This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to our favourite general manager: Nashville’s Barry Trotz. If things don’t work out with the Predators, he can be the stunt double in the Edward G. Robinson story.
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The Predators are among the NHL’s worst teams and entered Thursday night’s game at Montreal as the league’s second-worst club, ahead of only Chicago. This despite Trotz’s massive free-agent shopping excursion last summer that included the signings of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault.
But sometimes, in hockey as in life, it’s buyer beware.
Stamkos has seven goals and 13 points in 27 games, while Marchessault also has 13 points but only five goals. Filip Forsberg, the team’s highest-paid player with a cap hit of US$8.5-million, has a team-leading nine goals but a modest 17 points.
Trotz, in an effort to light a fire under his troops, recently suggested he could blow it all up if things don’t quickly improve. It might be his parting shot before getting fired.
Strange, but true (Part I): Nashville was 7-2-1 in its last 10 against the Canadiens before this 3-0 defeat. It was the Predators’ sixth consecutive loss, although the team received a loser’s point in three of those games.
Strange, but true (Part II): Nashville’s four previous games all ended 3-2.
Milestone denied: Ryan O’Reilly was set to play his 1,100th career game Thursday — until suffering a lower-body injury.
News you need (Part I): Predators goalie Justus Annunen, recently acquired in a trade from Colorado, made his Nashville debut against Montreal.
News you need (Part II): The first two Canadiens goals, a short-handed tally from Jake Evans in the first period, and one in the third-period from Patrik Laine — who else — while Montreal had a two-man advantage, beat Annunen high to the stick side. We’ll go out on a limb here and suggest that’s his weak spot.
News you need (Part III): In 23 games between these teams since 2009-10, Nashville has held Montreal to an average of two goals per game. In 16 of those, the Predators allowed two or fewer.
News you need (Part IV): For the 18th time this season, the visitors failed to score more than two goals in a game. Yeah, the Predators stink.
Go figure: Although Nashville leads the NHL with seven bench-minor penalties, it was the Canadiens who were called for having too many men on the ice seven minutes into the contest.
Reprieve from the governor: Canadiens defenceman Justin Barron was scheduled to be a healthy scratch for the third consecutive game, and 11th time this season, until Kaiden Guhle (ill) was a last-minute casualty.
Since we’re piling on the Predators: It took Nashville 1:44 just to cross the red line following the opening faceoff. It didn’t register its first shot until the fourth minute.
Great moments in penalty-killing: While the Canadiens have scored only two short-handed goals this season, Evans has three in his career along with eight points. Claude Provost — kids, ask your grandfathers — would be proud.
He can hit, too: Laine, still on pace for 58 goals this season, took Zachary L’Heureux into the boards late in the first period.
Hit of the game: Early in the second period, Jayden Struble lowered his left shoulder into Cole Smith.
Some guys simply aren’t scorers: Christian Dvorak, still stuck on two goals, cut in from the right side in the second period, only to have his shot blocked by a Predator.
Longest breakaway of his career:David Savard emerged from the penalty box in the 13th minute of the same period, skated in alone on Annunen from the Canadiens’ blue line — and shot wide. He might be head coach Martin St. Louis’s last option in a shootout.
That one had to hurt: In the final minute of the period, Forsberg knocked Brendan Gallagher on his posterior.
Best 40 minutes of his career: Cole Caufield had six shots through two periods — but failed to score.
The drought is over: When Laine scored, it was the Canadiens’ first goal with a two-man advantage since Dec. 3, 2022.
It wasn’t meant to be: Not only did Forsberg hit the crossbar in the second period, a potential Predators goal in the third was disallowed because Gustav Nyquist kicked the puck in with his right skate. Terry Baker, a former Alouettes kicker, would have missed.
News you need (Part V): The Canadiens have successfully killed 10 successive opposition power plays over the last three games.
News you need (Part VI): Of Samuel Montembeault‘s four career shutouts, three have come this season.
Next time, decline the penalty: Not only was Nashville 0-for-5 with the man advantage, it allowed the aforementioned Evans short-handed score.
Our cheap shot of the night: Laine now has scored one more goal than Kirby Dach and is tied with Juraj Slafkovsky.
Quick stats: Struble had five hits. Mike Matheson, as usual, logged a team-high 28:17 of ice time. Alex Newhook, Josh Anderson, Emil Heineman and Dach all failed to register a shot.
They said it: “Sometimes when you’re penalty-killing, I feel there’s more chances of getting odd-man rushes,” Evans said. “You’re not really looking for those rushes. Sometimes they just come to you.”
“It’s obviously great to help out,” Laine said. “It feels good. I felt a little bit better than last game.”
“It was kind of weird. I haven’t had a breakaway in a long time,” Savard said. “Last time was in junior. I guess you have to hit the net if you want to score.”