Habs Beat Senators, Finish on a Positive Note | Prospects Challenge

Montreal Canadiens rookies suited up for their final game of the 2023 Prospects Challenge at the LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo on Monday afternoon. The Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 on goals by Riley Kidney and Jan Mysak.

This game was a mismatch on paper. Ottawa scratched their top prospects, including five of their first and second round picks: Ridly Greig, Tyler Boucher, Zack Ostapchuk, Tyler Kleven, and Roby Jarventie. In their places were 11 undrafted forwards for the Senators. By contrast, the Canadiens tapped three first round picks and four second round picks for their lineup.

As a result, Montreal dominated this game on the ice, but not necessarily on the scoreboard. In fact, the Senators opened the scoring courtesy of a shorthanded goal by undrafted forward Tarun Fizer. It was a goal that Canadiens goaltender Jan Spunar would have liked back.

Spunar had a light workload on Monday afternoon handling just 17 shots, which included just two shots on goal in the second period. The Canadiens did a good job pressuring the Senators all over the ice creating numerous turnovers.

But despite sustained pressure for long stretches in the offensive zone, the score stayed close. Ottawa goaltender Leevi Merilainen was the only reason that this was a one-goal game.

After the game on Friday night, Canadiens rookie team coach J.F. Houle made an unfortunate, disparaging comment about Mysak. "I think he can be a good grinder, I don’t see him getting a lot of points in the American Hockey League," said Houle.

Mysak had a goal and an assist in Saturday's win over the Bruins and scored the game-winner against the Senators. The 21-year-old finished the tournament with three points in three games. When considering his forechecking, defensive play and faceoffs in addition to his offense, it is clear that Mysak was the most complete player of the tournament for the Canadiens.

The game had its share of physical play including Florian Xhekaj throwing a few punches and Laval Rocket tough guy Riley McKay dropping the gloves. McKay was handed his lunch by six-foot-seven-inch Senators defenseman Djibril Toure, a Montreal native.

For David Reinbacher, it was the first time he had ever seen a fight in a game he played. Reinbacher said, "It's funny, I told (Riley) McKay that was the first fight I saw in a game. Well done to him for standing up for the team."

It was not the only aspect of the game that seemed to be a mystery for Reinbacher. In the two games that he played in the tournament, the 18-year-old showed little of the talent that has been promised by the Canadiens scouting staff.

Acknowledging that nerves played a factor in his poor play on Friday night, the same excuses should not apply on Monday. Reinbacher was invisible for many of his shifts, handled the puck awkwardly at other times and shied away from contact. The game, physically and mentally, seemed to be too fast for him. 

Logan Mailloux, who struggled in the first match, got much better each game as the tournament went on. "In the first game, I didn't have my legs," said Mailloux. "I wasn't moving well, I wasn't carrying the puck and I was making bad reads. I found my timing again today." Mailloux showed more offense in this game creating three solid scoring chances in this game.

The Canadiens rookies will now travel back to Montreal with some advancing to the main camp. The Canadiens training camp opens on Wednesday with medicals and physical testing. On-ice sessions will begin on Thursday morning.

On Saturday, the Canadiens rookies played their final game of the Prospects Challenge in Buffalo.

Xavier Simoneau was named the captain for this game with Jan Mysak and Emil Heineman serving as alternates.

These were the forward lines, defence pairings and goaltenders for the Canadiens 2-1 win on Friday against the Senators:

Sean Farrell - Owen Beck - Joshua Roy (A)
Jakov Novak - Filip Mesar - Florian Xhekaj
Isaac Dufort - Riley Kidney - Riley McKay
Ty Smilanic - Jan Mysak (A) - John Parker-Jones

William Trudeau (C) - David Reinbacher
Jayden Struble - Logan Mailloux
Miguel Tourigny - Noah Laaouan

Jan Spunar - Jakub Dobes

Scratches for the Canadiens for this game were: Jared Davidson, Xavier Simoneau, Emil Heineman, Cedrick Guindon, Chris Ortiz, Stanislav Demin, and Quentin Miller.

The Montreal Canadiens annual Red versus White intrasquad scrimmage will take place at the Bell Centre on Sunday September 24 at 1:00 pm.