Pre-game thoughts
- This is an injured version of the Coyotes that the Habs are facing tonight. However, they must not take them lightly after Arizona surprised Toronto a few days ago. /
1st period
- Breakouts have been really sloppy for Montreal in this start to the period. Players are not looking before making their passes.
- A powerplay goal! Great work from Tomas Tatar to bat the puck out of the air keeping it on net, and finding Drouin for the empty cage. Getting your stick first on the puck in scrums is a must for a successful powerplay. 1-0.
- Kotkaniemi and Hudon with some big hits on their shift. You don’t expect the 18-year-old and a 5’10 guy to be the most physical player out there, but here we are. /
Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Charles Hudon both bringing the physical play in the offensive zone. pic.twitter.com/lzaqtlWUNY
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla) January 24, 2019
2nd period
- Max Domi is such a smart passer. He is really good at placing the puck in space for Tomas Tatar to skate into. Some good give-and-gos between those two.
- Mete is robbed once again. He might go his entire career without a goal.
- What a shift from Joël Armia on the penalty kill. That’s exactly what he was acquired for: his ability to create havoc with his defensive reads and puck protection abilities.
- Judging when to change or go take back a stick from the bench when you lose yours on the penalty kill is hard. It costs the Habs a goal. 1-1. /
Third period
- This 2-1 goal was a great example of how agile Jeff Petry is on his skate. If you give him space on the outside, he can run around the zone, facing the play by opening up his skates. It makes him very threatening to the defence and opens up space for his teammates.
- Mete doesn’t seem hesitate to use his mobility since coming back from Laval. /
Mete settles the puck down while gliding back. He doesn’t see an outlet so he circles behind the net, gets his shoulder in front of the opp. F and separates with a push. He comes back the other way having attracted a 2nd opp. F. Not a perfect play, but speaks to his confidence. pic.twitter.com/m1GzeDCapk
— David St-Louis (@RinksideView) January 24, 2019
- The goal challenges keep being very unclear, but we’ll take it. 2-1 Habs after Galchenyuk’s vindictive moment is brutally taken away./
Highlight of the night
EOTP 3 Stars
3) Poor Mete
2) The most plausible explanation
1) Well that was unexpected
