After getting blown out 8-4 by the Washington Capitals Thursday evening on the Bell Centre, the Canadiens held a apply Friday morning in Brossard that lasted lower than half-hour.
Head coach Martin St. Louis stated it was probably the most intense apply he has held this season — and never a simple one — even when it was quick.
After apply, St. Louis held a group assembly to debate what has gone incorrect during the last 5 video games, with the Canadiens posting an 0-4-1 document whereas getting outscored 27-10.
The Canadiens have a 10-7-3 document and had been in sixth place in a really tight Atlantic Division after Thursday’s loss — solely two factors behind the first-place Detroit Purple Wings (12-8-1). The Canadiens might be again in motion Saturday, when the Toronto Maple Leafs go to the Bell Centre
(7 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports activities).
When requested who his beginning goalie might be towards the Leafs, St. Louis answered: “I don’t know.”
Jake Evans, who was knocked out of Thursday’s recreation after an enormous second-period hit by the Capitals’ Tom Wilson, didn’t practise Friday, taking what the group known as a remedy day. Evans has a historical past of concussions and the Canadiens stated they are going to be capable to present an replace on his situation Saturday morning. On Friday night, the Canadiens known as ahead Florian Xhekaj up from the AHL’s Laval Bulldogs, the place he had 2-2-4 totals and 44 penalty minutes in 16 video games.
Samuel Montembeault allowed three targets on 10 photographs
towards the Capitals earlier than getting pulled at 3:38 of the second interval. Jakub Dobes allowed 4 targets on 25 photographs, with the Capitals including an empty-netter. Montembeault has a 4-5-1 document with a 3.71 goals-against common and an .852 save share, whereas Dobes is 6-2-2 with a 2.96 GAA and an .892 save share.
Dobes was named the NHL’s third star of the month for October after posting a 6-0 document with a 1.97 GAA and a .930 save share. However St. Louis made it clear at that time he needed Montembeault to be his No. 1 goalie and began him in 4 of the primary 5 video games in November. Dobes performed just one recreation within the first 12 days of the month, permitting 4 targets on 28 photographs in a 4-3 extra time loss to the Devils in New Jersey on Nov. 6 that left him in tears afterward. He hasn’t been in a position to regain his kind from October, with an .820 save share in 5 November appearances.
Now St. Louis has two goalies who’re struggling.
Goaltending could be the largest downside with the Canadiens, but it surely’s not the one one. They allowed 13 high-danger scoring probabilities towards the Capitals and had solely 5 of their very own, based on
Pure Stat Trick
.
“It’s not on them,” defenceman Lane Hutson stated in regards to the goaltenders. “It’s all of us. We simply obtained to be sharper in entrance of them and assist them out like they assist us out.”
St. Louis was requested if there’s one main downside that has stood out over the past 5 video games.
“I don’t know if there’s a significant downside,” he stated. “However I noticed issues yesterday that (want) to cease now and … it’s the actions that assist the opposite group.
“I pulled Monty yesterday and, to me, the following shift is simply momentum,” the coach added. “Let’s simply go get momentum and we didn’t. We turned it over, we couldn’t get it out. Dobes had a tricky first couple of minutes to come back in. To me, it’s simply maturity, it’s realizing the place we’re, what we have to do. It’s in all probability easy. Momentum to me is a deep recreation and it’s not essentially a chipped puck. In case you have room, take it, but it surely’s obtained to get deep. We will’t simply hope for a rush recreation at that time. The frenzy recreation, to me, it normally comes from the opposite group making errors or turning pucks over. You then get a rush recreation. I really feel like once we’re going, we perceive that and we’ve gotten away from it.”
What was St. Louis’s message to his gamers throughout the post-practice assembly?
“The reply’s within the mirror,” Cole Caufield stated. “You bought to seek out your self and maintain your self accountable and do the issues that will help the group and do them the suitable manner. He says they’re not at all times enjoyable and that’s the one option to do these issues is do the issues that aren’t straightforward and do them such as you love them.”
The Canadiens are the youngest group within the NHL and it has began to point out over the past 5 video games.
Lengthy-term accidents to forwards Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine, together with defenceman Kaiden Guhle,
haven’t helped. Evans could be added to that record.
St. Louis, nevertheless, refuses to make use of the accidents as an excuse.
On the intense facet, the Canadiens are seven factors forward of their tempo from final season, after they had been 7-11-2 after 20 video games and had been nonetheless in a position to make the playoffs.
Veteran defenceman Mike Matheson was requested if he might put issues in perspective for his youthful teammates after Thursday’s loss.
“I feel it’s straightforward to really feel just like the world’s crashing down,” he stated. “While you’re in it and also you care a lot, it actually does really feel that manner. However whether or not it’s going to a distinct place, the place you sort of understand how fortunate you’re to be on this alternative and play for a group like this and have the help that we’ve.
“Fairly fortunate to have the ability to get to do that for a residing,” he added. “So if that’s a option to put it in perspective, provide you with a lift of vitality, as a result of that’s sort of the one factor you are able to do at this level is flip the web page, study from what we’re doing and prepare for Saturday.”
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