After a win over the Flyers last night to kick off its preparatory schedule, the Canadiens were back in action tonight, taking on the Devils at the Bell Centre.
For the Habs, the first line was in action, as were Mike Matheson and David Reinbacher. Logan Mailloux was playing his second game in two nights.
The Devils, meanwhile, didn’t exactly arrive at the Bell Centre with a star-studded lineup.
At least Johnathan Kovacevic and Jake Allen were able to return to their former home.
Here are the 10 things to remember from the match:
1. Owen Beck had a strong game, with two great chances to score in the first half.
With Oliver Kapanen pushing for a chair with the big club, Beck needed to take his game up a notch if he wanted to continue fighting for a position… and he found a way to stand out.
He didn’t hit the target… but he came close on more than one occasion.
2. Samuel Montembeault wasn’t exactly facing a formidable lineup… but he looked like a guy who was ready for the start of the season. He made some great saves and looked confident in front of his net.
In a year when he’ll have to prove himself as #1 (and keep his job ahead of Cayden Primeau), it was a great start.
3. Logan Mailloux had a… special game. The defender had some very difficult presences, but he also had some good moments.
Did the fatigue of two games in 24 hours work against him, as he was the only one to play both games? Possibly… but it could also be a simple lack of consistency on the part of a young player.
4. Juraj Slafkovský gave the fans quite a scare when he went headfirst into the boards. That said, the youngster got back up and was able to continue… but he really avoided disaster.
He had a good game, but the most positive thing is that he came through it unscathed. In his case, that’s the most important thing.
5. It was none other than Michael Pezzetta who opened the scoring in the match, scoring with a shot on landing.
Not exactly a cannonball, of course… but the important thing was that the puck went into the net.
6. David Reinbacher almost added a second goal in the second period, but the goal was disallowed because the referees ruled that Xavier Simoneau had committed goaltender interference.
Let’s just say there have been more blatant cases.
Overall, the Habs’ first pick in 2023 had a solid game: he didn’t steal the show (he’s not that kind of player, anyway), but he was very effective and looked confident on the ice.
That’s what the club wants to see from its defenseman.
7. Kurtis MacDermid got into a skirmish with William Trudeau in the second period.
The Devils’ veteran had no qualms about it.
Not exactly an edifying gesture, but it did earn him a four-minute penalty.
Well deserved.
8. In a game where the Habs were playing a low-calibre club, you’d have expected the team’s first line to dominate a little more. The three guys weren’t bad, but they weren’t dominant.
Perhaps they didn’t push the machine, given that their positions are secure.
That said, it didn’t stop Nick Suzuki from scoring the insurance goal late in the third period. Good play by William Trudeau on the sequence.
9. The Habs’ power play is really less dynamic when Lane Hutson isn’t around. I’m almost tempted to say that even though he didn’t play tonight, Hutson may have earned some points in this game.
In a game where 13 penalties were called, seeing the Habs’ power play be so anemic was rather painful to watch. Of course, it doesn’t matter, given that this is a warm-up game… but in the regular season, you have to capitalize on these opportunities.
10. After 120 minutes of preparatory games, the four goaltenders used by the Habs (Cayden Primeau, Jakub Dobes, Samuel Montembeault and Connor Hughes) haven’t allowed a single goal.
That’s pretty impressive… and it shows that, in both Montreal and Laval, the organization will be counting on good goaltending.
In the end, therefore, the Canadiens won 3-0. Michael Pezzetta completed the scoring with his second goal of the game, this time in an empty net.
Two shutouts in 24 hours, that’s a good start to a preparatory schedule.
