Author: Dose

Categories
Dans les coulisses

0 in 4: a Saturday to forget for Montreal’s sports teams

Yesterday was a very big day for Montreal sports fans.

Indeed, four Montreal sports teams (yes, I’m including the Laval Rocket) were in action on this big Saturday for sports in Quebec.

There were two hockey games and two football games.

Here are yesterday’s match-ups:

  • CFL – Eastern Association Semi-Final: Montreal Alouettes VS Toronto Argonauts
  • University football – Dunsmore Cup: Université de Montréal Carabins VS Université Laval Rouge et Or
  • NHL – Game #15: Montreal Canadiens VS Toronto Maple Leafs
  • AHL – Game #11 of the regular schedule: Laval Rocket VS Belleville Senators

Honestly, aside from the Canadiens, all four of these games could have gone either way.

But unfortunately, none of these four confrontations saw the Montreal team emerge victorious, as we were treated to four defeats out of four games.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Montreal Alouettes lose 30-28 to Toronto Argonauts

After 10 wins in their first 11 games of the 2024-2025 season, everything seemed to be pointing to a second consecutive Gray Cup for the Montreal Alouettes.

But in the end, a poor end to the season with four losses and a draw in seven games sowed doubt in the minds of fans, analysts and quite possibly the team.

This doubt was confirmed yesterday with the defeat in the Association Finals.

The Alouettes were mediocre last night, when they really beat themselves.

They had their chances to score, but they committed a ton of turnovers and failed to score at crucial moments.

In short, despite an end to the game that had given prospects hope, the Alouettes’ season ended yesterday on a very bad note.

It’s a shame, especially in front of Montreal fans at Percival-Molson Stadium, but c’est la vie, the Alouettes didn’t deserve it last night.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Université de Montréal Carabins lose 22-17 to Université de Laval Rouge et Or

It was classic Québécois university football last night, as the Carabins and Rouge et Or faced off in the Dunsmore Cup final for the 11ᵉ time in a row.

And unfortunately, it was the Quebec team that prevailed.

The Carabins held a 10-5 lead at half-time, but the Rouge et Or came back strong in the second half, and turned the tide.

It’s a game that hurts losers every year, and this time the disappointment was on the Montreal side.

The Rouge et Or will meet the Regina Rams for the Mitchell Cup.

Montreal Canadiens lose 4-1 to Toronto Maple Leafs

This was probably the only defeat we really expected, and really saw coming.

It was surely the only game in which the odds were stacked in favor of an opponent’s victory.

The Canadiens lost their sixth game in a row, which is starting to take its toll on everyone.

I’ll have more to say about this game later.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Laval Rocket lose 3-2 to Belleville Senators

All good things must come to an end, as the Rocket’s winning streak came to an end at eight last night, when the Senators rallied with three unanswered goals to win 3-2.

The Rocket’s second loss of the season could have come at any time, but it did yesterday.

The Rocket didn’t play badly, and in the end, we can take some positives from the fact that Owen Beck scored a fine goal, and Adam Engstrom picked up two assists in this game.

Beck now has 10 points in 11 games, which is excellent for a guy in his rookie season.

Engstrom, meanwhile, has five points in 11 games, which is also solid, especially for a rookie defenseman.

In short, four losses out of four games hurts, especially when two of those losses come against Toronto, and two teams saw their seasons end with those losses.

But that’s life, and Montreal teams will have a chance to bounce back one day.

Overtime

– He’s getting closer and closer to the record!

– Ovi is in very good shape.

– Read more.

– Interesting.

– Ottawa once again has to deal with a goalie who’s got it going on.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Top-5: Winnipeg Jets set NHL record with 14-1 record

Like every Saturday, it was a busy day in the National Hockey League.

24 teams were in action across 12 games, which obviously generated a number of highlights.

Here’s what to take away from Saturday’s hockey action.

1. Winnipeg Jets set NHL record with 14 wins in first 15 games

If there’s one team in the NHL whose fans have nothing but positive things to remember about their team’s performance, it’s the Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets have simply been unstoppable since the start of the season, and they’re really establishing themselves as the biggest force in the entire NHL right now.

With another victory yesterday, this time by a 4-1 score over the Dallas Stars, the Jets now have a 14-1-0 record, which represents an all-time NHL record after the first 15 games.

It’s been a remarkable start to the season for the Jets, while everything is going swimmingly for the Manitoba outfit.

In fact, they have the best rolling powerplay at 41.9%.

In short, the Jets are truly impressive, which makes their fans very confident and drooling, while yesterday they took the time to taunt Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger that he would be Connor Hellebuyck’s backup goalie at the Four Nations Tournament.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

2. Alex Ovechkin already reaches the 10-goal plateau this season

The Washington Capitals’ number 8 is enjoying an excellent start to the season.

In fact, last night he already reached the 10-goal plateau this season after just 14 games, which is impressive for the 39-year-old forward.

He scored twice in an 8-1 Caps thaw over the St. Louis Blues, making it 10 goals and 18 points in 14 games.

Ovi can thank Dylan Strome, who has an assist on every one of the Caps’ No. 8’s 10 goals so far this season.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

3. Masterful save by Jordan Binnington

In the same game, even though the Blues got completely destroyed, they generated some highlights.

Despite a tough night at the office, Jordan Binnington made a masterful save after making a mistake with the puck on the way out of his net.

Also of note, in the heartbreaking 8-1 loss, Blues defenseman Scott Perunovich scored his first NHL goal in his 79ᵉ career game.

St. Louis’ Victor Mete.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

4. Four goals in less than five minutes for the Oilers

It’s been a tough season for the Edmonton Oilers, who are struggling to maintain a .500 record.

At least yesterday they had a good outing against a good team, winning 7-3 over the Vancouver Canucks.

The Oilers ran away with the win thanks to four goals in less than five minutes in the third period, completely sinking the Canucks.

The win moves the Oilers up the playoff table to the 8ᵉ and final spot giving access to the spring tournament.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

5. Anthony Richard scores his first with the Flyers

While Matvei Michkov was left out for a second straight game by John Tortorella, it was Anthony Richard who made the most of it, as the former Montreal Canadiens man scored his first goal with the Philadelphia Flyers last night.

Richard has been inserted into the lineup for the last two games at Michkov’s expense, and let’s just say he’s managing to leave his mark and keep his place in the lineup.

Well done by the Québécois.

Overtime

– Here are all yesterday’s results.

– Here are yesterday’s top scorers.

(Credit: )

– Today’s program: three games.

(Credit: Google/NHL)

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Trevor Zegras prefers to play center because he hates playing wing

Trevor Zegras is the talk of the town for all sorts of reasons.

As much for his undeniable raw talent and nimble hands as for his inconsistent performances and the trade rumours surrounding him.

One thing’s for sure: Zegras knows how to entertain a crowd.

This season, it’s not looking good for the American, who has just three points in 13 games.

The natural center has been used on the wing on a few occasions this season, but Zegras says he hates playing on the wing.

That’s what Alyson Lozoff, a reporter covering the Anaheim Ducks, said just before last night’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

With the Ducks regressing year after year, trade rumors are stronger than ever.

I truly believe the Ducks MUST trade Zegras before they can only receive “peanuts” in return.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Understandably, the Nashville Predators seem a logical destination for the talented forward.

With a disastrous start to the season, it would make sense for the Preds to try and stir the pot.

On the other hand, Barry Trotz recently mentioned that if the team doesn’t get its act together quickly, he wouldn’t hesitate to enter the rebuilding process.

As we know, Montreal has often been linked to Cole Caufield’s good friend in the past.

Could it be time for the Habs to make a move for the Ducks’ young forward?

Personally, I think so. Imagine a Zegras-Caufield duo, alongside a Kirby Dach or a Juraj Slafkovsky.

Adding raw talent to the top-6, coupled with the imminent return of Patrik Laine, can only be beneficial.

Plus, the Ducks have a lot of centers in Mason McTavish, Cutter Gauthier and Leo Carlsson.

On the other hand, seeing how the Habs’ season has started so far, it wouldn’t be the best time for the Habs to make this addition.

Let’s see what happens with Zegras and whether he’ll be too irritated to continue playing center.

Overtime

– Nice move by Caufield.

– Michael Hage continues to make his mark. It took just 41 seconds to score the game’s first goal.

– Homecoming.

– Four-game suspension for that Ben Harpur brain cramp.

– Indeed, there’s only one.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Connor Hughes: the star behind the Rocket’s incredible start to the season

The Laval Rocket are off to an incredible start to their AHL season.

Pascal Vincent’s troupe has a 9-1-0 record after ten games, and is first in its division, and also first in the entire AHL in terms of point percentage (.900).

It’s been an impressive start to the season for the Habs’ club team, which is at least a small consolation to Habs fans fed up with the Montreal Canadiens’ losing ways.

Behind the Rocket’s excellent start to the season, well, there are several key players, including head coach Pascal Vincent, of course, but also several first-rate players.

Alex Barré-Boulet (11 points in six games), Joshua Roy (12 points in ten games) and Logan Mailloux (10 points in five games, leading all AHL defensemen) have taken matters into their own hands, and are at the heart of the team’s current success.

However, we mustn’t forget the other key players behind this incredible start to the season, such as Owen Beck and Connor Hughes.

In the case of Hughes, in all seriousness, he’s a real surprise, while behind the scenes, he’s helping the Rocket string together wins with solid performances in front of the net.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Indeed, he took on the role of number one goalkeeper due to Jakub Dobes’ minor injury, and let’s just say he delivered the goods in fine style.

Hughes, 28, is currently carrying the team on his shoulders, having played in the team’s last three games and won them all.

For a rather mundane signing this summer, let’s just say that Hughes makes Kent Hughes and the Habs staff look like geniuses.

The Rocket goalie currently has a record of five wins and one loss, with a goals-against average of 1.99 and a save percentage of .931.

In short, it’s a Habs signing who’s really paying off for the club-school, which can count on two VERY solid goaltenders.

And let’s not forget that Hughes is very well able to speak French.

If Cayden Primeau in Montreal ever becomes a problem, Hughes could very well come up and hold down the fort, allowing Dobes to continue to develop quietly in Laval.

Stay tuned.

Overtime

– Watch and re-watch Logan Mailloux’s goal in the shootout.

– Watch for it tonight.

– Two former Habs defensemen are still injured with the Islanders.

– Indeed.

– Of note.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Patrik Laine: a return in November?

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

A few hours ago, Patrik Laine was spotted skating. It was the first time he had been seen on skates since injuring himself during the preparatory schedule.

Of course, the question is: when will he be back in action?

According to what Renaud Lavoie said this evening, if all continues to go well, it’s not impossible that Laine could be back in action by the end of November.

Because Laine hasn’t had surgery, the timetable for his return is different. After all, he began to heal more quickly, which explains his return to the ice a few weeks after his injury.

The Habs will rely on the player’s progress because there’s no hurry. It’s too lateto save the Habs’ season.

It’s also important to remember that when Laine returns, he won’t have played for nearly a year. He won’t be as dominant as he was when he was scoring 40 goals a year in Winnipeg.

He’ll need time. You can’t dominate in 2024 when, on November 9, you look like this.

But even if he won’t be perfect when he returns, his return will make his teammates more confident and he could be a (small) lifeline. He’ll put pressure on everyone to be in their seats and fight for playing time.

To be continued.

Extension

– If Patrik Laine returns in November, he could be an option for the Four Nations confrontation. Not necessarily as early as December 2, but as a replacement later on, perhaps?

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Friedman: Slafkovsky could score 30 goals this season

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

Juraj Slafkovsky had a great first full season last year.

He racked up 20 goals and 30 assists, and a lot was expected of him this year.

Without saying he’s not producing up to expectations, as he does have 8 points in 11 games this season, his one little goal raises a few questions.

Definitely, he’s not scoring enough for the fans, a bit like Cole Caufield last season.

But that doesn’t mean he’s having a bad season.

We know that Slafkovsky finished the season on fire and we expect him to score at a more frantic pace between now and April.

That’s what Elliotte Friedman thinks, after mentioning the young Slovak in his latest 32 Thoughts.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

The Insider recently caught up with Slafkovsky, and point #15 of his article relates to the Montreal Canadiens forward.

He asked him if he had a goal in mind for 2024-25.

To this, he replied that he always does. Friedman then asked if it was above or below 35 goals.

Slaf replied with a smile, “It’s around that.”

Mentioning that he’s only one goal away at the moment, Friedman predicts that he’ll “warm up” and could score 30 goals.

It’ll be tough for the Slovak, but we know he has the skills to do it.

In the first 11 games, it just wasn’t working out for Slafkovsky, but that can all change.

The Habs could very well benefit from a return to form for #20 if he starts scoring goals at a higher rate.

Let’s hope the Slovak can rediscover the form he showed at the end of last season.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Matvei Michkov will be sidelined (again) tonight

Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

In his team’s last game, Matvei Michkov was left out by his head coach.

John Tortorella said he made the decision to “help” his youngster.

The Flyers won… And good old Torts chose to keep the same line-up for the club’s game tonight against the Florida Panthers.

This means, therefore, that Michkov will be left out for a second game in a row.

The decision is causing quite a stir, especially among Philadelphia fans.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

It’s all the talk in Philly, because since the start of the season, Michkov has been playing relatively well.

He’s had a quieter streak, being blanked in four consecutive games… But still.

Still, Mishkov is his club’s second-highest scorer and one of the few who can create things offensively for the Flyers.

It’s as if Martin St-Louis decided to leave Lane Hutson out for two consecutive games.

Do you realize how catastrophic that would be in Montreal?

That said, John Tortorella has the reputation we all know, and it looks like it’s going to get even worse, given that the decision comes from him.

It makes sense…

Overtime

In 13 games this season, Michkov has scored a total of four goals and six assists.

He has ten points on the scoreboard… And he’s the second-highest scorer among rookies this season.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Ivan Demidov: his coach says he plays “almost as well as Connor McDavid”.

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2024/09/23: Ivan Demidov (91) SKA Hockey Club seen in action during the Hockey match, Kontinental Hockey League 2024/2025 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Avangard Omsk at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 4:1 Avangard Omsk). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Ivan Demidov’s playing time in Russia has been the talk of the town since the start of the season. The youngster seems to be shunned more often than not by his coach, even though he plays great hockey when he’s on the ice.

This isn’t unusual in Russia, especially for youngsters who want to go to America, but it’s a shame all the same.

Over the last few games, Roman Rotenberg’s approach has changed. The coach is using Demidov more and more, to the point where the latter has played at least 14 minutes in five of his last six games.

On Thursday, he played almost 16 minutes… including time on the powerplay. That’s a drastic change.

And in a recent press briefing, Rotenberg was asked about this… which prompted him to go ahead with a rather, shall we say, peculiar statement:

Do you watch Oilers games? Do you watch McDavid’s and Draisaitl’s playing time? It’s about the same as Demidov’s. – Roman Rotenberg

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

Good.

If we look at Draisaitl, he spends around 21 minutes on the ice per game. In McDavid’s case, we’re talking about 20 minutes.

In Demidov’s case, we’re celebrating the fact that he exceeds… 14 minutes. I’m willing to believe that KHL teams play with 13 forwards, but that doesn’t justify the difference.

Perhaps Rotenberg was referring to McDavid’s recent ice time… who missed a few games due to injury. That could be… just as he could have been mistaken and meant Jeff Skinner (14:33) and Viktor Arvidsson (15:55).

Seriously, though, there are two ways of looking at this. You could say that he’s still trying to silence the (many) critics of the kid‘s playing time… but you could also say that he sees Demidov as a guy who can influence the outcome of a game in the same way as the Oilers’ two stars.

It’s up to you to decide whether you prefer the more optimistic or the more pessimistic version.

Overtime

– I like to see this.

– Martin St-Louis had kind words for Shea Weber.

– The Habs prospect is off to a great start this season.

– Auston Matthews’ shot is praised by his counterparts.

– Rouge et Or crowned champions.

– He’s the story of the hour in MLB.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Dante Fabbro in the waivers: an opportunity for Kent Hughes to improve his blue line

Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Since the start of the season, the Habs’ performance at the blue line has been very disappointing. The club plays very poorly in its zone, and if it can’t count on a superhuman performance from its goaltender, it often finds itself giving up 4-5 goals a game.

And that’s no recipe for winning games.

As a result, Kent Hughes is looking for reinforcements to bolster his squad. The GM is keeping an eye on the transaction market, but nothing seems imminent.

But this afternoon, the Predators made a big decision: they placed Dante Fabbro, a 26-year-old right-handed defenseman (and former first-round pick), in the waivers.

And it’s a great opportunity for the Canadiens to improve their blue line.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

We sensed that Fabbro was no longer in Nashville’s good graces. He’s not a first-pair defenseman, but in a supporting role, he’s capable of pulling his weight.

And right now, the Habs need guys like that.

The fact that he’s right-handed makes him extremely interesting for the Habs, who more often than not play with only David Savard as a right-hander in their brigade. Justin Barron is with the big club too, but he’s often on the bridge these days.

Fabbro’s contract expires at the end of the season. His $2.5 million salary is a bit steep, but the Habs can afford to take on such a contract right now. In fact, short-term money really isn’t a problem in Montreal.

In the best-case scenario, he becomes a new Johnathan Kovacevic (which the Canadiens could use this year) and the club can consider giving him a new contract. In the worst-case scenario, however, he could leave the project at the end of the season at the latest.

With David Reinbacher sidelined, Logan Mailloux still struggling in the NHL and Justin Barron not ready to be a regular just yet… it makes sense to take a chance on Fabbro, doesn’t it?

Extension

At the moment, only the Predators and the Sharks have priority over the Canadiens in the waivers.

And since the Preds obviously aren’t going to claim their own player, that means the Habs would simply need the Sharks to turn up their nose at Fabbro for the opportunity to get him by claiming him.

This content was created with the help of AI.

Categories
Dans les coulisses

Patrik Laine skated in Brossard this morning

Today, the Canadiens practiced in Toronto, as they face the Maple Leafs tonight. That means we’ve been keeping a close eye on what’s happening on the ice.

It’s worth noting that the line-up won’t be changing for tonight’s game.

And yet, something important happened in Brossard this morning: Patrik Laine skated (alone) on the ice this morning. An Internet user captured the video.

(OBOXADSQ || []).push({“cmd”: “addBanner”});

More details to come…

This content was created with the help of AI.