Hidden Game: Canadiens overcome early two-goal deficit, but lose in shootout to Islanders

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It’s solely six video games into the season, and there’s loads of hockey remaining. However we’re questioning if Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis is beginning to lose a few of his endurance? And whether or not he’s sending messages to some gamers?

When Montreal took to the ice towards the New York Islanders on Saturday evening at UBS Area, it was with out arguably its two hardest gamers.

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Limitless on-line entry to our award-winning journalism together with thought-provoking columns by Allison Hanes, Josh Freed and Invoice Brownstein.Alternative to have interaction with our commenting group and study from fellow readers in a moderated discussion board.Limitless on-line entry to the Montreal Gazette and Nationwide Publish, together with the New York Instances Crossword, and 14 extra information websites with one accountSupport native journalists and the subsequent technology of journalists.Montreal Gazette ePaper, an digital duplicate of the print version to view on any machine, the place you may share and remark..

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There was nothing stunning about winger Michael Pezzetta being a wholesome scratch for the sixth recreation, and counting. However what ought to be made, if something, of 6-foot-4, 240-pound defenceman Arber Xhekaj not dressing, particularly with Kaiden Guhle (upper-body harm) remaining again dwelling?

We perceive St. Louis eager to get Jayden Struble, who had been injured, into the lineup for the primary time this season. And administration needed to justify Friday’s recall from Laval of former first-round draft alternative Logan Mailloux. In any other case, he may have remained with the AHL Rocket, the place he already had two targets and 4 factors in two video games.

However the Canadiens have a status of being a small and gentle workforce. Everyone’s presence grows when Xhekaj’s on the ice.

That is Montreal. We, right here on the Hidden Recreation, are allowed to second-guess teaching selections.

Persistence is a advantage: However not a lot on this metropolis. We may hear enamel gnashing after the Islanders went forward 2-0 within the first interval.

Then again: Say what you’ll about St. Louis’s workforce, however they by no means give up. By the tip of the second interval, the rating was 2-2. And so they despatched the sport to additional time with a late third-period aim earlier than dropping 4-3 in a shootout.

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Information you want (Half I): Six of the final seven video games between these groups have been determined by one aim. The Islanders even have defeated Montreal 5 successive instances on dwelling ice.

The excellent news: Cayden Primeau, making his first begin in web for the Canadiens since permitting six targets at Boston on Oct. 10, stopped the primary shot he confronted, from Anthony Duclair, 66 seconds into the sport. Primeau additionally didn’t permit a rebound on the shot, which struck his chest.

The dangerous information: Primeau was crushed on the fourth and fifth photographs he confronted, the targets coming from Bo Horvat, on the power-play, at 14:31 of the opening interval, and Kyle Palmieri, low to the stick facet, lower than three minutes later.

The higher information: Primeau may have crumbled at this juncture. To his credit score, he didn’t.

Information you want (Half II): Horvat’s aim was solely the second scored by the Islanders this season with the man-advantage. They entered the sport with one aim off 10 alternatives. Even somebody as mathematically challenged as we’re can determine that works out to a 10-per-cent effectivity fee. And that’s not good.

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Go determine: The season began with 20-year-old rookie defenceman Lane Hutson teamed with 33-year-old David Savard. Not precisely arduous to determine. However Hutson, who performed half-hour final Thursday towards Los Angeles, has earned a lot belief and confidence from St. Louis he was paired with rookie Mailloux, 21, towards the Islanders.

Guess the shoulder’s OK: Juraj Slafkovsky left Friday’s follow early, favouring his left shoulder. However within the recreation’s eleventh minute, he crunched defenceman Adam Pelech towards the tip boards. Thoughts you, it was together with his proper shoulder.

Information you want (Half III): Cole Caufield, who scores from some mind-boggling sharp angles, opened the scoring on the ability play together with his team-leading fifth aim this season. His sixth recreation late in regulation. 4 of his targets have come within the first interval. And Caufield now has picked the upper-left nook 26 instances in his younger profession. In 211 video games, Caufield now has 87 targets.

Late targets kill: Caufield’s rating got here with 4 seconds remaining within the opening interval.

So do early targets: Mailloux’s first profession NHL aim got here at 59 seconds of the second interval.

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Move of the evening: Jake Evans to Mailloux.

This shut to a different one: Within the sixth minute of the center interval, Caufield was denied on a breakaway.

There’s a primary time for all the things: Halfway by way of the interval, the Canadiens, unable to make a line change, have been beneath intense strain. Oliver Kapanen, taking part in and not using a stick, Josh Anderson, Mailloux, Christian Dvorak and Hutson all have been on the ice for greater than three minutes. By some means, they miraculously didn’t give up a aim.

That will need to have damage: We will solely think about how battered and bruised Savard’s physique is most nights. Within the final minute of the interval, he blocked a Horvat shot off the again of his skate and limped off.

Dumb penalties: Take your choose — Joel Armia tripping Palmieri within the offensive zone; Justin Barron’s high-stick on Jean-Gabriel Pageau, each within the third interval; or Kirby Dach’s high-stick on Palmieri in additional time. The Canadiens took 5 consecutive penalties.

Subsequent time, decline the penalty: The Islanders went 1-for-6 on the power-play.

Information you want (Half IV): Whereas the Canadiens have been compelled to kill three penalties within the third interval, in addition they generated solely three photographs.

Fast stats: Each Savard and Mike Matheson blocked 5 photographs. Matheson logged 28:10 — 4 minutes greater than Hutson. With 33 stops, Primeau’s save proportion was .917.

They mentioned it: “Clearly, after my final outing, I needed to have a robust rebound,” Primeau advised the media post-game in Elmont, N.Y. “Targets go in. They bought two within the first, but it surely didn’t faze me. The No. 1 takeaway from in the present day is that we battled.”

“I assumed we took care of the sport for probably the most half,” Caufield advised the media on website. “The rating didn’t present for that half. We caught with it and gave ourselves a extremely good probability. For certain it’s a constructing block. We’re by no means out of any recreation.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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