The Montreal Canadiens have spent more time than any other team playing five-on-three, but they have very little to show for it, and that's a problem.
The Montreal Canadiens’ power play currently ranks 11th in the NHL with a 22.4% success rate. In 47 games, they’ve had 134 power play opportunities and have scored 30 goals. Of that number, 27 came from five-on-four opportunities, one from a four-on-three chance and only two from a five-on-three opportunity.
In Tuesday night’s game against the Washington Capitals, the Canadiens had over a minute of a two-man advantage, and they could only muster one shot on it. The double advantage could have been longer if the Habs had given the puck over to the Capitals as soon as the referee’s arm went up instead of cycling the puck and taking a non-threatening shot…Speaking after the game, Martin St-Louis said of the five-on-three:
I hoped to see a goal. We have good players on the ice. If you don’t score when you’re playing five-on-three, it’s rare that you’re going to win the game.
So far this season, the Canadiens have spent 10 minutes on the five-on-three, and they have only two goals to show for it. That’s much more time than any other team; the San Jose Sharks are second with 7:44 (during which they’ve scored four goals), and the Dallas Stars are third with 5:32 (during which they’ve scored two goals). Why do the other teams have less time at five-on-three? Because they convert on their opportunity. As simple as that.
The Columbus Blue Jackets lead the league in goals at five-on-three with four (with the above-mentioned Sharks), and they’ve only spent 3:25 skating with a two-man advantage. The Calgary Flames have scored three goals in 4:24, while the Los Angeles Kings have three goals in just 3:03.
Whichever way you look at it, the Canadiens’ two goals in over 10 minutes just isn’t enough. I can understand using Noah Dobson at the point to get that big slap shot. Still, given how few shots the unit generates, it would make more sense to have Hutson’s mobility and creativity to find the wingers who are playing nearer to the net.
With the standings being as tight as they are and the Canadiens having so few regulation wins, St-Louis’ men cannot afford to squander such prime scoring opportunities.
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