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Three Takeaways From Canadiens Gut-Wrenching 4-3 Loss To Rangers
thehockeynews.comThree Takeaways From Canadiens Gut-Wrenching 4-3 Loss To RangersThe Montreal Canadiens took their act to Broadway on Saturday, where penalty trouble cost them a 4-3 defeat to the New York Rangers.
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Canadiens Posed For Best Statistical November Finish Under St-Louis
thehockeynews.comCanadiens Posed For Best Statistical November Finish Under St-LouisThe Montreal Canadiens face the New York Rangers on Saturday. Win or lose, November could be considered a statistical success.
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Three Takeaways From Canadiens Gut-Wrenching 4-3 Loss To Rangers
The Montreal Canadiens took their act to Broadway on Saturday, where penalty trouble cost them a 4-3 defeat to the New York Rangers.
The Montreal Canadiens played a rare early afternoon contest on Saturday, taking their act to Broadway. They fell to a banged-up New York Rangers team 4-3, with the home squad securing the win with three power-play goals.
Overall, the Canadiens played good hockey from start to finish, but ill-advised penalties cost them. They allowed the Rangers to snap a five-game losing streak and regain their mojo, even if it was just for one game.
The visitors, who head to Boston for a Sunday meeting, rallied from two goals down in the third period but couldn't keep pace on special teams.
The Power Play Giveth and Taketh Away
The Canadiens have a solid power play, led by Cole Caufield, who has a team-leading seven goals on the man advantage. However, on Saturday afternoon, they went 0-for-3 and gave up three power-play goals to the Rangers, surrendering the game-winner with just 22 seconds left on a Kirby Dach double minor penalty.
Heading into the game, Montreal had killed off 84.4% of their penalties in the month but imploded at Madison Square Garden, allowing a team on the ropes to find a new lease on life thanks to special teams.
Considering the Rangers played on Friday and were drowning in a five-game losing streak, the Canadiens didn't have the killer instinct; instead, they couldn't stay out of the box, their biggest problem on Saturday.
Canadiens Leaders Rally Team in Third
The Rangers were the best team in the NHL last season, but they have been anything but this year. Previously, a two-goal lead against New York would have been insurmountable, but Montreal's leaders stepped up in the third and rallied their team to a 3-3 tie.
Caufield netted a goal for the third straight game, while captain Nick Suzuki found the back of the net for the second time in as many games. Although they didn't need special teams for any of their goals, New York was exposed on several occasions, and the Canadiens' best players used that to their advantage to make a 3-1 game quite interesting in the final minutes.
Even though a late goal cost them the game, Montreal didn't get blown out like the previous meeting in October and hung in with a projected Stanley Cup contender. Their efforts start and end with Caufield and Suzuki, who continue to forge the way forward for the young Canadiens.
Montembeault Can't Stop What He Can't See
There will be a small population of Canadiens fans who could blame Sam Montembeault for Saturday's loss, but on two of the Rangers power-play goals, he gave up two shots that he never saw.
Whether it's defensive coverage or elite snipers picking corners, Montembeault is not to blame for the latest Montreal setback. Even on the game-winner, he was left alone to face two uncovered Rangers players, including Kappo Kakko, who buried the winner with just seconds left.
A goalie can only do so much, and outside of surrendering three power-play goals, Montembeault was solid all game long and kept a highly potent offense in check. If his teammates could have stayed out of the box, the Canadiens would have walked away with a 3-1 win.
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Canadiens Posed For Best Statistical November Finish Under St-Louis
The Montreal Canadiens face the New York Rangers on Saturday. Win or lose, November could be considered a statistical success.
Martin St-Louis became head coach of the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 9, 2022. In June of that year, he'd have the interim title removed and given a three-year contract for a 14-19-4 finish in 37 games.
That fall, to begin his first NHL campaign as head coach, the Canadiens went 5-4-0 in October, finishing the month with the same goals against as scored, 27-27.
The following month, Montreal went 6-6-1 while producing a goal differential of minus-12 at 38-50. Their special teams scored no shorthanded goals and were 7-for-40 on the man advantage, good enough for a 17.5% success rate.
Ultimately, the Canadiens finished eighth in the Atlantic Division with a 31-45-6 record (68 points), scoring the 26th most goals in the league and surrendering the 29th most. Meanwhile, their power play also ranked 29th.
Last season, Montreal was 5-2-2 in October, with a better goal differential of just minus-2 (28-30). Their special teams were on fire, with seven power-play goals (35 attempts) and two shorthanded lamplighters.
However, the bottom fell out in November 2023, when the Canadiens produced a 5-9-0 record, an ugly minus-16 goal differential (36-52), and scored no shorthanded goals but was 7-for-49 on the power play.
In the end, Montreal was back at the bottom of the division with a 30-36-16 record (76 points), scoring the 26th-most goals and giving up the 28th-most. Their power play numbers slightly improved to 27th.
This year, October wasn't pretty, with the Canadiens securing a 4-6-1 record and a goal differential of minus-15 (32-47). However, they scored nine power play goals on 41 attempts (21.9%) while failing to score shorthanded.
Montreal has a chance to right some past wrongs and finish November positively, heading into their Nov. 30 contest with the slumping New York Rangers.
Thus far, in 11 games, the team is 4-5-2 with a goal differential of just minus-6, 30-36. Moreover, with one more power-play goal, they'd have eight for the month, surpassing previous totals under a St. Louis-led team in November.
Their special teams units are rolling at 22.5% on the man advantage, while their monthly penalty kill is at 84.8% with a shorthanded goal on the scoresheet.
They say never count your chickens before they hatch, but in a season with so many ups and downs, it's about time someone shines a light on the positives that have occurred in November for a team still stuck in the Atlantic Division basement.
Win or lose against New York, Montreal has proven that they are progressing. Some may say it's too slow, while others may say it's right on par.
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3 Things Canadiens Fans Can Be Thankful For In 2024
thehockeynews.com3 Things Canadiens Fans Can Be Thankful For In 2024What are three things the Montreal Canadiens can be thankful for this season?
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3 Things Canadiens Fans Can Be Thankful For In 2024
What are three things the Montreal Canadiens can be thankful for this season?
Every year, people gather for Thanksgiving to celebrate things they are thankful for. Today, we look at three things Montreal Canadiens fans can be grateful for during the 2024-25 season.
3. TSN Voted Montreal as the Top Team With a Core Under 24
The Canadiens are just three seasons removed from playing for the Stanley Cup Final and just two seasons removed from winning the NHL Draft Lottery.
Since then, the franchise has acquired a boatload of elite prospects, most of whom are already dressed for the team.
Whether it's Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson, or Kaiden Guhle, Montreal is slowly piecing together its best crop of young talent since the 1980s, which saw the club in the Stanley Cup Final twice in four seasons.
Despite the growing pains and their current position in the standings, it's impressive that reinforcements like Ivan Demidov, Jacob Fowler, and Michael Hage are still on the way.
2. Unlucky No. 13
The number 13 is deemed unlucky in most sports circles, although some pretty special players have had magical careers while wearing the number.
Caufield switched his number to pay respects to his former teammate Johnny Gaudreau and continues to defy expectations, remaining on pace for a career season at just 23.
Despite cooling off with just three goals in November after ten in October, Caufield remains Montreal's most lethal offensive weapon and has proven nightly that he can flip on a switch and score a big goal.
It's been a long time since a Canadiens player has scored 40 goals, and Caufield looks positioned to break that streak.
1. Lane Hutson Dangles
Hutson is billed at 5-foot-9 and 158 lbs, but the 20-year-old skates like he's already a multi-time Norris Trophy winner.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLDkGl9AqE0[/embed]
Canadiens fans are still waiting for the rookie to score his first goal, but for now, every time the kid picks up the puck, everyone gets on the edge of their seat, waiting for him to work his magic.
Considering no one has a playbook on him yet, he continues to spoil people's attempts to take the puck away from him, whether on the blueline or in the corner.
No matter what happens this season, Montreal will be thankful they gave Hutson a spot on the opening night roster because, outside of Caufield's goal total, the rookie defender has been the highlight of the up-and-down season.
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Canadiens Maintain Slim Playoff Odds At Thanksgiving, According To MoneyPuck
American Thanksgiving is a measuring stick for playoff-bound teams in the NHL. What odds do the Montreal Canadiens have in late November?
One of the measuring sticks of the NHL season is the Thanksgiving break. A team in a playoff spot or close to one has a good chance of remaining competitive in the campaign's final days.
Most of them will punch their postseason tickets, while teams at the other end of the spectrum won't be as lucky.
According to data from MoneyPuck.com, the Montreal Canadiens, who won over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday night, maintain a slim 7% chance of qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs heading into the one-day Thanksgiving break.
As the league's 29th-ranked team, with an 8-11-3 record, that's not bad odds, considering they remain ahead of the St. Louis Blues (4.5%), Anaheim Ducks (3.5%), Pittsburgh Penguins (2.1%), Chicago Blackhawks (0.8%), Blue Jackets (0.4%), and San Jose Sharks (0.0%).
Meanwhile, Montreal maintains the seventh-best chance to win the NHL Draft lottery at 6.6%, something they last won in 2022 when they drafted Jurak Slafkovsky first overall.
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3 Takeaways From Canadiens 4-3 Overtime Victory Against Blue Jackets
The Montreal Canadiens picked up a critical extra point against the Columbus Blue Jackets, a team they are battling in the standings.
The Montreal Canadiens are still finding their identity as they pass the quarter mark of the 2024-25 season. However, they played a solid hockey game from start to finish on Wednesday night, defeating the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 4-3.
Nick Suzuki was the overtime hero, while Cayden Primeau was strong between the pipes for a much-needed victory. Meanwhile, Brendan Gallagher keeps his name in the headlines, this time throwing down with Zach Werenski.
With two big matchups ahead against the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins, the Canadiens gave themselves a little positive momentum going into Thanksgiving.
Captain Clutch Does it Again to Columbus
Captain Suzuki loves to play the Blue Jackets, at least in 2024-25, with two goals in both contests, each serving as the game-winner. Back on Nov. 16 at the Bell Centre, he had a second-period goal that broke a 1-1 tie en route to a Montreal 5-1 victory.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geDyAxiYg-A[/embed]
On Wednesday, Suzuki followed up on his own rebound and batted one home past Elvis Merzlikins to give the Canadiens their fourth win in the past seven games.
Interestingly, Suzuki only has 11 game-winning goals in his career and has never scored more than one against any other club until he did it against the Blue Jackets less than two weeks apart.
Caufield Does Something Special
When Cole Caufield changed his sweater numbers from 22 to 13, he did it to honor one of his favourite hockey players and former teammate Johnny Gaudreau. On Wednesday night at Nationwide Arena under Gaudreau's No. 13 banner, Caufield scored his 13th goal of the season in a poetic form on a breakaway.
After ten goals in October, the 23-year-old has slowed down with only three goals in November. However, the dip in production hasn't completely knocked him out of the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy race; he's tied with three players for eighth, and he's still on pace for the Canadiens' first 40-goal season in decades.
Primeau Up to the Task on the Road
Primeau improved to 2-2-1 this season with the win over the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Interestingly, the Canadiens backup goalie has become more of a road warrior than a guy who plays in front of friends and family at the Bell Centre.
In nine appearances this season, he's played six times on the road, securing both his wins in Philadelphia and Columbus. Moreover, his three defeats have all been on the road, with losses in Boston, Washington, and a shootout loss on Long Island.
After back-to-back losses at the Bell Centre, Primeau was tasked with stepping up, halting Montreal's mini-losing streak. For the first time in a while, he played solid enough to bank the extra point in overtime, something the Canadiens desperately needed heading into Thanksgiving.
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Canadiens Prospects Shutout Of Projected 2025 World Junior Championship Lineups
The Athletic announced their 2025 World Junior Championship roster projections, and it appears that no Montreal Canadiens prospects were selected.
The Athletic recently announced its roster projections for the upcoming 2025 World Junior Championships in Ottawa.
Interestingly, Montreal Canadian prospects were not among the top five teams at the tournament: Canada, the United States, Sweden, Czechia, or Finland.
As many know, Russia is excluded from IIHF events for now, but for fun, The Athletic did a mock Russian lineup featuring two Canadiens prospects, Ivan Demidov and Yevgeni Volokhin.
Demidov and Volokhin are playing in the KHL this season, with Demidov one of the league's top rookies. Meanwhile, Volokhin has seen limited action between the pipes with just three games.
Last year, during the tournament in Sweden, the United States defeated the home team in the gold medal game. The game featured many Canadiens prospects, including Jacob Fowler and Lane Hutson.
Montreal was also represented on Team Slovakia (Filip Mesar) and Team Canada (Owen Beck).
For the first time in four years, a Canadiens prospect will not win a gold medal, ending a streak started by Cole Caufield (2021) and extended by Riley Kidney (2022), Joshua Roy (2022, 2023), Owen Beck (2023), and of course Hutson (2024) and Fowler (2024).
This year, the 2025 World Junior Championships are in Ottawa. The tournament begins on Dec. 26, and the gold medal game is scheduled for Jan. 5. After failing to earn a medal at last year's tournament, Canada will look to win on home soil as they did in Halifax in 2023.
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Top 10 Best Seasons By A Canadiens Player Under 24
thehockeynews.comTop 10 Best Seasons By A Canadiens Player Under 24After TSN named the Montreal Canadiens the top team with a core four under 24, it was an excellent opportunity to revisit the franchise's best seasons for players under 24.
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Canadiens Humble About Modest Win Streak
thehockeynews.comCanadiens Humble About Modest Win StreakThe Montreal Canadiens still have two days before their next game, but there are still a few things to discuss following Thursday morning's practice.
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Canadiens Humble About Modest Win Streak
The Montreal Canadiens still have two days before their next game, but there are still a few things to discuss following Thursday morning's practice.
The Montreal Canadiens held practice today, their third non-game day of the week.
The club is on its second two-game win streak of the season. It will not play again until Saturday night against the Vegas Golden Knights, but it remains humble about its current situation.
Following practice, captain Nick Suzuki told reporters that the team is taking it one game at a time and is not thinking about breaking through to secure their third straight win, which Montreal did not achieve during the 2023-24 campaign.
Suzuki also said they have been playing good hockey lately, and their performances have been good enough to win games. Realistically, he's not wrong, as the Canadiens are 3-1 in their last four games, a drastic turnaround following a six-game losing streak.
Meanwhile, Kirby Dach took questions, and unfortunately, the Canadiens center continues to have to answer about his sluggish start to the 2024-25 season with just one goal and eight points through 19 games.
After returning from a significant knee injury, Dach, a former third overall pick, has only 48 points in 79 games with Montreal since coming to town ahead of the 2202-23 season.
Considering the pressure of playing in front of the Canadiens faithful, overcoming a severe knee injury is just as daunting.
It's still early in the year, and Dach has a chance to reach 30 or even 40 points, which would be considered underwhelming but is still a step in the right direction for him.
Additional news of this morning's practice: the Canadiens forwards went through another faceoff clinic with Marc Bureau.
Two weeks ago, the club brought in the former NHLer to help their young centers in faceoffs, where Montreal ranks 26th in the league, winning only 47.7% of draws.
No one has a winning percentage out of all players who have taken over 200 faceoffs, with Jake Evans (137-143) as the leader at 48.9%.
However, Christian Dvorak is closing in on his 200th draw. With a 92-87 record, good enough for a 51.4%, he tops the team with over 25 draws.
As mentioned, the Canadiens don't play again until Saturday night, when they host the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bell Centre.
The Golden Knights lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night and play the Ottawa Senators on Thursday. Their tilt with the Canadiens will be their third contest in four nights, giving Montreal an advantage as a rested team.
Last season, Vegas swept the season series but won each game by one goal.
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Top 10 Best Seasons By A Canadiens Player Under 24
After TSN named the Montreal Canadiens the top team with a core four under 24, it was an excellent opportunity to revisit the franchise's best seasons for players under 24.
Montreal Canadiens fans have been privileged to watch some of the game's greatest players, many of whom had the best seasons of their careers before turning 24.
Since TSN just named the Canadiens the top team with a core four under 24, it was a good time to revisit some of the best performances by players before their 24th birthday.
Unsurprisingly, some of the best single-season campaigns in Montreal occurred with young players. Let's revisit.
- Steve Shutt (23) 79 points - 1975/76
- Henri Richard (21) 80 points - 1957/58
- Stephan Lebeau (24) 80 points - 1992/93
- Jean Beliveau (24) 88 points - 1955/56
- Keith Acton (23) 88 points - 1982/82
- Stephane Richer (23) 91 points - 1989/90
- Pierre Larouche (24) 91 points - 1979/80
- Steve Shutt (24) 105 points - 1976/77
- Guy Lafleur (23) 119 points - 1974/75
- Guy Lafleur (24) 125 points - 1975/76
Several noteworthy things emerge when we sort through the data from these magical seasons. First, Guy Lafleur set the franchise record for points with 119, only to break it the following year. By the decade's end, he tied or exceeded 125 points on four other occasions.
Meanwhile, Steve Shutt became the first Canadiens skater to score 60 goals during the 1976-77 seasons, a total only matched by Lafleur the following season. As of 2024, they remain the only ones to reach the plateau.
Additionally, Stephane Richer's 1989-90 season at age 23 was the last time Montreal had a 50-goal scorer when he tallied 51, the seventh-best total in a single season.
Finally, Jean Beliveau, at age 24, set the franchise record for most points in a single season, scoring 88 at in 1955-56, surpassing Elmer Lach's previous total of 80 set in 1944-45.
Once upon a time, these totals were remarkable and ranked among the best single-season campaigns in team history. Now, they are among the top 50 best performances, but when we look into the finer details, these players represent the top point totals by a skater 24 or younger.
Statistics obtained from Stathead.
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Canadiens St-Louis Survives Another Atlantic Division Coaching Shuffle
thehockeynews.comCanadiens St-Louis Survives Another Atlantic Division Coaching ShuffleThe Boston Bruins recently became the latest team to fire their head coach, while in Montreal, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis remains one of the longest tenured bench bosses in the NHL.
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Canadiens: Hughes' Sons Carving Out Own Hockey Legacies
thehockeynews.comCanadiens: Hughes' Sons Carving Out Own Hockey LegaciesWhile Kent Hughes runs the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL, his two sons, Riley and Jack, are carving out their hockey legacies in college and the minors while trying to reach the game's highest levels.
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Canadiens: Hughes' Sons Carving Out Own Hockey Legacies
While Kent Hughes runs the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL, his two sons, Riley and Jack, are carving out their hockey legacies in college and the minors while trying to reach the game's highest levels.
Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has two boys in hockey, and both have had a busy 2024-25 season.
First, his oldest son, Riley, a seventh-round draft pick of the New York Rangers in 2018, is playing in the ECHL with the Savannah Ghost Pirates. He is tied for the team lead, scoring 14 points in 12 games.
After five seasons in the NCAA with Northeastern University and a stint with Ohio State University, he played in the ECHL last season with the Iowa Heartlanders.
Although the right-winger is not known for his point production—he scored just four points in 12 games last year—he earned his first AHL call-up this season, skating a game with the Charlotte Checkers on Oct. 19.
Since returning to the Ghost Pirates, he's had several multi-point games, leads the team in goals (eight), and is tied with Reece Vitelli for the team lead with 14 points.
Meanwhile, Riley's younger brother, Jack, is playing his second season at Boston University. The Los Angeles Kings drafted him in the second round in 2022, but he remains unsigned and has three points in 11 games.
Last year, the former United States National Team Development Program skater had a personal best season in the NCAA, scoring 19 points in 38 games and being named to the NCAA (Hockey East) All-Rookie Team.
However, the Hughes brothers are not the only ones looking to continue their careers in professional hockey. Their first cousin, Callum Hughes, was recently in the news for leaving the BCHL West Kelowna Warriors to join the OHL Erie Otters.
Callum has scored nine goals and 14 points in 20 games this season. Last year, the undrafted center scored 23 goals and 42 points in 54 games. He remains committed to Boston University, where he could play with Jack someday.
As many fans know, Kent never played professional hockey. He last skated in NCAA Div III with Middlebury College from 1988 to 1992. His brother Ryan (Callum's dad) played several seasons in the AHL and IHL, dressing for three games with the Boston Bruins in 1995-96 after being a second-round pick of the Quebec Nordiques in 1992.
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Canadiens St-Louis Survives Another Atlantic Division Coaching Shuffle
The Boston Bruins recently became the latest team to fire their head coach, while in Montreal, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis remains one of the longest tenured bench bosses in the NHL.
Martin St-Louis became head coach of the Montreal Canadiens on Feb. 9, 2022. In his time behind the bench, six teams in the Atlantic Division have fired their head coaches, including the Boston Bruins, who recently fired Jack Adams Award winner Jim Montgomery.
Thus far, St-Louis is 82-110-28 in 220 games as Canadiens head coach, which equals a .436 points percentage. His 110 losses rank seventh all-time in franchise history, achieving the feat in the fewest games.
Now, he is just eight more losses away from tying Alain Vigneault for sixth place and 15 defeats away from fifth all-time. Meanwhile, the Canadiens have secured the fewest wins in the Eastern Conference during this tenure.
Armed with that information, here's a breakdown of all the Atlantic Division coaches fired since St-Louis took over, each with a better points percentage than the Canadiens bench boss, who is in his fourth season.
Florida Panthers - Andrew Brunette (2021-22) .720%
Joel Quenneville was the coach of the Florida Panthers to start the 2021-22 season but promptly stepped down, allowing Andrew Brunette to take over. In 75 games, he led the team to a 51-18-6 record before departing after a second-round playoff exit.
Boston Bruins - Jim Montgomery (2022-2024) .715%
Montgomery was fired after a slow start this season but led Boston to a 120-41-23 record during his tenure. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2022-23 when the Bruins set the NHL record with 65 wins and 135 points.
Toronto Maple Leafs - Sheldon Keefe (2020-2024) .665%
Sheldon Keefe was the Toronto Maple Leafs bench boss for five seasons, guiding the team to their first playoff series win in over a decade in 2023. However, his inability to get star players to the next level was the tipping point when he was relieved of his duties in 2024.
Ottawa Senators - Jacques Martin (2023-2024) .500%
After over a decade away from head coaching duties, Jacques Martin returned for a 56-game stint with the Ottawa Senators in 2023-24, finishing the season with a 262-26-4 record. As one of the more successful coaches in NHL history, his second tour behind the Senators bench was short-lived, as he stepped down at the end of the year.
Buffalo Sabres - Don Granato (2022-2024) .495%
Granato led the Sabres for four seasons and made zero playoff appearances while earning a 122-125-27 record in 274 games from 2020 to 2024. However, the Sabres were just 81-70-13 over his last two seasons, leading to his dismissal in the most recent offseason.
Ottawa Senators - D.J. Smith (2019-2024) .464%
D.J. Smith never led the Ottawa Senators to the playoffs, unable to guide them past a sixth-place finish in the division. He was let go just 26 games into the 2023-24 season, just months after leading the Senators to their first winning season since 2016-17.
Detroit Red Wings - Jeff Blashill (2015-2022) .447%
Jeff Blashill led the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons, helping them through a rebuild with low finishes in the standings, which led to high draft picks. His teams only qualified for the playoffs once, his first season, and never finished above fifth place in the division after that year.
Despite being the second longest-tenured coach in the Atlantic Division, St-Louis has work to do to catch up with his counterparts. He remains near the bottom of the list regarding points percentage, even compared to those fresh on the job this season.
- Jon Cooper - Tampa Bay Lightning (2012-Present) .639%
- Craig Berube - Toronto Maple Leafs (2024-Present) .632%
- Paul Maurice - Florida Panthers (2023-Present) .624%
- Derek Lalonde - Detroit Red Wings (2023-Present) .514%
- Travis Green - Ottawa Senators (2024-Present) .500%
- Lindy Ruff - Buffalo Sabres (2024-Present) .472%
- Martin St-Louis - Montreal Canadiens (2022-Present) .436%
- Joe Sacco - Boston Bruins (2024-Present) TBD
Considering all the movement around him, St-Louis appears safe from the hot seat despite the losses. Moving up the points percentage list won't be easy, but as long as he continues to groom the young kids merging into the lineup, everyone seems okay with the process and will see it run its course.
However, it is interesting to see more successful coaches getting the boot and Montreal continuing its rebuild plans, unphased by what is happening around it.
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Former Canadiens Defenseman Having Heart Procedure
After testing for a concussion, New York Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly is out indefinitely while undergoing a procedure for a preexisting heart condition.
On Nov. 1, New York Islanders defenseman Mike Reilly suffered a concussion in a contest against the Buffalo Sabres. Just recently, news broke that Reilly is out indefinitely after his concussion diagnosis relieved a heart condition that will require a procedure.
According to Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello, Reilly's heart condition was preexisting, and Reilly described the incident as a "blessing in disguise."
Reilly began his second season with the Islanders after the club selected him off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Nov. 25, 2023.
He's a ten-year NHL veteran who has played on six teams, including a three-year stint with the Montreal Canadiens from 2017 to 2020. During his time with the Original Six franchise, Reilly scored three goals and 23 points.
In 411 games, the 31-year-old from Chicago, IL, has 18 goals and 122 points after being a fourth-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011.
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Three Takeaways From Canadiens Dominant Shutout Victory Over Oilers
The Montreal Canadiens achieved something on Monday night at the Bell Centre so few teams have done recently: shut out Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
The Montreal Canadiens shut down the Edmonton Oilers' attack at the Bell Centre on Monday, claiming their second shutout victory of the season, 3-0.
On a night when the franchise honored Pierre Houde for being the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Award, the Canadiens followed the ceremony with one of their best performances of the season.
With their third win in four games, Montreal seems to have turned the page after a season-high six-game losing streak. Let's discuss the important notes from their latest victory.
An Impressive Shutdown Performance
When Connor McDavid goes anywhere, his opponents aim to shut him down. However, many have attempted and failed since he became the fourth fastest player to 1,000 points just a few days ago.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV9OX088R3g[/embed]
On Monday, McDavid was kept in check by his captain counterpart, Nick Suzuki, who shadowed the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner every time he was on the ice.
Of course, the Oilers leader, one of the league's fastest skaters, could easily carry the puck into the Montreal end, but after crossing the blue line, he ran into a wall of Canadiens players who took away his time, space, and options.
Reminiscent of their shutout victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on opening night, when former 69-goal scorer Auston Matthews was pointless, Montreal executed with perfection against the Oilers. They played one of their absolute best games in recent memory against a team many picked to win the Stanley Cup.
Montembeault Shines Against Stanley Cup Contender
There have been many questions surrounding Sam Montembeault's play this season. Whether it's momentum-killing goals against, his inability to make timely saves or his overall inconsistency, he was brilliant when needed on Monday night.
Even though most of the NHL has figured out the mostly one-dimensional Oilers' attack, led by McDavid and snipe from the goal line Leon Draisaitl, Montembeault was up to the task whenever these two were on the ice.
The Canadiens' goalie didn't have to steal this win; instead, he just needed to make the stops when called upon, especially on the man advantage, while watching his teammates take care of the rest. At times, it looked effortless, while other times, he earned his keep.
Although Montembeault stood on his head to earn the shutout against the Maple Leafs, on Monday night, he was solid from start to finish and made those key saves to keep an offensive juggernaut off the scoreboard.
A Complete Game Effort
When people wake up on Tuesday morning, one of the questions on their mind will be, "Where are these Canadiens on a nightly basis." Of course, the NHL regular seasons will have peaks and valleys. Some nights, the team will look like Stanley Cup winners, and other contests will look like draft lottery contenders.
As the Canadiens rebuild continues, fans have seen more draft lottery performances, but Monday will go down as one of the best complete-team efforts this decade. It sounds unbelievable to say that since Montreal took more penalties, outshot by five, and lost more face-offs.
However, head coach Martin St-Louis drew up a game plan to shut out the Oilers, and the players executed that plan flawlessly. Thanks to blocked shots, big hits, and sticks in lanes, Edmonton failed to generate anything substantial in the attacking zone.
For Montreal, Monday night's win was a big triumph over a contender, while for the Oilers, it was a crushing defeat to a team that "shouldn't" be at their level. Yet, the Canadiens showed no one is superior to the other on any given night, especially when everyone sticks to the plan.
Canadiens & Wild Trivia Answers
How did you score in our Game Day Trivia quiz? Here are the answers.
- 1981
- Trevor Linden
- Mats Naslund
- Saku Koivu
- Richard Sevigny
- Shayne Corson
- Jaroslav Halak
- Steve Shutt
- 32
- Chris Nilan
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Canadiens & Oilers Game Day Hockey Trivia (Nov. 18)
The Montreal Canadiens look to continue the momentum from their latest victory when they host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
Although the Montreal Canadiens and Edmonton Oilers may be in different conferences, they once met in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Oilers executed one of hockey's grandest upsets.
In 104 regular season meetings, these two teams have remained competitive against one another, with the Canadiens holding a 48-42-4-10 lead.
Monday's contest will be on Amazon Prime, so fans interested in seeing Connor McDavid's only visit to the Bell Centre must subscribe. Meanwhile, after reaching 1,000 points, will he add more to his totals against Montreal?
1. What year did the Oilers sweep the Canadiens in the Stanley Cup playoffs?
- 1980
- 1981
- 1982
- 1983
2. Who scored the last Canadiens hat trick against the Oilers in 2000?
- Trevor Linden
- Dainius Zubrus
- Shayne Corson
- Martin Rucinsky
3. Who is the Canadiens all-time leading scorer against Edmonton?
- Saku Koivu
- Bob Gainey
- Mats Naslund
- Larry Robinson
4. Who has tallied the most overtime goals for Montreal against the Oilers?
- Eric Staal
- Jonathan Drouin
- Donald Audette
- Saku Koivu
5. Which goalie leads the Canadiens in penalty minutes against the Oilers?
- Richard Sevigny
- Brian Hayward
- Jeff Hackett
- Andre Racicot
6. Who played 854 games with Montreal and Edmonton?
- Jeff Petry
- Shayne Corson
- Vincent Damphousse
- Roman Hamrlik
7. Which goalie did NOT play for the Canadiens and Oilers?
- Andy Moog
- Ben Scrivens
- Ron Tugnutt
- Jaroslav Halak
8. Who led the Canadiens in scoring during the one playoff meeting with the Oilers?
- Steve Shutt
- Pierre Larouche
- Brian Engblom
- Guy Lafleur
9. Out of his 1,003 career points, how many points does Connor McDavid have against the Canadiens?
- 43
- 30
- 21
- 32
10. Who is the Canadiens all-time penalty minutes leader against the Oilers?
- Chris Chelios
- Mike McPhee
- Chris Nilan
- Mario Tremblay
Canadiens hockey trivia is published on game days, so come back for the next edition on Saturday, Nov. 23, when they host the Vegas Golden Knights at the Bell Centre.
Regarding tonight's trivia, check tomorrow's game takeaways story for the answers.
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