DEKEthoughts #045
Canadiens: "Hughes" To It?
The Montreal Canadiens weren't outclassed tonight, they gave themselves a chance to win, but the New Jersey Devils won 5-3, meaning the Habs have now lost five games in a row.
Karine Hains • Nov 7th, 2024
If the Montreal Canadiens stayed away from the P word before the start of the 2022-23 season, this year they were not shy of saying they wanted "to be in the mix". Not quite make the playoffs, but at least play competitive hockey for longer this time around, but after 10 games, they are last in their division and 30th in the league.
Tonight, against the New Jersey Devils, they once again found themselves down by two after the first frame and they just couldn't fully recover. At the final buzzer, the score was 5-3 for the host and one has to wonder if the Canadiens are not getting too used to losing.
This was Montreal's fifth loss in a row, I know, the one against Calgary on Tuesday night was in overtime, but to me, a loss is a loss extra point or not. In 14 games thus far this season, Martin St-Louis' men have already got a four-game losing streak and a five-game one. It's getting to the point where one can ask if it's just becoming a habit for them.
Shoot yourself in the foot, dig yourself in a whole, get mixed up in the defensive zone, lose, and rinse and repeat. What's worrying is not necessarily the number of losses, but the fact the same mistakes are being repeated over and over again.