First period
- A rare error from Jayden Srruble as he misplays the puck behind the net and St. Louis gets a chance from it, but Samuel Montembeault makes a big save on the opening shot of the game.
- So far this is looking a lot like the start to the Avalanche game on Saturday. Montreal can barely get the puck over its own blue line.
- Every puck battle, no matter where it is, has one Habs player and two opponents. The best structured teams always seem to be able to do that.
- The first TV timeout comes with nine minutes to play. Montreal hasn’t strung two passes together, shots are 9-0 St. Louis, and the Habs are headed to the penalty kill.
- It was a PK that calmed the Canadiens down versus Colorado. We’ll see what happens in this game.
- There’s a shot. a bouncing clearing play from 150 feet.
- Christian Dvorak gets a good chance just as Arber Xhekaj comes out of the box. and suddenly Montreal is up to three shots on target.
- Now we have two teams playing this game.
- Josh Anderson gets Montreal’s best scoring chance so far, but misses the net.
- Though Montreal was looking better, the Blues still score first as Jordan Kyrou shows a lot of patience at the top of the slot to wait for a lane to open before beating Montembeault.
- The top line just about gets the goal right back, but Nick Suzuki is stopped after quick pass from Cole Caufield. But Lane Hutson gets another attempt moments later, and this time Jordan Binnington can’t stop Suzuki’s tipped shot.
Lane Hutson puts it on net, Nick Suzuki ties the game with a deflection BoyGenius Line + Hutson continuing to be elite
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) March 25, 2025 at 9:39 PM
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- A faceoff comes in Montreal’s zone with 10 seconds to play. That is enough time for St. Louis to take its lead back on a Dylan Holloway tip in front.
- Fair enough that the Blues have the lead after that performance, but the Canadiens needed to buckle down on that one defensive-zone presence to prevent that goal from happening.
- The second period is the Blues’ best. so Montreal needs to play a lot better than they have so far.
Second period
- A short flurry for the Blues in the opening minutes, but now Montreal is starting to get some zone time.
- A slashing duel between Anderson and Nathan Walker moves the game to four-on-four.
- 3-1 Blues as Montembeault gets beaten from mid-range again. So much for the Canadiens taking advantage of a bit of open space.
- St. Louis makes it 4-1. Montreal collapsed to the crease at five-on-five, and Blues pounced.
- The Blues are dictating the play, while the Canadiens just scramble around hoping to steal the puck. Some glaring differences in structure tonight.
- Montreal is getting a power play. If they’re going to make a second consecutive comeback from three goals down, it starts here.
- Juraj Slafkovský has a shot from a sharp angle that gets behind Binnington but goes out the other side of the crease.
- They carry some momentum from the power play and get a couple more chances, but can’t get the puck in the net.
- At this point the Canadiens players think they need a perfect shot to beat Binnington, and they keep missing the net.
- I’m going to call a three-goal third-period comeback unrealistic given the way the Blues have been playing recently.
Third period
- Before the period begins, Martin St-Louis is having an involved conversation with Emil Heineman.
- Hutson floats a puck in form the point that goes off the post. Despite the Canadiens thinking Binnington is unbeatable, they’ve gotten puck past him on multiples occasions so far.
- And then Alex Newhook gets called for hooking, so there’s no chance to build any momentum from that offensive play.
- St. Louis is just happy to see these two minutes come off the clock. They are fighting for a playoff spot after all.
- Another couple of minutes of four-on-four. The Blues get a chance right away.
- Montreal can’t even launch an attack against four defenders. I think this game is over.
- Philip Broberg comes down the wall and shoots a puck from the faceoff dot that goes right through Montembeault’s glove.
- Jakub Dobes comes in, probably just to get a bit of feel for the puck before starting Thursday in Philadelphia. And also probably because St-Louis is a little perturbed at his recent play.
- Montreal has a power play. They just wanted to two minutes to pass as well.
- Personally, I’m glad the Canadiens will only Jim Montgomery’s team twice a year going forward instead of three or four.
- Going after the Blues with two minutes to play isn’t going to change anything, guys.
- Zack Bolduc makes it 6-1.
- I’m just glad no one got hurt.
- At least they didn’t lose in regulation to the Buffalo Sabres.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) I guess the multi-goal comeback train has left the station
2) A truly stories franchise
1) Somewhere like Philadelphia
