It was a nearly perfect outing for the Montreal Canadiens as they convincingly defeated the Los Angeles Kings by a score of 4-1 last night at the Bell Centre. Every individual showed up to play and the team did not need to rely on goaltender Carey Price to save the day, despite a few notable highlight reel saves in the third period.
In a season with very few negatives to dissect thus far, the Habs currently sit atop of the NHL's standings. They boast 25 out of a possible 28 points, four points clear of the second-place Chicago Blackhawks and five ahead of the New York Rangers. They continue to hold onto the fourth overall position in terms of scoring with an average of 3.29 goals per game, and moved up to second place in goals against with an average of 2.14 allowed per game. Moreover, they made history with their victory, as their 25 points bested a 1943 franchise record of 24 of a possible 28.
Head coach Michel Therrien deserves an exceptional amount of credit for the team's success to date. His personnel decisions, which have been analyzed and unfairly criticized since the beginning of the season, have practically all been a home run.
Struggling center David Desharnais was a healthy scratch after going pointless through his last nine games and defenseman Greg Pateryn made way for Joel Hanley to be inserted into the lineup. Daniel Carr featured on the fourth line while Sven Andrighetto looked to rekindle the chemistry he established with Tomas Plekanec last season. Finally, Phillip Danault was promoted as he centred Max Pacioretty and Andrew Shaw.
Here are my thoughts on how that has worked out thus far:
- What is there to say about Desharnais that hasn't already been said? The whipping boy of Habs fans has lost all of his confidence. There were positive signs to start the season- four points in as many games- but his inefficiency inevitably forced Therrien's hand. Who knows how long he'll be out of the lineup. One thing is for certain, he can no longer sustain the pressure of playing top-line minutes and power play duties. His role as a third line center should be exactly that in his contract year. I wouldn't be surprised to see him offered another chance at redemption, though it's impossible to tell when that opportunity may come.
- Daniel Carr is known for his willingness to crash the net and his tireless work ethic. Similarly to Andrew Shaw and Brendan Gallagher, his effort and compete levels are always on point. He was rewarded with a goal last night after deflecting a shot from the point.
- You all know how much I like Sven Andrighetto. I've never shied away from publicly saying as much. When he first played in the NHL alongside Tomas Plekanec last season, he scored two goals in two games. His speed, strong hockey sense and underrated scoring ability caused me to believe that he could eventually fill in nicely in a top-six role if given the right opportunity. I continue to be convinced that he gets very little recognition for his skills, even if captain Max Pacioretty gave him a ringing endorsement during the course of the last offseason. Andrighetto played well last night, looking like he hasn’t missed a step. He fired two shots on net and dished out two hits in 11:08 of ice time, and should he continue playing on a line with Plekanec, I’m certain those two will develop a lasting chemistry to help bring the Czech veteran out of his seemingly endless scoring slump.
- Defenseman Joel Hanley has a quiet confidence to him. He moves the puck well and plays a steady brand of hockey in his own zone. He posted six assists in 10 games last season and played a mistake-free game last night in replacement of Greg Pateryn. I still believe Mark Barberio is an overall better blue-liner with slightly more offensive skills, and although he continues to fare well at the AHL level, we should expect to see him join the team later this season.
- Phillip Danault, a former first round, 26th overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011, is making general manager Marc Bergevin look like a genius. After starting the season out tremendously, the 23-year-old has continued to provide the Habs with a solid two-way game while posting four goals and seven points with a plus-4 rating in 14 games. Last year, he unfortunately underwent hip surgery and that prevented him from training efficiently during the offseason. This summer, he focused on his lower-body strength, which explains why he is so much faster than he was last season with the Habs. In July, I sang his praises, and mentioned that he should start the 2016-2017 regular season as a left wing on the fourth line and be occasionally asked to play down the middle “should Therrien characteristically shake up his forward group after uninspiring performances.…
A 12-1-1 record to start the season is quite the feat, needless to say. Hopefully, the team can continue to come out strong and skate circles around opponents the way they did against the Los Angeles Kings. To say that this was a well-earned win is an understatement, as the Habs ready themselves for back-to-back action against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday and the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday.