The Montreal Canadiens' 5-4 overtime win against the Arizona Coyotes last night might not signify that they are out of the woods yet, but have certainly taken a step in the right direction.
Captain Max Pacioretty had his incontestable leadership skills on full display as he scored twice and added two assists while accounting for 10 of his team's 40 shots on goal. His line mates Phillip Danault (2A) and Alexander Radulov (1G) contributed to Pacioretty's successes, while Andrei Markov (1G, 1A) and Alex Galchenyuk (game-winning OT goal) had their say in a victory that has surely lifted the Habs' spirits.
Granted, they were playing against the 29th-ranked team in the National Hockey League. Yet earning two points against an inferior opponent that gave them a surprisingly serious run for their money after being shut out by the league-worst Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night could allow Habs fans to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
At least, until this upcoming weekend, where the team is set to host the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and fly over to Boston to take on the Bruins the next day.
A few thoughts:
- Carey Price's struggles continue as he let in four goals on 25 shots. Since December 25th of 2016, the former Hart and Vézina Trophy winner has a goals-against average of 3.15 and a .897 save percentage. Moreover, he has a mere four wins in his last 13 starts and has allowed 42 goals over that same span. It's hard to tell why he has been uncharacteristically underperforming, though there are more than enough theories as to why...
- Secondary scoring is hard to come by for the Canadiens: Paul Byron almost scored last night but hit the post, though he has only two tallies in his last 18 games. Tomas Plekanec has one goal in his last 13 games, Andrew Shaw scored once in his last 17, and Arrturi Lehkonen notched a single goal in his last 14 games. Torrey Mitchell has not lit the red lamp in 29 contests, and his usual line mate Brian Flynn, a healthy scratch in Arizona, has not provided any offense in the 10 games prior.
- Discipline needs to be at the top of the team's list of issues to address, as they took three penalties in the span of three minutes in the second period. The Coyotes would score a goal with the man davantage and add another shorthanded.
- The recalling of both Daniel Carr and Michael McCarron, who played on the same line together along with Mitchell, brought all of the energy it possibly could have. McCarron's strong forechecking was rewarded with an assist on Markov's goal.
- Since the 2013-2014 season, only Alex Ovechkin (35) has more multi-goal games than Pacioretty's 25.
- Thursday night's win snapped a four-game losing skid which saw the Habs score only three goals. With both the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs earning points in their respective matchups, the fight to retain a playoff position in the Atlantic Division continues to be tight. After playing against the Bruins this Sunday, the Canadiens will enter into their "bye week" and rest for a few days. Suffice to say, they could all use a break from hockey, though they will surely keep a close eye on their Division rivals' results.
- Almost 78% of respondents in Wednesday's poll believe that the last 40 games are concerning for the team...
Today's poll asks: is it time for Michael McCarron to stick around the NHL, or is a little AHL seasoning still required?