Game 53: Montreal Canadiens vs. Anaheim Ducks
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Ducks region: Bally Sports SoCal, Bally Sports San Diego
Streaming: ESPN+, TSN+, RDS
Despite a loss on Saturday afternoon, the Montreal Canadiens played fairly well outside of a disappointing second period. The power play looked strong, with Alex Newhook dropping right into the bumper spot on the top unit, and the penalty kill was very aggressive, forcing the Dallas Stars to defend when they were meant to be attacking. It was the type of game that should have built some confidence for the next day.
Instead, Jake Allen allowed a goal on the first shot he faced, not looking sharp early, and any designs on replicating the aggressive approach from the previous match went out the window. The tactics shifted to trying to prevent goals, which meant players playing deep in their zone trying to block shots and taking penalties at the merest hint of an offensive chance against. The penalty kills just forced a doubling down on defending, and that allowed the Blues to play the puck around the zone to score on three of their five advantages.
At even strength the Canadiens looked okay on Sunday — other than the penalties. As has been the case for much of the season, they were able to get the puck to the high-danger area despite playing a good defensive team, and that remains one of the most encouraging parts of this season.
Having played two playoff teams coming out of the All-Star break, the Habs wrap up this three-game homestand versus a team about as far from playoff contention as you can get. The Anaheim Ducks are 12 points behind the next team in the Western Conference, and just seven up on the Connor Bedard-less Chicago Blackhawks for last place in the NHL.
| Canadiens | Statistics | Ducks |
|---|---|---|
| 21-23-8 | Record | 18-31-2 |
| 44.4% (29th) | Scoring-chances-for % | 46.0% (28th) |
| 2.71 (28th) | Goals per game | 2.57 (29th) |
| 3.52 (28th) | Goals against per game | 3.43 (26th) |
| 19.4% (19th) | PP% | 19.0% (21st) |
| 73.9% (30th) | PK% | 77.7% (23rd) |
| 1-0-0 | Head-to-Head Record | 0-1-0 |
It’s a familiar place for the Ducks, who have drafted in the top 10 in each of the past five years and will be doing so for a sixth. The majority of the players taken with those selections are in their lineup, with the only exception being 2020 pick Jamie Drysdale who was traded this season to acquire disgruntled forward Cutter Gauthier from the Philadelphia Flyers. All of Leo Carlsson (2023), Pavel Mintyukov (2022), Mason McTavish (2021), and Trevor Zegras (2019) are on the active roster, though the last three are all questionable to play in tonight’s game.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek has a disgruntled forward of his own, who happens to be another former USNTPD player: Zegras. With Zegras’s days in Anaheim reportedly numbered, he has been linked to the Canadiens in trade speculation. A player with a reputation as a goal-scorer seems like the fit the Canadiens need to address their middle-six scoring, but Zegras only has four goals in 20 games this season, well off the pace for the 23 he scored in each of the previous two seasons. Is a change of scenery what he needs to return to that form? Can Martin St-Louis take on another pupil still in need of development to become a reliable NHL player? These are the questions Kent Hughes needs to mull as he considers the possibility.
The player Verbeek is most concerned with at the moment in Adam Henrique, who was number three in the pecking order of rental centremen behind Elias Lindholm and Sean Monahan, who have already been dealt to Stanley Cup contenders. There are bound to be more than a few scouts following the team on its tour of the Atlantic Division this week to check in on their available players.
Henrique has been the top producer during Anaheim’s current stretch of points in four of the past five games. He has seven points in that span, perhaps reinvigorated by the prospect of a playoff appearance for the first time since 2018; a four-game sweep of the Ducks. His points have mostly come via assists, as Troy Terry, Jakub Silfverberg, and Ryan Strome have been the ones scoring the goals.
That does mean that Anaheim, despite its place near the very bottom of the standings, has two lines going, while the Canadiens only have one. They did get good performances out of the trio of Joel Armia, Newhook, and Joshua Roy on the weekend, even if it only resulted in one goal. If Montreal does salvage a win from these three home games, it will likely be because those three were able to turn their good play into some needed secondary offence.
