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The Montreal Canadiens started their 2024-25 season by avenging their 2023-24 opening-night shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Sam Montembeault setting an NHL file with a 47-save shutout.
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It was an exhilarating evening on the Bell Centre, and the followers had rather a lot to cheer about, whether or not it was spectacular saves, laborious hits, or the Canadiens’ starting the yr with an influence play aim.
In the meantime, Lane Hutson danced round veteran gamers like John Tavares, displaying everybody how particular of a participant he’s.
It was a fantastic begin to the common season after a number of duds to the tip of the pre-season. Let’s talk about some takeaways from the 1-0 victory.
Welcome to the NHL File E book, Sam Montembeault
In accordance with Sportsnet, the Maple Leafs hadn’t been shut out in 227 video games, a streak that stopped by the hands of the Canadiens No. 1 goalie, Montembeault.
Contemplating the legendary goalies in Montreal historical past, nobody had ever recorded a 47-save shutout to begin the season, leaving the 27-year starter in a category all by himself.
After ending the common season with a handful of subpar performances, he restored everybody’s confidence in his capacity to be a prime starter and be the person to steer the membership again to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Solely a handful of his 47 saves had been straightforward, however he was sharp along with his gloves and pads, denying a former 69-goal scorer and one other participant with over 1,000 factors on quite a few events.
Though it was a workforce effort, the evening really belonged to Montembeault, who had one in all his greatest nights in a Canadiens jersey.
Canadiens Trip Specials Groups to Victory
Montreal did not rating a single power-play aim within the pre-season, and their energy play, now run by head coach Martin St-Louis, had been the discuss of the league.
Nevertheless, Cole Caufield despatched the Bell Centre crowd right into a frenzy with a power-play lamplighter at 7:48 of the primary interval, due to an attractive feed from Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach.
Though Montreal completed the evening 1-for-5 on the person benefit, they bought the monkey off their again lower than eight minutes into the season.
Curiously, Caufield scored the Canadiens’ first power-play aim final season within the third interval of the season opener towards the Maple Leafs.
General, it was a strong evening for the particular groups, because the Maple Leafs, who had the NHL’s seventh-best power-play in 2023-24, went 0-for-4 because the penalty killers did their job, and Montembeault shut the door on each scoring probability.
Lane Hutson is Going to Win the Norris Trophy Sometime
Hutson performed two video games final season however simply bought to take part in his first season opener, and Wednesday evening was simply one in all many to return. This 20-year-old might have solely been in his third NHL recreation, however he seemed like a Norris Trophy-caliber participant in 18:22 of ice time.
He has confidence with the puck. Whether or not skating alongside the blueline or making a split-second determination to chop into the zone and search for a play from the nook or behind the web, the puck stayed with him regardless of the strain.
He was poised beneath strain and oozes a skillset different 20-year-olds can solely dream about or request in video video games. Each time he steps on the ice, he is accountable at each ends and is catapulting himself to be the workforce’s prime defenseman in brief order.
If Sport 1 was only a preview of issues to return, Hutson can be within the Calder Trophy dialog this yr and can be nominated for the Norris Trophy by the last decade’s finish. The longer term is shiny.
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