For the primary time this pre-season, the Montreal Canadiens gave up a purpose and have been defeated by their rivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2-1 at Scotiabank Enviornment on Thursday night time.
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Christian Dvorak tallied his first purpose of the pre-season, tying the competition at 1-1 within the second interval earlier than Nicholas Robertson netted the eventual game-winner within the dying minutes of the center body.
Jakub Dobes performed the whole contest between the pipes, making 32 saves and ending his night time with a .941 SV%.
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There is not a lot time to dwell on this newest setback for the reason that two groups meet once more on Saturday night time on the Bell Centre. Listed below are three takeaways from the primary assembly between the Authentic Six rivals.
Seventeen Pictures Is not Going to Win Hockey Video games
After the primary 20 minutes, the visiting Canadiens have been dominated, getting outshot by an almost full Maple Leafs lineup, 13-3. Their solely flaw within the opening interval was Jonathan Tavares’ power-play purpose at 10:12. Apart from that blemish, Dobes saved Montreal within the contest as the children struggled to generate any offense zone time towards a seasoned opponent.
Nonetheless, as the sport progressed, it remained a lot the identical. Despite the fact that the shot clock learn 29-10 after two intervals, at no level did it ever really feel just like the Canadiens had ten photographs on purpose. There wasn’t a outstanding second when somebody in a white jersey made Alex Stolarz work.
After the Maple Leafs gave the crease to Matt Murray in the beginning of the third interval, the Canadiens solely fired seven photographs on purpose to complete the night time with 17, getting outshot 34-17. Montreal’s solely saving grace within the third interval was that the sport slowed down, and Toronto regarded like they ran out of gasoline with simply 5 photographs.
Based on Sportnet’s Garry Galley, goaltending hasn’t been an issue for the Canadiens through the years, and he is not unsuitable. Dobes bought beat twice, however the lineup in entrance of him did not do the identical factor as in earlier video games to get that second purpose and choose up one other victory.
What Else Can You Say About Lane Hutson?
The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are the NHL’s oldest rivalry, however in case you tuned into Sportsnet, you’d by no means know as a result of a lot of the broadcast was spent speaking about 20-year-old Lane Hutson.
Sep 26, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens ahead Lane Hutson (48) controls the puck in entrance of Toronto Maple Leafs ahead Bobby McMann (74) within the third interval at Scotiabank Enviornment&interval; Necessary Credit score: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Pictures
Chris Cuthbert and Galley questioned if Hutson can be this era’s Phil Housley, a Corridor of Fame defender who performed 21 years. They spent a lot of the broadcast speaking about Hutson as a result of he danced with the puck each time he had it, and his creativity was one of many Canadiens’ vivid spots in an virtually lackluster staff efficiency.
Whether or not it is on Saturday, on opening night time, or sooner or later throughout the season, Hutson goes to get his shot, and he will blossom right into a star for the Canadiens. On Wednesday night time, he led all skaters with 25:47 of ice time, beating out veteran Morgan Rielly for the highest minutes within the contest.
Head coach Martin St. Louis sees one thing within the younger Hutson as a result of if he weren’t an up-and-coming franchise participant, he would not be trusted in crucial conditions, irrespective of how a lot confidence he reveals on the ice. Regardless of all of the reward, Hutson lived as much as the billing and did his greatest to face out in a recreation filled with veteran NHL superstars. Even in defeat, he was a vivid spot for Montreal on each ends of the ice.
Inexperience on Show in Loss to Maple Leafs
With out sounding like a damaged document, no staff will win an NHL recreation with simply three photographs on purpose within the first interval. The Canadiens rolled with a younger lineup on Thursday towards a Maple Leafs squad solely lacking 69-goal scorer Auston Matthews.
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Age and inexperience have been decisive components within the recreation’s first purpose, because the deadly Toronto energy play went to work with Mitch Marner threading a cross by the penalty killers to an undefended Tavares. It could solely be pre-season, however nobody with 1,000 factors ought to ever be capable of sneak behind the defenders and be left alone on the web to tip house a shot from the purpose.
Nonetheless, as soon as the Canadiens fell behind, they did not generate sufficient scoring probabilities to offset the veteran Maple Leafs’ relentless photographs. With out their stars like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, or Patrik Laine, the Montreal assault did not have the identical emphasis on pushing forward and relied on their younger prospect netminder to climate a one-goal deficit on two events.
As soon as once more, it was solely a pre-season contest, and the longer term seems brighter with every passing recreation, however there are some areas of concern for St-Louis and his workers once they haven’t got 20-goal scorers to ship over the boards.
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