Kirby Dach shot.
How the mighty have fallen: Solely every week in the past Emil Heineman was on the Canadiens’ prime line, teamed with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki. Now, in opposition to Calgary, he was relegated to the fourth triumvirate, with Oliver Kapanen and Joel Armia.
Our Lane Hutson second of the evening: Within the first interval, the rookie defenceman wowed the gang with one other one in all his patented fakes, then rapidly recovered on the backcheck in opposition to Nazem Kadri. Hutson rapidly is turning into a participant definitely worth the worth of admission, regardless of the overpriced tickets. And when was the final time we might state that a few Canadiens participant?
Information you want (Half I): Alex Newhook was credited with 4 of the Canadiens’ 15 first-period pictures. Workhorse defenceman Mike Matheson performed almost half the interval, coming in at 9:08.
Information you want (Half II): The Canadiens have but to win this season when permitting the opening aim.
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Dumb penalty (Half I): Within the opening interval, Daniil Miromanov was referred to as for tripping on Christian Dvorak, who has one aim and 4 factors this season.
With buddy like this, who wants enemies: The puck hit a falling Heineman and went on to Connor Zary, who opened the scoring at 4:20 of the second interval.
Information you want (Half III): The Canadiens had two pictures by way of quarter-hour of the second interval.
Pictures are overrated (Half I): Brendan Gallagher tied the rating together with his fifth aim this season late within the second interval — on Montreal’s fourth shot of the interval.
Cross of the evening (Half I): Armia to Gallagher on the aim.
Dumb penalty (Half II): Justin Kirkland was referred to as for holding on Dvorak, hardly an offensive menace, within the second interval.
Unfortunate: Within the fifth minute of the third interval, Slafkovsky made a pleasant transfer and was alone within the slot — however couldn’t beat the put up.
Information you want (Half IV): The Canadiens did not register a shot by way of the opening 5 minutes of that interval.
Pictures are overrated (Half II): Armia gave Montreal a 2-1 lead simply shy of six minutes into the interval with a short-handed aim. It was the Canadiens’ first shot.
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Cross of the evening (Half II): Jake Evans to Armia on that aim, capping a two-on-one break.
How does this make sense: After sending 15 first-period pictures at Dustin Wolf, the Canadiens examined the goalie solely eight instances over the ultimate 40 minutes.
Information you want (Half V): The Canadiens have been assessed just one minor penalty. May we recommend the hooking name on Hutson within the third interval was borderline at finest.
Typically the hockey gods aren’t in your aspect: Caufield nearly scored an insurance coverage aim within the third interval, splitting the defence solely to be stopped in alone. Gallagher nearly scored an insurance coverage aim later, however the Flames challenged the play and it was accurately decided Josh Anderson was offside. And in extra time, Dvorak received the faceoff in opposition to Mikael Backlund, however Suzuki misplaced his stick and Matt Coronato scored the winner solely seven seconds in.
Fast stats: Suzuki was minus-2. Matheson blocked 4 pictures and was on the ice for a team-high 26:23. Montembeault confronted 36 pictures for a save proportion of .917.
They mentioned it: “Proper now we’re combating. We’re looking for outcomes,” Gallagher mentioned. “We’re working arduous nevertheless it’s not straightforward. It is a powerful league. As soon as we determine it out we’ll be higher off however we will’t let an excessive amount of time go by. There’s a slim margin between successful and shedding on this league. When you could have a lead within the third, at house, it ought to be a scenario the place you’re capable of lock it down.”
“We sort of restricted their scoring possibilities,” Anderson mentioned. “It’s powerful after they rating within the final 5 minutes. I believed we had an excellent begin.”
“Who is aware of? If a pair go in it’s an entire totally different recreation,” Evans mentioned. “You don’t need it to return all the way down to extra time or a play on the finish. I believed we performed fairly nicely.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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