- It’s the start of the Detroit Red Wings’ centennial season, so of course they want the Montreal Canadiens in attendance to make it a proper spectacle.
First period
- Kirby Dach separates his man from the puck with a hit and gets play turned the other way. A good use of his size.
- The defensive-zone coverage has been a lot of puck-chasing so far. It’s working to prevent great shots right now, but they can’t do that for too much longer.
- Noah Dobson goes to the box for interference, and Montreal does the one thing it can’t in this game: spend time in the penalty box.
- Because Dylan Larkin will score on one of the game’s elite power plays, just like that.
- It’s not at all the start I expected to see from a Montreal team upset with how they let two points get away last night.
- Patrick Kane goes of for roughing of all things after a couple of jabs to Kirby Dach’s chin. Montreal can get the goal right back.
- A lot of good zone time again for the Canadiens, but they’re still not getting enough shots. Just one there.
- Just like last night, the Canadiens recover from a slow start to begin controlling the play.
- And the shot that evens the count at five apiece also ties the game. Brendan Gallagher springs Zachary Bolduc for a breakaway, and the forward has goals in back-to-back games to begin his Canadiens career.
Brendan Gallagher sends the feed to Zack Bolduc and the Habs are on the board!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
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- That was a pretty good trade if you ask me.
- Cole Caufield comes down the wing, and Gibson reacts to the shot after it hits him high in the blocker. Almost a go-ahead.
- Oliver Kapanen just can’t quite connect on a cross-ice pass to Ivan Demidov.
- But the Alex Newhook-Kapanen option works wonder on another two-on-one moments later.
Oliver Kapanen makes it two in two games! Habs up 2-1!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 8:42 PM
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- It seems we have a Rocket Richard Trophy race between Bolduc and Kapanen here.
- Gallagher goes to the box for high-sticking, and this lethal power play goes back to work.
- Dobson has a second stick break on him in this opening period.
- The Detroit power play is relentless. Four shots in those two minutes, but Dobeš stopped them all.
- Dobson thwarts about a fourth offensive-zone play to get him team the puck, and at the other end his defence partner, Mike Matheson, walks into open space and scores a third goal for Montreal.
Mike Matheson with a ripper and it's 3-1 Habs!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
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- Once more a slow start and an excellent finish to the first period. Now we find out how they play this season with a multi-goal lead.
Second period
- Patrick Kane fires a shot off the post for the first chance early in the second.
- Bolduc goes in on the forecheck, takes the puck off a defender’s stick and slings it out front for a chance. He’s a great hockey player.
- And he has his second goal of the game and third of the season after turning a screen of Alexandre Carrier’s screen into a tip for the 4-1 goal.
Carrier on my wayward son, there'll be goals when you are done Habs up 4-1!
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 9:18 PM
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- Juraj Slafkovský collects the puck just inside the offensive blue line and fires it off the outside of the post.
- Ivan Demidov makes a very nice defensive play to slide across the ice and steal the puck off an opponent’s stick. He almost finished the shift with a goal.
- Fate has decided to pick on another team. Mason Appleton has the blade fall of his stick, and the Red Wings are forced to hold Josh Anderson on the rush that results.
- The second unit gets some rare time on the ice, and it looked very good, shifting from a stint with the puck on Laine’s stick to Demidov’s on the right side. The team won’t lose a whole lot with them out.
- Oddly, Montreal only has 11 shots in this game. Even without the goals it would feel like they’ve been in control of the game since the five-minute mark.
- Dobeš faces DeBrincat on a breakaway and stones him while staying on his feet.
- Detroit is really struggling to contain the Kapanen line, Newhook just drew a tripping call with his speed.
- The top unit gets some shots this time. Gibson leaves a juicy rebound off a Caufield shot, and Slafkovský bangs it in before Bolduc can reach it.
LIVE SLAF LOVE
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) October 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
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- The crowd is booing as the period comes to close. Worst birthday part ever.
Third period
- Montreal isn’t sitting back in this period, just using superior speed to close off the Red Wings’ attacks and working the puck deep in the offensive zone.
- Suzuki gets left all alone to the right of new goaltender Cam Talbot, but fires a shot off the post.
- Arber Xhekaj goes to the box the first time the Red Wings are able to get set up in the zone. A test for the penalty-killers to maintain the four-goal edge.
- Anderson almost added another short-handed marker on a two-on-one.
- Even the power play is getting urged to shoot now. The one thing that’s work for Detroit.
- It is good to play one of the few teams in the Atlantic Division that doesn’t switch to trying to hurt players when down a boatload of goals.
- It’s shocking that a team with Dylan Larkin could look so slow. He has to feel out of place on this team and made his dissatisfaction with the lack of new additions known last year. Maybe he’d like to join this Habs group at the deadline….
- This is a solid way to see out a game with a big lead. Detroit is generating very little.
- I may have spoken too soon about the lack of shenanigans.
- Detroit goes back to the power play with three minutes to play.
- They don’t score, and get booed by the fans still in the building.
- Montreal wins 5-1, and now has a positive goal differential on the season.
EOTP 3 Stars
3) He is nothing if not an entertainer
2) Two top defencemen for the price of one
1) The next generation
