10 Thoughts – Just Not Good Enough in Loss to Los Angeles

Joel Armia returned to the Bell Centre for the first time since his contract expired in the summer, and Tuesday night’s game was also expected to be the final visit for renowned forward Anze Kopitar. The Canadiens had lost their last eight games to Los Angeles, and maintained this trend with a lacklustre performance at home in a 5-1 loss.

The home team had very little going in this one, and their systems seemed disorganized against the Kings’ structure. While the Canadiens were able to show off their talent and some speed, their performance was characterized more by their inability to complete passes, cut off lanes in their own zone, and pursue loose pucks in the neutral zone. A lack thereof, unfortunately, for the home fans in attendance.

Habs Starting Lines

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

Matheson – Dobson
Struble – Hutson
Xhekaj – Carrier

Montembeault (Starting) – Dobes (Backup)

10 Thoughts

1) Both teams came out for the start of the game with jump and energy, but it was the Canadiens with the edge in shots and chances. Consequently, Cole Caufield was able to draw the first penalty of the game, as Brandt Clarke was called for hooking on the way to the net. Both players ended up on the ice, but Montreal ended up on the man advantage. The Kings got some early clears, but Lane Hutson converted one of them into a five-on-three when he drew another hooking penalty. Hutson dashed into the zone down the wall and was illegally held up by Cody Ceci in the corner.

2) Montreal was not able to finish during the ensuing two-man advantage; they moved the puck around a lot, Dobson played with Hutson instead of Slafkovsky, and they got plenty of shots. Less than two minutes after both Kings players returned to the ice, Kirby Dach was called for a very loosely defined tripping penalty. Jake Evans and his penalty killers earned early clears, burned off the power play but were unable to reset the momentum.

3) Immediately after his time in the box finished, Dach rejoined the play below the goal line behind Montembeault. He attempted to lift Quinton Byfield’s stick but completely missed, appearing at first to scrape the side of his face instead. After the fact, footage revealed this incident was a dubious call at best. Evans and Oliver Kapanen got their reps in early tonight in the faceoff circle, and the Habs were able to escape their second consecutive penalty kill.

4) With 42.8 seconds remaining in the first, Josh Anderson opened up the scoring on the rush. He fired a rocket past Darcy Kuemper after taking a feed from Hutson, who was skating downhill through the top of the slot. Hutson had achieved possession at the line in the Habs zone, boxing out his man and dropping the puck off for Evans in transition. Evans crossed over to the wall, and Hutson joined the rush as the three skaters initiated a 3 on 2. Anderson finished the rush off and put the Canadiens ahead 1-0.

5) Striking back at his former team, Joel Edmundson pounded a set play shot past Samuel Montembeault to tie the game at one. Little over a minute into the second period, Evans was not able to win the faceoff and Joe Veleno crumpled like a spring while trying to block the shot. Los Angeles’ second goal was much less of a routine play, as Montreal got into more trouble with the referees. Alex Newhook gets his stick into the feet of a Kings forward, and 1:03 of delayed penalty time cycling the puck around the zone resulted in a point shot getting deflected right onto Quinton Byfield’s stick and he made it 2-1.

6) Not to be outdone by his forwards, Montembeault gifted Kevin Fiala Los Angeles’ third goal less then two minutes later. The Kings had been skating circles around Montreal for the past few shifts, the scene similar to the worst showings of the man-on-man system, when Byfield sent a pass towards the front of the net. Alex Laferriere was tied up by Evans, but he was able to get a stick on the ice and direct the puck through his legs behind him to the crease. Montembeault paddled the puck towards the corner, however, Fiala was able to get position on Struble and take it on the tape and shoot, putting the Kings up by two.

7) Newhook continued the party of poor play by taking another tripping penalty at 12:18 of the second frame. Clearly perturbed by their performance in the period so far, Montreal fought off the penalty with tenacity, earning themselves numerous shorthanded chances and outworking the Kings’ defenders to take the puck from them. As the flow of the game shifted and the crowd was brought back into the game, Los Angeles was called for too many men. The Canadiens were unable to capitalize, but both units earned quality chances. The remainder of the second period followed, and the Habs found more of their speed but got nothing to show for it.

8) The home team looked to get themselves back into the game entering the third period, and they pushed the pace against Los Angeles. Montreal needed to get more continuous pressure to break through the defensive scheme of the Kings, but they found themselves dumping pucks into no forecheck, dropping off pucks to the other team in the neutral zone, and sending blind passes to opposing players in scoring position. Once the Habs committed themselves to the stretch pass from their own zone, Los Angeles closed on the recipient, forcing a fast touch that loses possession or bailing on the pass and the Kings’ defencemen were able to easily pick it up.

9) In a perfect culmination of the course of the game from Montreal’s elite players, Joel Armia stripped Hutson of the puck on the back check and beat Montembeault over the glove with a little less than nine minutes left. Hutson bobbled the puck at the blue line, and had to turn and chase it down. Armia was pressuring him, and when Hutson felt safe enough to turn his head over his right shoulder to look for an outlet, Armia struck with a stick check and stole the puck. He took possession just above the top of the circles in the middle of the slot, and sent cries of dismay through the Bell Centre.

10) As time wound down in the third period for the Canadiens, each line received balanced ice time and produced a balanced amount of nothing. This game highlighted the growing need for an adjustment to the bottom of the lineup, as Veleno produced nothing but turnovers and Brendan Gallagher has looked out of place with Kirby Dach and Zach Bolduc. Suzuki and Hutson gave the puck away 15 seconds into Montreal pulling the goalie in the neutral zone with Warren Foegele potting the 5-1 goal, underscoring an underwhelming performance at home.

HW Habs 3 Stars

1st Star: Josh Anderson  – Anderson got the goal for Montreal tonight and skated well. He provided both energy at the start of the game and finished each play with physicality. Anderson had his legs chugging this game, getting on the forecheck and making plays using his frame below the goal line. He matches up well with the bottom of the lineup on opposing teams, a promising feature for the playoffs later on in the season.

Stats: 1 goal, 2 shots, 17:01 TOI

2nd Star: Noah Dobson – While this game is one to forget for most of the team, Dobson had a number of good defensive plays. He has fit in well to start his new career in Montreal, and the defensive reads have only improved as the year has progressed. His play has been crucial while Guhle is injured.

Stats: -2 rating, 3 shots, 4 BLK, 22:31 TOI

3rd Star: Jake Evans – Evans delivered another reliable and gritty performance in a game when most of the team did not play their best. Montreal may have dropped the game, but they showed their wherewithal in keeping this effective forward for the next few seasons.

Stats: 1 assist, -1 rating, 2 shots, 1 Hit, 15:17 TOI