It was a crossroads night for the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.

The Canadiens were 2-2 after four, but they didn’t play solid hockey most of the time. Game 5 was a test to see what direction they would go after being largely outplayed by Pittsburgh.

The Los Angeles Kings were on Beal after allowing 14 goals in their last two games against Ottawa and Toronto. However, Montreal was unable to solve it.

The Kings skated to a 4-1 win.

Wild horses

Mike Matheson suffered an upper-body injury late in the first period and did not return for the final two frames. That means someone on the blue line needs to absorb his minutes. Usually, you’ll see a veteran doing this. Not this time.

In the second period, a rookie who did not even have twelve games under him, Len Hutson, played half the period. His total last ice time was over 30 minutes. This is a player who just broke into the league. This is the player that almost all experts predicted the Canadiens should protect to prevent him from embarrassing himself defensively.

In fact, it wasn’t the best game of Hutson’s career. This is not a takeaway. The takeaway is that he can handle big minutes. He can deal with top players at the other club. He can handle all situations. His possession time was twice that of the next Canadian player, Nick Suzuki. When he’s on the field, anything is possible.

Individuals have not had a great start to the season. No one was noticeably surprised by the rise, except Hutson. It was everything they had hoped for. Rebuilding is about employees. It’s about finding talent who can fill senior roles. It’s becoming a possibility that Montreal has a top duo in the making in Hutson and Kaiden Guhle. Hutson, Guhle and Samuel Montembeault, who had another solid outing, are the only three players to have played above expectations this season.

Wild Goat

There is not enough hockey in the opposition zone this season. This may seem like a simplistic analysis, but it is really all that is needed. Montreal doesn’t have the manpower to play a higher percentage of the game in the offensive zone.

It’s easy to count the number of times Montreal has put pressure on the offense this season. In the first period, Nick Suzuki’s streak started to cycle, and that looked strong, but it doesn’t happen enough.

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The third and fourth lines have weaker matchups, and it was hoped that the veterans would be able to expose the weaker players, but that doesn’t happen. Only one partnership or streak in five matches is positive in expected goals: Kayden Guhley and Len Hutson.

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The Kings have allowed 14 goals in their last two games. In Ottawa and Toronto, they were unable to stop a fly stuck in honey. Against the Canadiens, they weren’t rattled at all. Management wants to be in the mix in March, but unless the ice tilts the other way starting fairly soon, it’s hard to see that happening. Montreal’s expected goal share overall is last in the league at just 37 per cent.

In the third period, trailing by one goal, playing a team that had played the night before and three out of four, the Canadiens had just two shots in the first 14 minutes — a frustrating ability to impact the contest no matter the scenario.

Yes, it’s early, but regardless of Montreal’s record, it’s important not to see the club overwhelmed with too many games in its own zone. Even the forward line, which looked on par with any other line in the league last season with 53 goals in the last 41 games, does not play much in the attacking zone. The share of expected goals is 38 percent.

There’s still a lot of season left, but so far, that’s not encouraging at all.

Wild cards

Canadiens executive vice president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton said Wednesday that the organization knows Kirby Dutch will take time to get his game back. Dutch had knee reconstructive surgery 12 months ago. The process of getting his head comfortable, as well as the right physical feeling, is a long process.

Everyone would love for Dutch to be one of those players who had his knee reconstructed and found his groove right away, but that’s not realistic most of the time. It takes a year after ACL and ACL surgery for most players. In fact, if Dutch returns to form this season, it will be a historic surprise.

now? Let’s be honest, Dutch isn’t right. This is not Dutch’s ex. He can’t move up the ice. Its speed is low. He’s got a 30-shot quota. His plan has one goal. He’s the worst +/- on the team. Patience is required.

Dash has been the workhorse of the second line this season. If he can’t get the team up the ice, Alex Newhook and Joel Armia won’t have good seasons either. A strong and stable center strengthens the second line.

Success on the second line in the NHL is 70 goals. The Canadiens had the second-worst second line in the NHL last year, ahead of only San Jose. One goal in four games is not the path to 70, or even close.

As a result, the 2024-25 season could be tough, just like previous seasons, without a contributing second line. It’s not just a lack of goals either. It’s also the case that the game is played in Montreal’s end when the line is on 70 percent of the time.

However, it is not a heartbreak yet. The sample size is small, and it’s anyone’s guess how long it will take Dak to feel more comfortable again. No one should lose hope that they can recover more quickly than it appears at the moment.

Next season, Ivan Demidov arrives and will be a star. Michael Hagg is off to a great start at Michigan. Montreal has two first-round picks this season. The administration has built a war chest of solutions.

Duck can still fully recover to be his old self. Newhook can still improve. Patrik Laine returns in mid-December. Demidov is on his way. Hage is highly rated. They have two first-round picks in 2025.

Believe it, the second 70-goal streak is coming to Montreal soon. They planted a lot of seeds. We simply have the right to enjoy watching who finally steps up to seize the day.

The funny thing about patience is that one always thinks that one has shown enough of it the moment one is asked to show more.

Montreal-based sportswriter Brian Wilde brings you the Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after every Canadiens game.

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