The Montreal Canadiens faced a tired opponent on Saturday night: the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were playing their third game in four nights, a run that included an impressive win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.
The Canadians took advantage of team fatigue in the third period and scored three goals in the final frame to win 5-1.
Wild horses
The Canadiens have had a rocky start to the season. No one disputes this. However, there have also been exaggerated criticisms. Perhaps the biggest exaggerated narrative is that Nick Suzuki is having a terrible first quarter of the season.
It is true that Suzuki has had poor analytics so far this year, but it is almost impossible to play in an analytical vacuum. If all four players on the ice are struggling, it’s impossible to have numbers that don’t reflect that struggle.
Overall, Suzuki is just a part of his surroundings, considering how much hockey he has played in his own zone this season. When they all figure it out, the captain will lead the expedition to better numbers.
In attack, this is actually the best start to Suzuki’s career. This is his sixth season and he is known to have had a slow start. He has never managed a point per game in his career.
He was close to last season with 77 points in 82 games. And for a while, he was close to getting there, before slowing down in the last 20 games. This season, with a stunning second-half goal last night, Suzuki has 18 points in 18 games.
He’s right about a point per game, and doesn’t look like he’s playing as well as he could have. The Suzuki has more speed, so this could be the year it finally does it.
Another positive thing lately is that it seems as if Kirby Dutch is starting to feel more comfortable. Dak holds on to the puck longer and begins to move into traffic with less fear. Dack had an assist on Mike Matheson’s opening goal.
Dach is still only getting half a point per game, but small signs of improvement are showing. He’s not the former Dutch, but he’s moving in the right direction.
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The second line finally started to show a little chemistry as they tried to get to know each other. Jake Evans scored to make it 4-1 after a perfect pass from Cole Caufield. Caufield had two assists on the night. Alex Newhook skated well, although he didn’t get the scoring summary.
It should also be noted that the Canadians are significantly tightening their defense. They have had 30-35 expected goals in most games this season, but in the last four they have risen to 50. It’s only 50-50, but at least, with these numbers they have a chance in every game and will avoid embarrassment.
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It’s the beginning. It’s not impressive yet. It’s a start, and after running in their own zone for most of the game in October, the Canadiens look at least somewhat organized in November.
Wild Goat
Juraj Slavkovsli was taken off the goal line midway through the second period after a turnover that left him so frustrated that he slammed his stick on the ice, then broke it in half over his knee as he reached the bench. Joel Armia took over on the Slavkowski line. He then didn’t get a turnover for nearly 15 minutes of play before being sent back to the top line to seal the game.
Slavkovski is frustrated with only one goal this season. The reason it was not recorded is quite clear. He has a tendency to not actually shoot. In the latter half of last season, he was shooting a lot, but he fell back into his old habit of not really shooting his shots.
Slavkovskiy has to drive the net and find a home in front of it to block and deflect. This is his easy path to success in this league. He could only do this way by changing his instincts. Think about going to the net to go big and play furiously.
Easily defensible now. He does not put in much effort to reach the goal. If Brendan Gallagher can get there, Juraj Slavkovski can get there. This is easy work for him, but he has to change his instinct.
The hardest work is the work he seems to think is his wheelhouse – like skiing across areas and taking down players one-on-one. That’s not who he is yet. This is extremely difficult for NHL defenders to achieve.
Slavkovsky can eventually reach those harder goals with experience, but for now, he just needs to do the easy things. He used his large frame and strength to knock the defender out of play in front of the net. Keep an eye on the dial, time monitors, deflections, and rebounds.
Easy first. It’s hard yet. Change your game. Be where the goals are being scored in front of the net, and you will score the goals.
Wild cards
The Laval Rocket are still the best team in the American Hockey League, but it’s not just the strong record that matters. He’s also the one who shines.
If the AHL team wins, but the only strong players are minor league players, the excitement will be weak. The ultimate goal is to graduate great AHL players into great NHL players.
The Rocket have just two losses in their first 14 games, and their young players are leading the way. The only player who has excelled in his career is Alex Barré-Boulet. He is tied for the team lead in scoring. After that, there is nothing but excellence from the horizons.
The other player with 13 points is Joshua Roy. He was one of Canada’s best players at the junior level. He is now one of the best players in the AHL. The natural progression is that he becomes a regular player in the NHL.
The best defender in the league is Logan Maillox. He has 12 points in eight games. He also has an average streak in the AHL that makes him a fearsome force. He hasn’t felt comfortable showing that yet at the NHL level during his short tenure. The natural progression is that he becomes a regular player in the NHL as well.
The AHL is a competitive league. Many CHL scorers arrive in the AHL and find their offensive games dying. Not Owen Beck, who is shy of a point per game with 11 points in 14 contests. Beck also shows that he is a very intelligent player. He is adapting brilliantly and shows there is a job in the NHL for him after this tutelage.
There were some pleasant surprises too. Jared Davidson already has six goals. This is a great start to his professional career. Luke Tuch doesn’t get a lot of points, but he plays a professional game where he completes checks, wins a lot of fights, and plays sound defensive hockey. Adam Engstrom is also adjusting very well in his professional debut. Jakub Dobes is earning an NHL look in net.
There could be as many as eight on the Rocket roster who get an NHL appearance and four holdouts who will have regular-season careers, and they could even have two with high ceilings. Mylox and Beck have the best chance for stardom based on this year’s celebrations.
Mylox’s ceiling is in the top four, and Beck, with his elite defensive posture, could be a second-string midfielder in the Philip Danault mold. This is the best AHL affiliate for the Canadiens since Carey Price carried the Hamilton Bulldogs to the championship in 2007.
Montreal-based sportswriter Brian Wilde brings you the Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after every Canadiens game.
