We get the feeling here in the Hidden Game control centre the Canadiens have reached the proverbial fork in the road this season.
This could be the week the team remains in the mix for a playoff berth or realistically falls out of contention.
Montreal launched a critical three-game swing through California on Sunday afternoon at Anaheim’s Honda Center against a weak Ducks team. And yet the Canadiens lost 3-2. The trip continues Tuesday night in San Jose before concluding 24 hours later in Los Angeles. We believe, since two of these teams appear beatable, the Canadiens must win twice.
And the geniuses schedule makers at the NHL headquarters did the team no favours with Montreal forced to play five games in eight days before a break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament.
The Canadiens began Sunday sixth overall in the Eastern Conference’s wild-card hunt, five points behind Tampa Bay and with three teams — Boston, Detroit and the New York Islanders — required to overtake. In other words, it might already be too late.
California dreamin’: Defenceman Logan Mailloux and forward Owen Beck, both of whom were scheduled to participate in this week’s AHL all-star game, instead were recalled on Saturday from AHL Laval. Along with a cross-country flight, they were able to watch this contest from the press box — both players healthy scratches. Following the game, the Canadiens announced they had been loaned back to the Rocket and would participate in Monday’s match. Classy move.
News you need (Part I): The Canadiens had a minus-15 first-period goal differential. They cut into that slightly, scoring twice in the opening period against Anaheim.
Go figure: When was the last time Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak combined for two goals in the same period? Perhaps … never?
Where potential wins go to die: The visitors squandered a 2-0 lead.
Birthday boy: Dvorak’s goal, his fifth this season — and only his second in 16 games — came on his 29th birthday.
News you need (Part II): Armia, who opened the scoring midway through the period, scored his 11th career shorthanded goal.
Pass of the night: Jake Evans to Armia.
NHL officiating at its best: Brendan Gallagher was called for cross-checking in the game’s 10th minute. From our vantage point, it appeared Olen Zellweger already was losing his balance.
News you need (Part III): The Ducks have a 5-17-2 record when allowing the first goal.
Dumb penalty (Part I): Trevor Zegras, off a faceoff at centre ice, high-sticked Josh Anderson.
Dumb penalty (Part II): Early in the second period, Jansen Harkins decided it was a good idea to board Armia.
Dumb penalty (Part III): Evans, holding on Zellweger in the offensive zone, at 6:13 of the second period.
Best blocks we’ve seen over a two-second period: Alex Newhook on a Jackson LaCombe shot, followed by Arber Xhekaj blocking Ducks captain Radko Gudas in the second period.
Our random thought of the night: There should be more pro athletes with the first name Cutter.
That’s more like it: In the 13th minute of the middle period, Gallagher set up Dvorak, who failed to capitalize. Once again, with feeling, where potential goals go to die.
Momentum … no schmomentum: So much for that Canadiens’ two-goal lead. Anaheim tied the game with a pair within 40 seconds in the period — the scores coming from Mason McTavish and Frank Vatrano. It was McTavish’s seventh goal in six games.
News you need (Part IV): Vatrano is one of only six undrafted NHL players to produce 300 points in his career. He now has scored in five of the last six games.
Dumbest penalty: Jacob Trouba found it necessary to hold Dvorak in the second period.
Even dumber penalty: As the second period concluded, Kirby Dach was called for cross-checking Brett Leason.
Great moments in announcing: “Montreal can’t afford to give up another one,” the guy on TSN stated late in the third, with the Canadiens trailing by one.
Next time, decline the penalty: Anaheim went 0-for-4 on the power play while allowing a shorthanded goal.
The clubhouse leader: Dach at minus-2.
News you need (Part V): During this five-game Canadiens’ losing skid the team has scored eight goals, allowed 19 and has produced once with the man-advantage despite nine opportunities.
News you need (Part VI): At this rate, head coach Martin St. Louis might never get his 100th career victory.
Quick stats: The Canadiens won 59.6 per cent of the game’s faceoffs. Dvorak won 11 of his 13 and played one of his best games this season. Montreal blocked 20 shots. Samuel Montembeault, who now has lost three consecutive games, had a .864 save percentage.
They said it: “The breakdowns in our zone have been too often and too big,” Mike Matheson said in Anaheim. “We’re giving too much up. When you get into a tough stretch it can be easy to lose some confidence. We definitely played really well in the first period. There was that little stretch in the second period where they tied the game and we lost a bit of confidence and maybe lost a bit of energy. We need to find a way to be able to reset and come back in the third and close the game out.
“It’s frustratin, obviously,” he added. “We played really well for a stretch to get ourselves into a good situation. The team’s we’re fighting against are continuing to play well. We need to figure out a way to get back to it.”
“I just think we played pretty bad,” Nick Suzuki said in Anaheim. “We have to come out next game and have our best game of the season. We can’t be losing these games and falling back in the standings. We really have to find a way to win the next two on this road trip.”
“I think our level of urgency dropped,” St. Louis said in Anaheim. “Our execution dropped. It’s not like we’re getting dominated, but we’re finding ways to lose and hurting ourselves. We’re not as sharp. We don’t execute. We have to get that back. It’s not the time of the season you want to get a slide. We have to stop the bleeding.”