Evan Bouchard scored with 6.9 seconds left in overtime to snap Montreal’s five-game winning streak.
The Montreal Canadiens had their five-game winning streak snapped in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday at Rogers Place.
Evan Bouchard scored with 6.9 seconds remaining in the extra frame to give his slumping club its second win in eight games.
Jake Evans, fresh from signing a four-year extension with Montreal, had an assist in the game to tie a career-high in points with 29.
Other teams tend to rest players on the trading block, but the Canadiens did not tip their hand: pending unrestricted free agents Joel Armia, Christian Dvorak and David Savard all suited up.
Sam Montembeault made 29 saves in the loss. Matched up against Connor McDavid, defenceman Mike Matheson played a season-high 30:58. It was the first time he eclipsed the 30-minute mark all season.
In the first period, familiar face Corey Perry opened the scoring for the Oilers. All alone in front, he patiently waited for Montembeault to drop before beating him with a high backhand. 1-0 Oilers.
The Canadiens responded before the end of the opening period. After the Habs killed a 5-on-3, Cole Caufield stole the puck in the neutral zone and scored on his own rebound for an unassisted goal. It was his 31st of the season. According to Sportsnet Stats, Cole Caufield has scored 16.7 per cent of the team’s goals this season.
Just 1:06 into the second period, Leon Draisaitl beat Montembeault with a laser beam through traffic on the power play to give Edmonton a 2-1 lead. Draisaitl passed Mark Messier with his 393rd goal as an Oiler.
Once again, the Habs stormed back. Lane Hutson made Armia look like countrymate Patrik Laine with a crisp one-timer pass that Armia blasted by Stuart Skinner to tie the game 2-2.
No goals in the third period, but McDavid caught the post after being handed a wide-open net. Off to overtime we went.
In 3v3 overtime, it took until the final seconds before the game was resolved. McDavid danced around the Habs zone before setting up Bouchard with the winner with 6.9 seconds to play.
Montreal’s season-high winning streak has ended, but on a night where divisional foes Detroit, Philadelphia, Columbus and Boston all lost in regulation, banking a point was a positive result. With 66 points, the Habs are a single point behind the Senators for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Sens have a game in hand.
What does this all mean when it comes to Friday’s trade deadline? In a perfect world, they would plug their second line centre problem. Owen Beck’s line was simply not trusted by coach Martin St. Louis in a back-and-forth battle against the high-flying Oilers: the rookie played 8:22, while vets Laine and Alex Newhook played under 12 minutes.
The trade deadline is mostly where rentals get moved, though, so finding a long-term solution at centre might have to wait until the off-season.
3. “Tough loss. Best game they have played in a while. Worked hard for a full 60 plus OT. I’m sure they wanted two but will be happy with that effort. Unless there is some kind of really stupid offer tomorrow I suspect this is the team down the stretch.” -Doug Kirkby
2. “It’s been a long journey. For me, because the Covid Games mean’t nothing to me beyond a great hang… we haven’t been a playoff team in 8 years. We’re back now.” -Arthur C
1. “The Habs played well, the best of the last 6….11 points out of 12. To quote Clooney “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?” What a game.” -Rick Woods
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