Categories
Dans les coulisses

The CH’s defensive shortcomings are glaringly obvious at the moment.

After the game against the Vegas Golden Knights, the mood was really festive around the Montreal Canadiens.

The team was on a hot streak, and had just given the best team in the entire National Hockey League a run for its money.

It was a game the CH should have won.

The CH had a 5-2-2 record, and looked set for two more solid games on their Western trip.

However, the opposite was true, as Martin St-Louis’ troupe was very ordinary against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday, and yesterday against the St-Louis Blues.

Indeed,especially in last night’s loss to the Blues, the CH was dominated and completely downgraded.

Yes, the CH took only two fewer shots than the Blues (33 vs. 35), but that doesn’t tell the story of the game.

The Blues did whatever they wanted on the ice, especially in the Tricolore zone, when they always found the transverse pass lines dangerous.

The CH defense really tore it up.

The CH defenders were spinning and rolling fast, and too often during the game, as evidenced by this goal from Brayden Schenn.

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

The Blues play a beautiful game, but they play it far too easily.

It seems very easy for the Blues to venture freely into the CH zone.

Had it not been for Samuel Montembeault, the Blues could have scored at least two or three more.

Moreover, it had already been mentioned that, at a certain point, the CH defense wouldn’t always be saved by excellent goaltending.

Since the start of the season, the Tricolore’s victories have often been accompanied by an excellent performance from Jake Allen or Samuel Montembeault.

Yesterday, Montembeault was solid, but not perfect, revealing just how many defensive shortcomings the CH has.

It’s really starting to look like the CH defense is inexperienced.

While it’s good for the rebuild to see young defensemen playing, the fact remains that they have little NHL experience.

Five of the CH’s six defensive regulars have less than 100 NHL games under their belts.

After Mike Matheson (476), Johnathan Kovacevic (92) has the most NHL games played.

In short, the pendulum is swinging back in the CH’s favor, as defensive shortcomings are currently costing the team dearly.

What doesn’t help the team’s cause either is that they haven’t had the lead in a game since Justin Barron’s goal against the New Jersey Devils.

That’s over 350 minutes without a lead.

That’s a lot.

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

What else can I take away from last night’s CH loss?

1. The first wave of the power play takes far too much.

This wave, which includes the team’s best offensive players, simply wasn’t working yesterday.

We can’t get into the opponent’s zone, and we’re too often looking for the perfect play with telegraphed passes.

The second wave was far superior last night, even if it wasn’t perfect.

In fact, they scored a goal.

2. Mike Matheson is truly capable of the best and the worst.

Sometimes he has great flashes, but too often he makes big mistakes that get the team in trouble, both in the offensive and defensive zones.

He’ll have to adjust, because he’s the veteran of the team, so he shouldn’t be the one making the most blunders.

3. Gallagher – Monahan – Pearson remains an excellent trio.

Once again, the three veterans were the team’s best trio.

Gallagher had an assist and a goal, for a total of seven points in 11 games.

Who’d have thought Gally would have so many points after 11 games?

4. Kaiden Guhle and Justin Barron are solid together.

Barron is making his mark right now, and that’s good for him and good for the CH.

5. Let’s hope that scoring his first of the season will give Slafkovsky wings.

It would be ideal to see him succeed on the first line.

In short, the CH returns to Montreal and will be back in action on Tuesday, when the Tampa Bay Lightning come to the Bell Centre.

In a gust

– What’s happening in Edmonton?

– Rangers on the move.

– What do you think?

– Incredible.

– For those interested.