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Miami Herald
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Great Work, Canadiens. Now, The Real Work Begins
Even though the Montreal Canadiens went down in five games to the best team in the Eastern Conference in the first round of the playoffs, there is every reason to frame the 2024-25 season as a tremendous success. The Canadiens pushed their rebuild ahead by a couple of years and exposed their young players to games down the stretch and in the playoffs that will make them more mature, more battle-tested and better. Coach Martin St-Louis basically said after the game that the disappointment they feel now will create even more joy when this team becomes a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. He, like a lot of other people, are assuming that their great, young talent is going to become great, older talent. That might happen, but all the Canadiens need to do is to look to their Atlantic Division neighbor to the west to know that compiling terrific young players doesn't necessarily or instantly lead to playoff success. The Canadiens need to get bigger, tougher and better defensively. And the work on that begins now. Watch today's video column to learn how they can accomplish that. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tyler Tucker with a Goal vs. Winnipeg Jets
Canadiens: Tougher Kids To Skate With For the first time in four years, the Montreal Canadiens played some playoff hockey on Monday night when they took on the Eastern Conference champions, the Washington Capitals. It was also the first playoff game for coach Martin St-Louis as a bench boss and goaltender Samuel Montembeault, one of seven Canadiens making their post-season debut. 2:54 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canadiens Hoping To Steal Home Ice Advantage
Feb 6, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) controls the puck as Montreal Canadiens defenseman David Savard (58) chases in the third period at Capital One Arena. Photo credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images On Monday night, the puck will drop on a Montreal Canadiens playoff hockey game for the first time in four years. The visiting Habs are kicking off the Spring dance by taking on the Eastern Conference champions, the Washington Capitals. They are wearing the underdog tag, which doesn't scare Martin St-Louis, because you still have to play the games. Advertisement Playoffs Primer: Canadiens Vs. Capitals Florian Xhekaj Is Now Part Of An Exclusive Club Canadiens: Preparing For The Capitals' Terrorizing Power Play For St-Louis, the playoffs are sure to help Juraj Slafkovsky play to his identity. When asked where he saw the most significant growth in the former first-overall pick's game this season, the pilot replied: Understanding his biggest asset is his size and his physicality. When that's at the forefront of his game, the rest comes with it. - Martin St-Louis on Juraj Slafkovsky's biggest growth. For the Canadiens to win this series, they will need a significant contribution from their first line. If Slafkovsky is engaged and dialed in physically, Nick Suzuki's and Cole Caufield's jobs become much easier. Advertisement Washington won the season series between the two teams, winning twice and losing once. That loss came after the Canadiens had turned a corner and become a much more confident team. After a few tough seasons injury-wise, it looked like the 2024-25 campaign would be more of the same for the Habs when Patrik Laine and David Reinbacher went down to knee injuries in a preseason game. Still, thankfully for St-Louis' men, those and Kaiden Guhle's skate cut were the most significant injuries of the season. The Canadiens are ready to go on Monday and have no significant injuries, while it looks like the Capitals will be without Aliaksei Protas at least to start the series. The fourth-year center had a coming-out party this season with 66 points in 76 games, playing a significant part in Washington's offense. However, he suffered a skate cut at the start of April and only started skating again on Sunday. There has also been no confirmation about goaltender Logan Thompson's availability, and not having your number one goaltender in the playoffs is hardly a comfortable position to be in. Advertisement There's no uncertainty on the Canadiens' net as Samuel Montembeau will get the nod. The netminder has played six times against the first-round foe and has a 2-3-0 record against them, alongside a 3.49 goals-against average and a .893 SP. Thompson is 1-0-1 against the Canadiens with a 3.04 GAA and a .889 SP, while Lindgren, a former Hab, is 3-1-0 against them with a 2.51 GAA and a .899 SP. Goaltenders Clay Stevenson and Hunter Sheppard have each played a game for the Caps this season, with the former allowing five goals and the latter seven. One can safely assume Carbery would likely prefer not to go there. Throughout the season series, Cole Caufield has been the Canadiens' top scorer with five points in three games, followed by Nick Suzuki and Lane Hutson, who both have four. Brendan Gallagher, Alex Newhook, Christian Dvorak, David Savard, Josh Anderson, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Kaiden Guhle had a single point while everyone else was kept off the scoresheet. Needless to say, the Habs will need to spread the offense around if they want to win. Advertisement The attack was much more spread out for Washington, with gritty winger Tom Wilson and youngster Protas leading the way with four points apiece in three games. Ovechkin, center Dylan Strome, and right winger Taylor Raddysh all had three points, but the captain did it in two games, missing one of the duels. Connor McMichael, Pierre-Luc Dubois, John Carlson, Jacob Chychrun, and Trevor Van Riemsdyk all scored two points in the season series, demonstrating that the Capitals have more offensive contributors. St. Louis has already announced his lineup, and there will be no change from the end of the season. In other words, there's still no room for Arber Xhekaj on the blueline. With Wilson playing for the Caps, it's an interesting decision. The puck drop is set for 7:00 PM and this is one match-up you won't want to miss… Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story. Advertisement Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @ and Threads @karinehains. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three Takeaways From A Missed Opportunity
After a couple of days off, the Montreal Canadiens were taking on the Ottawa Senators on Friday night. They had an opportunity to officially punch their ticket for the Spring dance and sweep their Ontarian rivals. Unfortunately for Martin St-Louis, it became apparent that neither would happen early on. Canadiens: Demidov Has Landed And May Be Perfect For St-Louis Canadiens: Where Does Demidov Slot In? Jacob Fowler Wins Richter Award Learning To Win Is One Thing, But Learning To Be Ready Is Just As Important The Canadiens had six wins in a row before Friday night's game, but there's one part of their game that they can never seem to get right: being ready for puck drop. St-Louis won't complain that his team has developed a knack for third-period comebacks, but he must be fuming about those late starts as evidenced by his use of the word "unacceptable" when asked about yet another late start. Advertisement So far this season, the Canadiens have scored 64 goals in the first period and given up 82. They've given up 81 in the second and 83 in the third, so the issue is not how many they give up but how many they score. They put up 78 in the second and 84 in the third. Whatever the problem is, it must be addressed, and the sooner, the better. Since their previous game in Ottawa in February, the Canadiens have been outscored 17-7 in the first frame and only once they managed to keep their opponent from scoring in the first 20 minutes. The fact that they were unable to pull off the third-period comeback against the Sens is not a bad thing. It is much better to get this stern warning in the regular season than in the playoffs, which they will likely make, even though they could not seal the deal in this game. The coach often tells us that a considerable part of his job is selling his game plan to the players; this 5-2 loss will be a good selling point. The Captain Since The Break Since the 4 Nations Face-Off break, Nick Suzuki has scored 35 points in 23 matches, four game-winning goals, at least two points in 11 of the 23 games, and has contributed to 47% of the Canadiens' goals. Advertisement In Friday's game, he scored his 29th goal of the season, leaving him one short of hitting 30 for a second season in a row. His career high is 33, which he hit last year. While he did end the game with a minus-three rating, and his line was dominated by Shane Pinto's unit, it's hard to criticize Suzuki, given how he has carried this team on his back for the last couple of months. The fact that he went to his GM to plead the team's case as the trade deadline was approaching shows great leadership. He will have earned even more respect from his teammates by not only doing this but also rising to the challenge given by Kent Hughes. Time For A Change? With this loss, perhaps it's time for St-Louis to reintegrate Arber Xhekaj into the lineup. Sometimes, a big hit can bring a team to its senses. We'll never know if it could have made a difference tonight, but we know that the gritty defenseman is eager to return. Advertisement Jayden Struble was the blueliner with the least ice time in the game and was guilty of two giveaways. If St-Louis does decide to make a change, he'll be the most likely candidate for a night off. David Savard could probably use the rest, but his role on the penalty kill is crucial, and until the playoff spot is official, I wouldn't be surprised if the coach felt he had to keep him. While Michael Pezzetta has some limitations as a hockey player, he has none in the heart and dedication department. For a second time this week, he dropped the gloves to wake his team up. He struggled at the start of the fight but came out on top, doing what he could to pump up his teammates. If Emil Heineman is ready for Saturday's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, he should be inserted into the lineup. He applies excellent forecheck and can also contribute offensively. The Habs will need to turn the page quickly and, as the coach often says himself, focus on what's next. Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story. Advertisement Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @ and Threads @karinehains. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
3 Takeaways From The Canadiens' Crucial Win
On Tuesday night, rivalry night at the Bell Centre, as the Montreal Canadiens hosted the Ottawa Senators. With the hosts sitting in ninth place in the Eastern Conference and the visitors in the first wild card spot, the tilt had huge playoff implications, just like the Calgary Flames vs. New York Rangers, New York Islanders vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, and Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals matchups. Just like Saturday night, the Bell Centre crowd was very vocal. It erupted in cheers when Patrik Laine made Linus Ullmark drop his stick with a hard shot and even more when Christian Dvorak scored to give Montreal the early lead. Former Canadiens Goaltender Gives Montreal A Hand In Playoffs RaceKent Hughes 'Won't Spend Like a Drunken Sailor' in Free AgencyThe Canadiens Hits Leader May Not Be Who You Think Back in Marc Bergevin's days, the Habs had several hard-hitting defensemen, which the former GM liked to say made them hard to play against. Montreal still has some hard-hitting blueliners, but there are also hard hitters up front, and it makes a difference. In the first period alone, Thomas Chabot backed off the puck twice to brace himself for contact. Once because of a Jayden Struble hit and once because of Josh Anderson. That was one of Anderson's five hits in the first 20 minutes. Montreal dished out 13 to Ottawa's nine. While we often speak of the Canadiens being more offensive under Martin St-Louis, the physical aspect of the game is getting increasingly important. At the end of the game, the Canadiens had 27 hits, the Senators only 13, and captain Brady Tkachuk didn't have a single one. I asked Martin St-Louis why his players were so physically dominant during the game: I think it's part of the game, and when you bring pace to the game, you have an opportunity to be physical. We put good pucks in the zone, and it allowed us to be close enough to them to be able to be physical. We talk a lot about the strategy of where to put the pucks, and we have players who are able to play a physical game. - Martin St-Louis on his team's physical game Failing to score on a power play is one thing, but conceding inside what should have been the two minutes of the power play hurts that much more. In the middle frame, while Drake Batherson was in the sin bin, Juraj Slafkovsky was found guilty of holding on Artem Zub. Michael Amadio gave the Senators the lead on the ensuing four-on-four sequences and deflated the Habs and the building momentarily. Slafkovsky didn't play a bad game, but that penalty was costly, when it happened. Still, on the Sens' second penalty of the frame, he prevented two clearing attempts in the nick of time. After 40 minutes, the big Slovak had 3 of the Canadiens' 17 shots and was doing more than his fair share offensively. Thankfully for the power forward, the Habs bounced back in the best of ways in the third frame. After Lane Hutson leveled the score in the third frame, Travis Hamonic scored from far out, a goal Samuel Montembeault probably would have liked to get back. Earlier this season, this could have been it; it could have sucked out the energy from his teammates but not on Tuesday night the Canadiens rolled up their sleeves and went to work. Anderson, who had worked so hard all game long, was rewarded when he scored the Canadiens' second game-tying goal of the frame. Montreal was still hungry, though, and when Shane Pinto tripped Anderson, he opened the door wide for the Habs to put the finishing touch on that game. dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien dis rien... MA FAMILLE!!!don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it don't say it… — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 19, 2025 Nick Suzuki, who once again played on both powerplay units, scored the game-winning goal with two seconds to go to the man advantage, but he never would have been able to do it had Brendan Gallagher not gotten it away from Ullmark after Emil Heineman's rocket of a shot. The alternate captain got three points, and even though he didn't get a star, he did everything else. It was a dominant performance from the third line since center Dvorak scored four points, and they were the line who capped the win off with a couple of empty-netters. With this hard-earned win, the Canadiens leapfrog the Rangers and take sole possession of the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. With 15 games to play, the Habs are squarely in the mix, and right now, this group believes it can do anything. Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @ and Threads @karinehains. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
