10 Thoughts – Penalties aren’t Relative, Right?

The Montreal Canadiens, arguably the hottest team in the NHL, finished the latter half of a back-to-back set of games in Alberta with a split. They entered the game tied as the best record in the National league. Their young guns faced off against two pillars of the league in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl – starting on the same line as well – and found themselves in a very back-and-forth game.

Unfortunately, this high-scoring game was marred with controversial and imbalanced officiating. Enormous amounts of talent and skill were on display for a crown that was very conflicted in its loyalties, and that talent was evident in the play of Cole Caufield and McDavid, but the result was directly impacted by a third party as they called several questionable penalties that kept the Edmonton Oilers in this game. Falling 6–5, the Canadiens will need to bear down and decide how they will react after a bitter loss in the province’s capital.

Starting Lines

Caufield – Suzuki – Slafkovsky
Newhook – Kapanen – Demidov
Bolduc – Dach – Veleno
Gallagher – Evans – Anderson

Struble – Hutson
Matheson – Dobson
Xhekaj – Carrier

10 Thoughts

1) Both Edmonton’s top line and the Habs’ established effective zone time though the opening minutes of the game. Lane Hutson dazzled the Edmonton crowd (and quite a few Canadiens fans) with intricate twists to escape pressure and zone exits, whereas McDavid showcased his own world-class talent by using his frame and conditioning to extend the Gallagher-Anderson-Evans line’s shift into almost two minutes of chances and puck movement at 13:33 of the first. Apparently, there was a near-miss during those exchanges of pressure, as the referees made an unforeseen determination that the puck “…did not cross the goal line” after a fairly innocuous shot.

2) The Canadiens immediately responded with high-octane forechecking. Kirby Dach’s line had the jump on the defenders first, pushing the pace and generating shots that forced the Oilers to dump the puck out. Alex Newhook’s line with Kapanen jumped on the ice and immediately won the puck battle in the Oilers’ zone and moved control back to the reigning Calder Trophy winner. Hutson juked his forward defender and laid out a wrist shot on Pickard from short range, resulting in a juicy rebound for Newhook, who banged in the rebound for his second of the year.

3) On the ensuing power play, spectators got their first view (this season) of Ivan Demidov on the first unit. For fans who have been dissecting the Canadiens’ structure and strategy towards the man advantage, this was likely quite cathartic. What’s more, he looked as though he certainly fit on the half wall, firing cross-seam passes and generating space by spinning off of defenders. What’s even more, when the second unit hit the ice, Kirby Dach took the same position as Demidov. Perhaps this is the culmination of the long-term plan for the power play? Establish Demidov as a force and erase any doubt on the team for his capability, and inspire Dach to be a force on the second unit by utilizing his vision and playmaking ability in the same spot.

4) Following the commercial break, Edmonton regained the puck after a Hutson rushed and ringed the puck in off the boards. Vasily Podkolzin successfully boxed out the Canadiens players at the hashmarks and sent a pass across to David Tomasek, whose point shot deflected off Newhook’s skate perfectly to give him his first NHL goal. A bad break for Newhook, and Samuel Montembeault, who had not been overly tested as of yet. Immediately following the score, however, he faced two more shots and had to be very sharp as one was delivered immediately in his crease as a pass slipped through to the slot. The Canadiens pushed hard as the seconds dribbled away in the first, looking to add but unable to break through the enormous redwoods in blue jerseys pretending to be professional hockey players.

5) Montreal’s transition play was in full effect to start the second period. On their toes and attacking at all times, the Oilers were not able to get a shot registered through more than five minutes in the second frame, while the Habs peppered Calvin Pickard with shots and chances. After exchanging some questionable icings, and a great opportunity from Cole Caufield to Juraj Slafkovsky, and an ice scraping, the casual observers allowed to skate with professional athletes – also known as “referees” – decided to call Alexandre Carrier for a cross-checking penalty that was remarkably similar to plays made by Evan Bouchard (on Dach) and Darnell Nurse (on Hutson leading to the first goal). On the ensuing power play, the Oilers successfully recorded their first shots of the period as well as a glorious chance facilitated by McDavid. Who else?

6) At 9:23 of the second, Edmonton jumped ahead when Adam Henrique delivered an excellent tip in the mid-slot from a Jake Walman shot. Only seconds earlier, the Canadiens had a chance to clear the puck and carry it out of the zone, yet the penalty seemed to have shifted the immediate momentum of the game. Through the game so far, the Habs had been first on most every loose puck and had doggedly pursued 50/50 contests in their own zone, but the inaction this time cost them. Following up their revived effort and an icing, the top line of the Oilers took over the shift. McDavid, Nurse, and Andrew Mangiapane completed a pretty passing play to add to the lead.

7) Not to be outdone and to have their effort in vain, the veteran line of the Canadiens finally finished off another honourable shift with results. Jake Evans was sprung for a breakaway down the middle of the ice and labelled his shot of the post, but the next 1:52 of magic emerged from the Habs. Josh Anderson was fed a retrieved puck in the slot by Brendan Gallagher and brought the Canadiens to within one, his first of the season. Seconds later, the Habs regained the zone and began their low-to-high tactics after winning the loose puck on the forecheck by Caufield. A blue line crossing pass from Hutson to Noah Dobson re-opened the lane across the slot back to Caufield, who undressed Pickard with very tight stickhandling and finished short side by tucking the puck behind the netminder. Caufield added to his game and put the Canadiens back in the lead as he came streaking down the wing with Suzuki via a breakout courtesy of Carrier. Pickard will certainly want that goal back, but goal scorers score goals, and Caufield would not be denied. The Habs entered the intermission on top, rewarded for their effort so far having finally found their way onto the scoresheet.

8) The Canadiens started the third period on the penalty kill looking to match the energy evident from the Oilers. Consistently throughout the game, Montreal has fought for loose pucks and employed active sticks to thwart attacks from the home team, and this kill was no different. They were able to clear the puck numerous times and begin the transition as soon as the man advantage was complete. 2:10 into the third, Newhook doubled down. Once more, the Canadiens forwards took the Oilers’ defenders’ space away and the puck along with it, as Newhook carried the puck to the point and dropped it off for Struble. The defender dumped the puck back in, and Oliver Kapanen put a perfect pass onto Newhook’s stick in the slot to put the Habs up by two. With 16:50 remaining in the third, those casual observers returned to consciousness with a laughably soft boarding call on Slafkovsky. Jake Evans once more showcased his tenacity by working the majority of the kill as well as generating shorthanded chances. The home squad came out of the man advantage flat and appearing lackadaisical in front of their fans, and frustration was visible in the body language of the national stars dressed in blue.

9) As the periods then unfolded, the two teams exchanged brief zone time and periphery chances. Much time was expended along the boards and working the puck along the perimeter of the rink in both ends. Perhaps there is something the Canadiens players said to the skaters-in-stripes, but Mike Matheson showed his first sign of frustration in as long as this writer can remember at a call when he was rung up for… tripping(?) The Oilers won the faceoff, and quickly went to work with their top unit. Controlled and coordinated, the best in history squad from last season cashed in as Draisaitl took the slot pass from McDavid and did not miss. While the goal was of great consequence in fueling Edmonton’s comeback, the following mystery requires further explanation in the coming days. After the goal was scored, the camera picks up Josh Anderson pulling the puck out of the net and shooting it down the ice. The next camera shot is of Gallagher speaking with the referee, clearly livid, and Anderson is in the box. One can infer that there is likely some form of Unsportsmanlike Call that is the explanation, but that’s not an explanation because of the levity of the apparent play. On the successive power play, the Canadiens’ defence completely broke down on a rush from Edmonton, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored from a wonderful feed into the slot from McDavid, bringing the game back to even at five apiece.

10) With 1:09 left in the third period, the game was tied 5–5 and the disaster struck for a team likely already feeling robbed of their effort in the game. The Canadiens were hemmed in their zone with the clock winding down and unable to clear the zone, as Walman gets the puck at the point. He passed down to Nurse on the wall, and Podkolzin was able to get a falling backhand shot over Montembeault’s glove. With little time remaining on the clock, the Habs were unable to push back and ended the back-to-back with a split.

HW Habs 3 Stars

1st Star: Alex Newhook – Newhook and Caufield both scored twice, but Newhook was energized all game and those goals were indicative of the pace and tenacity the Canadiens placed with. He scored the first, which kept the Habs in the game on the scoreboard after falling to 3-1, and the team likely thought his second would be the capstone. It did not go their way in the end, but this play is precisely what the Habs are looking for from his line and the whole team to emulate.

Stats: 2 goals, +1 rating, 3 shots, 2 hit(s), 13:32 TOI

2nd Star: Cole Caufield – Cole re-established the lead in the second period and was integral to the Canadiens enforcing their will in the offensive zone. He was excellent defensively in using his body and space when backtracking in the neutral zone when losing the puck, and never stopped pushing for more offence. Did I mention his highlight-reel goal to tie the game at three?

Stats: 2 goals, +1 rating, 5 shots, 18:53 TOI

3rd Star: Edmontonian Canadiens Fans – While many players had great effort and a consistent game in Edmonton, it was impossible to ignore the competing chants of the fans during the third period. Hearing “Go Habs Go!” opposite the home crowd and superseding them makes the loss truly bitter, but their show out should not be ignored. Even with the contest going against their beloved CH, the nature of the game is sure to only solidify their belief in this team.

Stats: 5 assists, 60:00 TOI, 1 Edmonton Crowd Embarrassed