Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens humbled by the St. Louis Blues – Montreal | 24CA News
The closing sport of the standard Super Bowl weekend sequence for the Montreal Canadiens was in opposition to the St. Louis Blues on Sunday afternoon. The Blues are within the playoff hunt, whereas the Canadiens try to remain above water.
Rafael Harvey-Pinard was out of the road up after struggling a knee damage Saturday, which meant the return of Joshua Roy from the Laval Rocket.
St. Louis posted a straightforward 7-2 win.
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Juraj Slafkovsky continues to develop his sport at a surprising fee. The opening aim was an influence play set-up for Montreal. Slafkovsky had the puck on the proper facet. Rather than stay static in search of a gap, Slafkovsky stored skating slowly and handed it by way of each Blues defenders to Nick Suzuki who put it right into a wide-open web. It was stable second from a participant who merely wouldn’t have had it in his thoughts to do that solely three months in the past, by no means thoughts do it efficiently.
That’s 17 factors within the final 23 video games for Slafkovsky. That’s Suzuki persevering with alongside his path to probably placing a point-per-game tempo. He is pro-rated to hit 76 factors.
In phrases of help, Joel Armia deflected a David Savard shot for a second Canadiens marker, and Joshua Roy created some offence as properly.
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However, it was a troublesome sport to observe. Jordan Harris suffered a concussion in successful from Sammy Blais. Harris had his head crushed in opposition to the boards, then fell to the ice and hit his head once more.
Harris remained on his knees with the coach. He shouldn’t be exerting himself for the following ten days. This is the phrase from the medical neighborhood who perceive long-term results of concussions.
Late within the third interval, Marco Scandella laid out Kaiden Guhle. He was in a number of ache as he made his solution to the tunnel. Guhle was holding his arm and tucking it near his physique. This could be a signal of a shoulder dislocation.
Next was the Canadiens total sport. It’s an uncommon crew to observe now, as a result of if the highest line will not be acting at a robust stage, the remainder of the ahead group can not present sufficient in help. The Suzuki line can not anticipate constant help wherever else in the meanwhile. Next 12 months could also be higher, however it is a one-line hockey crew.
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On defence, it took 33 video games, however we lastly noticed the primary actually dangerous second from Jayden Struble. He has been a revelation, however within the first minute, he was crushed to the surface cleanly. It led to the primary aim and the beginning of a troublesome day for everybody.
That included Jake Allen who wasn’t sharp. He misplaced his submit on the opening aim which prompted him to swim on a poke examine. The second aim allowed was some extent shot that he wasn’t actually screened, however he didn’t appear to see the shot. He ought to have.
The relaxation was educational. Allen continued to battle. Struble continued to point out that the highway to being a wonderful NHL defender is an up-and-down affair. Three strains struggled to assist out.
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In the summer time of 2022, the Montreal Canadiens had the primary decide total within the draft. They took Juraj Slafkovsky in an enormous shock. Not even two seasons later, it seems they might have made the proper decide. It didn’t seem like it early as Slafkovsky wasn’t capable of obtain even the easy win of a puck battle, however as season two concludes, the Slovak is forward of his friends.
It seems it’s a battle between Slafkovsky and the participant taken second, Simon Nemec, who is robust already as a defender in New Jersey with 14 factors in 29 video games and a minus 6.
However, at ahead, it’s all Slafkovsky. He has half of the objectives scored by gamers in his draft 12 months. He is way forward of his competitors, particularly in total objectives. He is bettering at a fast tempo because the starting of December. Slafkovsky is on a 63-point tempo since Head Coach Martin St. Louis put him on the highest line.
His prime competitors is from Logan Cooley who’s a flashy offensive participant and who’s placing up respectable numbers with 25 factors in 50 video games this season. Playing 5-on-5 as a centre, Cooley is definitely struggling to discover ways to play NHL-style hockey defensively.
Cooley is a minus 10 total. Only two gamers are worse on the Coyotes. Cooley will likely be a great one, however the consternation that the crew blew it, and he ought to have been the decide was clearly overdone. As far as driving a line, Slafkovsky at wing has vastly stronger expertise than Cooley as a centre thus far.
The participant that everybody thought that the Canadiens would take, Shane Wright, remains to be within the American Hockey League. In the second season after the draft, Wright sits at 32 factors in 42 video games.
The future may see Cooley determine easy methods to defend as a centre. Wright in Coachella Valley would be the good tutelage. Cutter Gauthier would be the sleeper ultimately, as properly taken at 5.
Right now, although, this isn’t shut: as daring and aggressive because it was taking Slafkovsky at primary, GM Kent Hughes might have gotten it proper. Most of the 2022 picks haven’t even made their debuts.
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