For the second night in a row, the Montreal Canadiens erased a two-goal deficit, but this time they managed to keep it out of overtime. A three-goal second period helped them take the lead against the Chicago Blackhawks, and they never looked back once they completed the comeback. As flawed as this team can be at times, one thing that can never be doubted is their resiliency, and ability to fight their way back into a game.
Another thing that shouldn’t be doubted in the slightest is Juraj Slafkovsky’s place on the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki.
Slafkovsky had a short stint on that line earlier in the year, with mixed results at best. They were broken up somewhat quickly, but since they’ve been put back together, they’ve been one of the best lines in the NHL in terms of expected goals. Recently, those expected goals have turned into real goals, and they’re suddenly the hottest scoring trio the Habs have to offer. Their underlying numbers had been suggesting something more, and they’re starting to deliver it now.
Caufield and Suzuki are known quantities in terms of their production. Slafkovsky is still a work in progress, and the team has been trying to figure out how to get him producing. Placing him with the team’s two best players has shown us exactly how that can happen, and it isn’t always pretty.
This net-front presence is a net new for Slafkovsky’s game. He wasn’t this imposing around the crease in his rookie season, and he wasn’t nearly as tenacious on the forecheck. His ability to push the pace in the offensive zone has done wonders for the top line, and his net-front presence has facilitated some greasy goals that may not make highlight reels on TSN, but sure do a lot to help the team win games. They don’t ask how, they ask how many.
And just how many goals he can score on this line remains to be seen. They’re playing extremely good hockey as of this writing, and they’ve perhaps earned a longer leash as a result. Even if they regress a bit coming out of the Christmas break, the coaching staff should allow them the time to turn it around. They get better by the game it seems, so just keep finding out how good they can be.
Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’re on the Christmas break now, so we’ll be back when the Habs return against the Carolina Hurricanes on December 28.
