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A rare Friday night contest for the Habs kicked off a home and home weekend versus the Detroit Red Wings. Montreal sees this weekend as an opportunity to jump over another team in the Eastern Conference as the Red Wings began the weekend three points up on them.
It was Alexandre Carrier’s first game with his new team, so all eyes were on a very successful debut in his case. The Wings came in with a top-10 power play, but a terrible penalty kill. The Canadiens countered with a red-hot power play and a strong penalty kill unit, and it was the special teams that were really the difference as Montreal came away with a 4-3 win in what was a highly entertaining see-saw battle that promises an excellent second match Saturday night.
Habs Lineup
Cole Caufield — Nick Suzuki — Juraj Slafkovsky
Patrik Laine — Alex Newhook — Kirby Dach
Josh Anderson – Christian Dvorak – Brendan Gallagher
Emil Heineman – Jake Evans — Joel Armia
Lane Hutson – Mike Matheson
Kaiden Guhle — Alexandre Carrier
Arber Xhekaj – David Savard
Samuel Montembeault
10 Thoughts
1) The Habs came out flying for this game as they completely dominated the opening 10 minutes of play, out-shooting Detroit 11-6 over that time. This included one-timer chances for Caufield, Newhook, and Heineman. It also included a missed open net for Evans after a brilliant cross-ice pass by Matheson. Heineman would finally open the scoring after a strong neutral zone play by Armia sent in Heineman with time and space that he would use to beat Cam Talbot five-hole on a shot the netminder should have stopped.
2) The Red Wings would respond quickly both times the Habs scored in the period. The first time was the Dach line trying to extend possession instead of putting pucks deep. The result was an icing followed by Patrick Kane catching Montembeault going down too quickly to sneak a shot over his shoulder. The second was a redirected point shot with 33 seconds left in the period from Joe Veleno.
3) The second Montreal goal in the period came shorthanded on a Dach high-sticking penalty. Evans pressured Lucas Raymond causing a turnover, out-skated Moritz Seider to the net with the puck, and was patient enough to deke Talbot in scoring a beauty. Did I mention that the Habs won the special teams in this game?
4) The second period was less eventful on the scoreboard but also with the excitement within the game. The many penalties likely contributed to the stunted rhythm of the period. Laine took the first penalty in a defensive zone hooking which was a great play by Seider. Slafkovsky then took a selfish retaliatory penalty for cross-checking in the offensive zone.
5) While the first line increased its pace over the course of the period, the Evans line remained Montreal’s best by a landslide and this was only highlighted further by their performance on the penalty kill.
6) The Canadiens would finally get a power play with only four minutes to play in the period when Gallagher applied pressure in the offensive zone and lured the Red Wings to take their first penalty of the game. Montreal squandered the opportunity but remained the better team in the period as they outshot Detroit 10-5, bringing the game totals to 24-18 in favour of the Habs.
7) After yet another dominant opening shift by the Evans line to start the third, Hutson was guilty of his own risky play. He coughed up a puck in the defensive zone to Michael Rasmussen and then did not cover the right player afterwards. The Wings would take their first lead in the game as Rasmussen set up Tyler Motte for an easy tap-in and Hutson was visibly frustrated with himself after the play.
8) Heineman was back in action with 11 minutes to play as he made a huge play in the defensive zone to get the Canadiens on the rush. Armia slowed down the play in the offensive zone and protected the puck before finding Xhekaj coming in. Xhekaj found the five-hole to even the score at three.
9) The very next shift was by far the best shift on the night for the Dach line. This line did not have a terrible night, but they were still the weakest of the four Montreal trios. Their excellent shift ended with Hutson driving the Wings’ net with the puck and luring Veleno into taking a holding penalty. This time, the Habs would make them pay as, shocker, Hutson would find Laine for a one-timer at “the spot” as the Habs regained the lead 4-3.
10) The end of the game saw Guhle take a penalty and then the Red Wings would send Talbot to the bench. Montreal bent quite a bit over the sequence but did not break as many good defensive plays were completed by all of Evans, Armia, Carrier, Savard, Matheson, and Xhekaj. Montembeault was also credited with a few excellent and important saves to secure the win.
HabsWorld Habs 3 Stars
1st Star – Jake Evans
This was the easiest call for a first star in a while. Evans was so far and away the best player on the ice on this night that the coaches double-shifted him in Dach’s spot a couple of times in the third period. This doesn’t even include his brilliance when Montreal lacked discipline and went down a man. Evans continues to make a case to return to the Habs, or to get them a King’s ransom in February.
Stats: 1 goal, 1 assist, +3, 2 shots, 2 hits, 16:02 T.O.I.
2nd Star – Joel Armia
It was Heineman who scored, but Armia was an important piece to the penalty kill and he was the creator of many of Heineman’s chances to score through awesome puck protection all over the ice on this night. The way Armia has played of late looks an awful lot like what he did in a similar role in 2021 when the Habs made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It was another excellent performance on his part.
Stats: 1 assist, +3, 2 shots, 16:59 T.O.I.
3rd Star – Alexandre Carrier
Heineman could have easily been here to complete the trio. Xhekaj also had a strong game and his first goal of the season for the game-winner. However, when looking through all three periods, Carrier’s first for the Habs was a solid effort. While everyone is focused on comparing him to either Justin Barron or Savard, the player I’m reminded of is Francis Bouillon. Much like Bouillon, his effort on this night was highly physical, highly efficient, and it took very little time for this coaching staff to start trusting the player as Carrier was out in the final minutes with the Habs only up by one to secure the win. An excellent and stable first game for Carrier.
Stats: +1, 2 shots, 1 hit, 18:37 T.O.I.
