The Montreal Canadiens were shut out for the first time this season as the Los Angeles Kings dominated the game from start to finish.
GAME RECAP | Montreal Canadiens 0 vs Los Angeles Kings 4 | Final
Canadiens Lineup
Forwards
15 Alex Newhook - 14 Nick Suzuki - 11 Brendan Gallagher
22 Cole Caufield - 28 Christian Dvorak - 20 Juraj Slafkovsky
70 Tanner Pearson - 91 Sean Monahan - 17 Josh Anderson
55 Michael Pezzetta - 71 Jake Evans - 56 Jesse Ylonen
Defensemen
8 Mike Matheson - 52 Justin Barron
21 Kaiden Guhle - 27 Gustav Lindstrom
47 Jayden Struble - 26 Johnathan Kovacevic
Goaltenders
Starter: 34 Jake Allen (3-4-1)
Alternate: 30 Cayden Primeau
Out of the lineup
Scratches: Sam Montembeault, Mattias Norlinder, Joel Armia
Injuries: Carey Price (knee), Chris Wideman (back), Kirby Dach (knee), David Savard (hand), Rafael Harvey-Pinard (lower body), Arber Xhekaj (upper body), Jordan Harris (lower body)
Game Report
The Canadiens came into this game looking to sweep all three games in California. But it didn't take long to conclude that goal was not going to be realized on this trip.
Frankly, the Habs were never in this game. And blame for the anemic performance can be equally directed towards Martin St. Louis and right on down the lineup.
The Kings played a heavy game and brought relentless pressure. Montreal served up a steady diet of defensive zone turnovers. It was a bad combination that resulted in the Canadiens spending long periods of the game hemmed in their own zone.
Montreal managed just one shot on goal in the first period. It was a harmless dump in from centre ice, 146 feet away, while shorthanded. Pathetic.
As bad as the first period was, the Canadiens were only down by one goal. Midway through the second period, Trevor Moore picked up a loose puck behind the Montreal goal. Mike Matheson was well-positioned to prevent a wrap-a-round but a weak effort by the Canadiens defenseman resulted in Moore's first goal of the game.
Given the way the Canadiens were playing, the game felt over at that point. And in reality it was.
Jake Allen did what he could in goal but didn't get any goal support. The Kings outshot the Canadiens 30-18. High-danger scoring chances were a whopping 16-to-2 for Los Angeles while 5-on-5.
Allen robbed Phil Danault with a tremendous glove save just over five minutes into the third period. At the 13 minute mark, Allen fumbled a Moore backhand, a goal that he, no doubt, should have stopped.
But it was irrelevant. On this night, the Kings required only one goal to defeat Montreal as they smothered the visitors.
Josh Anderson's goal drought has reached 21 games.
Amazingly, it was the first time the Kings have shutout the Montreal Canadiens on home ice. And that honor went to Phoenix Copley.
Game Statistics
Canadiens (9-10-2)
Shots: 18
Face-off %: 60.0
Power play: 0/3
Penalty minutes: 4
Hits: 23
Blocks: 17
Kings (13-3-3)
Shots: 30
Face-off %: 40.0
Power play: 0/2
Penalty minutes: 6
Hits: 15
Blocks: 15
Scoring Summary
Canadiens Scorers
1st period: --
2nd period: --
3rd period: --
OT: --
SO: --
Kings Scorers
1st period: Grundstrom (7)
2nd period: Moore (10)
3rd period: Lewis (3), Moore (11)
OT: --
SO: --
Goaltenders
MTL: Allen (L) 3-5-1
LAK: Copley (W) 3-0-2
Canadiens Players of the Game
Brendan Gallagher - For a game that featured few good performances by the Canadiens, Gallagher was one player who did his best to turn the momentum.
Video Highlights
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IZ9O6oNGK4[/embed]
Post-game Quotes
Brendan Gallagher
“It was frustrating in the sense that we didn't have time and space with the puck. When you get an opening, there is always another player coming to cover you. The game was difficult, but we were facing a very good team."
Game Preview
Montreal Canadiens Aim for a Sweep in California | PREVIEW: MTL @ LAK
Up Next
The Canadiens will stay in Los Angeles for the rookie dinner before heading out to Columbus for a game against the Blue Jackets next Wednesday.
Be sure to bookmark THN.com/Montreal for year-round coverage of the Montreal Canadiens, Laval Rocket, and Habs prospects playing in leagues around the world.
