The Canadiens are 9-3-0 and remain in first place in the Atlantic Division following another close game. The beginning of the schedule hasn’t been harsh for Montreal. Through 12 games, only three of their opponents were in the playoffs last season, and the Canadiens lost two of those games (5-2 against Toronto and 6-5 to Edmonton). Beginning with Saturday’s win, the Habs have a nice 10-game stretch in which eight of those games are at home. Ideal time to collect points, preferably in regulation.
Saturday’s game was a big win, however. 4-3 in overtime against their division rival, the Ottawa Senators, makes this a three-game winning streak for the Habs. Nick Suzuki is on an 11-game point streak, and Juraj Slafovsky has scored goals in three straight. Ivan Demidov also scored an important goal, tying it with a beautiful shot from the slot. And yes, Cole Caufield collected another goal to open scoring (his tenth), but it was Alex Newhook who won it in overtime.
For as much fun as it is to watch that top line destroy, the Habs’ continued faulty third periods remain a concern. Montreal dominated scoring chances with quality in the first two periods (64.45 xG% and 75.95 xG% respectively) but looked sloppy in their own end in the third, a period in which the Senators owned a 54.58% expected goals share. All three goals came from the house, and although you would have liked Sam Montembault to stop a couple of those, it’s not totally on him.
But Montembault isn’t blameless. The Canadiens did a good job in the first period of limiting the Senators to taking low-percentage perimeter shots. But sound defense gave way to sloppy structure, which tested Montreal’s struggling goaltender. Head coach Martin St. Louis gave his starter the chance to prove himself in Saturday’s game, but he performed with an .824 SV%. He stopped three of five high-danger chances at 5-on-5.
What was nice to see was Nick Cousins getting what he deserved. Jayden Struble caved his face in with his meat hammers. Blackhawks fans can appreciate that after Cousins was being a turd in a recent game as well.
In other news, backup goaltender Jakub Dobes was named the NHL’s third star of the month. Montreal plays again on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.