First period
- Columbus hits a post 30 seconds into the action. Montreal is lucky not to be down a goal right away.
- Now Jake Evans draws a penalty by taking a high stick to his face for the 300th time in his career.
- Cole Caufield missed the net from his spot. I don’t know why shooting has become so hard for everyone.
- There are two shots, first from Caufield and then Alex Newhook, but Elvis Merzlikins stops both.
- Montreal is up to five shots in six minutes, and they’re starting to hog the possession.
- Jayden Struble sends his man to the ice again. The plan wasn’t for him to get consistent time, but now that he is he’s really settling in and playing well.
- Mathieu Olivier gets Columbus’s second shot on net, and the cannon fires. Justin Barron was there, but watching the puck in the corner instead of the man on his hip.
- Struble steps up to poke the puck away in the neutral zone. Juraj Slafkovský keeps the puck on a two-on-one that ensues, and sends it to the top corner to tie the game.
- The Blue Jackets are getting very upset that Struble keeps knocking down their teammates.
- One misplay that saw his man get around him for a shot, but otherwise, Struble has looked very good in this period.
- A poor breakout pass from Lane Hutson is intercepted, and it leads to Kaiden Guhle going to the box with 2.7 seconds remaining on a … very light cross-check.
Second period
- Another first-minute shot off Primeau’s post announces the return to action.
- Otherwise, the Canadiens kill off the final 1:57 of Guhle’s penalty without much fuss.
- As good as Montreal’s start was in the first, they’re still only on pace for their league’s low average of about 24 shots.
- Yegor Chinakov speeds around Struble, and makes it 2-1. All that good work undone by gapping up on the wrong player and then trying to cut off the pass.
- Xhekaj is hooked while trying to carry the puck across the defensive zone to the opposite corner. I don’t know what Sean Kuraly was worried about there, but alas.
- Caufield gets a breakaway on the power play and sends a low writers inside the post to tie the game. That’s 13 goals for #13.
- Another primary point for Slafkovský on the pass.
- Not much to write about in the latter half of this period. Just possessions back-and-forth in the neutral zone. Some three-and-outs, the use an NFL analogy.
- Brendan Gallagher turned up the heat with a spear to Zach Werenski’s groin. Weresnki responds with a series of slashes, and then the two drop the gloves.
- A Blue Jackets player tries to throw a body check and ends up taking down his own teammate. The ref calls Montreal for a tripping penalty.
- No goal comes of it, and this time the Canadiens will begin the next period at full strength.
Third period
- Struble throws his deceptive weight around once more. He’s been very noticeable in the game at least.
- More three-and-out hockey.
- Emil Heineman turns a mid-field checkdown into an end-zone rush. A nice burst of speed from the Swede to get around his defender and to the crease for the go-ahead goal.
Tired: Lane Hutson for Calder Wired: Emil Heineman for Calder
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) November 27, 2024 at 10:51 PM
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- Werenski sends a puck into the crease, and it banks off of Guhle’s skate and in.
- Both teams have three goals on 18 shots; .833 save percentages for both goalies.
- Barron tries to play the puck and actually moves out of the centre lane to let his man through, and is forced to hook to prevent a goal. He just isn’t an NHL defenceman.
- to make matters worse, the Blue Jackets hold the puck for a minute on the delayed call. If they do score on the power play, there won’t be much time to try to get it back.
- That’s a moot point because Columbus was just happy ti drain the two minutes off the clock.
- The Blue Jackets just about find a late goal as a 200-foot stretch pass nearly works out on a negated icing.
- Three great chances for the home team to end the period. I guess Montreal thought they had the point in the bag after that penalty kill.
Overtime
- Hutson holds possession the first shift, but nothing comes of it
- Hutson thinks about blowing down the wing on his next shift, but realizes he can’t get to the net and pulls up. He finds Suzuki, and the captain follows up on his rebound to secure the 4-3 win.
Lane Hutson sets up Nick Suzuki for the OT winner The Habs have finally won a game where they were trailing this year
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) November 27, 2024 at 11:17 PM
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- Montreal is now 4-2-1 in its last seven games….
EOTP 3 Stars
3) Now to stop sitting him for Barron when Matheson is healthy.
2) Still on pace for about 50 goals
1) The good performances are starting to come for him
