“We for sure needed a bounce-back after the last game,” said Arber Xhekaj. “We were pumped up and came out flying.”
Here at the Hidden Game, we’re not in the habit of paying credit to other media members.
After all, we remember former Alouettes’ head coach Marc Trestman’s famous line: “The media is not your friend.”
Anyone in this business who gives up their Saturday nights should be commended.
Who says the Canadiens are slow starters: Through the game’s opening minute, Montreal produced two shots against Blues’ goaltender Jordan Binnington. The visitors, conversely, didn’t test Samuel Montembeault until nearly four minutes had elapsed.
This close to his first NHL goal: In the game’s sixth minute, Oliver Kapanen was in alone, but his backhand attempt was thwarted by Binnington.
He probably had it coming: Michael Pezzetta took the game’s opening penalty, a boarding infraction against Alexey Toropchenko.
His timing is impeccable: Jake Evans is unlikely ever to become a prolific scorer, but he brings so many more intangibles to the Canadiens. The unheralded centre’s playing well this season in the final year of his contract. And he opened the scoring at 8:34 of the first period, beating Binnington low to the stick side off a two-on-one break. We’re willing to overlook the fact Evans didn’t pass to Pezzetta on the play.
Play Pezzetta (Part I): Despite only 2:20 of ice time in the opening period, Pezzetta had a team-leading two hits.
Momentum, schmomentum: Incredibly, only 21 seconds later, Colton Parayko scored the Blues’ first goal.
This close to his second one: In the period’s fourth minute, Binnington made a pretty glove save against Dach, who was stationed in the slot.
Everything that could go wrong: On the Blues’ second goal, Mike Matheson blew a tire before being caught behind the net. Teammates Logan Mailloux, Dach and Cole Caufield all could have provided more support as well.
Won’t you be my Neighbours: That goal was scored by Neighbours, his team-leading fourth this season.
Play Pezzetta (Part II): Yes, that was Pezzetta who won a second-period faceoff against Radek Faksa after Christian Dvorak was kicked out.
Pass of the night: Dach to Alex Newhook on the Canadiens’ winning goal.
How’s that for quick: It took the Canadiens only six seconds for Newhook to score following Scott Perunovich’s high-sticking penalty.
Hit of the night: Jayden Struble on Dylan Holloway in the second period.
Block of the night: In the fifth minute of the third period, Josh Anderson, while killing a penalty, slid across to intercept Justin Faulk’s attempt. But Anderson took the shot off his left foot, limped off and didn’t return. The Canadiens have recalled Lucas Condotta from AHL Laval.
Shot of the night: Caufield, from the right-wing circle, to Binnington’s stick side for Montreal’s fourth goal.
News you need: Caufield has a team-leading seven goals. Last season, it took him 22 games to reach that total.
Quick stats: Dach and Joel Armia each produced four shots. Savard blocked five shots. Pezzetta had four hits in 8:51 of ice time. Lane Hutson logged a team-high 23:49. With 29 stops, Montembeault’s save percentage was .935.
They said it: “I knew it was going to take some time,” Dach said. “If I kept doing the right things, I knew eventually one was going to go in. We fixed some things that we needed to fix. We came ready to play. This was an important game for us.”
“I had two good practises to get back into a rhythm,” Montembeault said. “Right from the start, I felt really good, my legs were good and I was moving well.”
“We for sure needed a bounce-back after the last game,” said defenceman Arber Xhekaj, who returned to the lineup after two games as a healthy scratch. “I think everyone was ready to go. We were pumped up and came out flying.”
“I felt like we were harder to play against,” said Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis. “I felt there was less space. The way we played (the system) tonight, we raised the percentage of us winning.”