This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to Canadiens’ general manager Kent Hughes.
Hughes gave his players a vote of confidence this week by extending Jake Evans, the player most likely to be traded. Then Hughes failed to pull the trigger on any transactions before Friday’s 3 p.m. NHL trade deadline, for better or worse.
With the Canadiens in the mix for their first playoff berth since 2021, Hughes indicated he had faith in this group and wasn’t willing to pay the price in what developed into a seller’s market.
But then, after all that, his team went out Saturday night in Calgary and played one of its most uninspiring games this season, losing 1-0 to the Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Following five consecutive victories, Montreal has started this four-game road trip with successive defeats, although it produced one point from its overtime loss at Edmonton.
But time’s running short and this team must start winning games again. Plain and simple.
Our random thought of the night: Josh Anderson’s body has been used as a piñata this season. The winger’s battered and bruised, yet he continues playing and has yet to miss a game. On the other hand, Patrik Laine didn’t play against Calgary because of the flu. Look, we’re not inside the guy’s body, or head. He might have been vomiting all day for all we know. But the contrast in these two players is staggering.
Did you know: Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis played 69 games for Calgary over two seasons? He wasn’t exactly productive for the Flames, producing four goals and 20 points.
Good riddance: Calgary has now won four consecutive games against the Canadiens, outscoring them 11-5.
Play Pezzetta: Laine’s absence meant Michael Pezzetta dressed for the first time since Feb. 2. Pezzetta started on the second line, with Owen Beck and Alex Newhook, before moving to a line with Christian Dvorak and Brendan Gallagher.
News you need (Part I): The Flames are last in the NHL, averaging only 2.58 goals per game. But of their 161 total goals, 38 have come on the power play.
This guy can’t catch a break: Emil Heineman, who already has been struck by a car in Salt Lake City, took a shot to his left ear from the stick of David Savard early in the game. Heineman was cut on the play and went to the clinic to be stitched up.
Like watching paint dry: Alexandre Carrier generated Montreal’s first shot at 1:54. The Canadiens didn’t produce another shot for 13 minutes, until Cole Caufield finally tested Dustin Wolf.
Where potential goals go to die: Dvorak, who last scored on Feb. 9, remains stuck on 99 career goals. Do you believe he has another goal in him this season? Nineteen games remain. He did come close midway through the third period at least.
News you need (Part II): Of the Canadiens’ four first-period shots, Caufield’s was the only one from a forward. The others came from Carrier, Jayden Struble and Arber Xhekaj.
Well, at least they did this well: Montreal won 71.4 per cent of the opening-period face-offs and enjoyed an 11-4 advantage in hits.
News you need (Part III): The Canadiens were shut out for the fourth time this season. But this also was the third time they’ve been blanked since Jan. 30 — not so long ago. Three times in 13 games.
Next time, decline the penalty: Not only did the Canadiens go 0-for-2 on the power play, they failed to generate a shot.
Who’s manufacturing these expensive twigs: Anderson’s stick snapped in the second period on a harmless-looking shot.
The hidden goal: These games are better when goals are scored. One finally was produced 36 minutes following the opening face-off, by Joel Farabee. It was his third goal for the Flames in 13 games since being acquired in a trade at the end of January from Philadelphia.
Looked good, but …: Late in the second period, Connor Zary put the puck between his legs, but failed to get a shot. Perhaps he has a future with Disney on Ice?
Ouch: In the final minute of that period, defenceman Rasmus Andersson took a Caufield shot off his right ankle.
It was one of those nights: In the 15th minute of the third period, Caufield, with a team-leading 31 goals, missed the net with his wrist shot after being sent in alone.
News you need (Part IV): The Canadiens were the only team without a regulation loss since the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Not anymore.
It truly was one of those nights: In the final minute, Nick Suzuki’s shot from the lip of the crease deflected off Joel Hanley’s skate — only to be stopped by Wolf.
News you need (Part V): Wolf, who must be considered a Calder Trophy candidate, recorded his third shutout — a franchise record for a rookie netminder.
Quick stats: Caufield had a team-leading six shots. Juraj Slafkovsky had three hits. Lane Hutson blocked four shots. Pezzetta was limited to seven shifts — a total of 4:57. The Canadiens won 68.4 per cent of their face-offs and outhit Calgary 25-18. Jakub Dobes’s save percentage was .958.
They said it: “Their goalie made good saves and we came up short,” Suzuki told the media in Calgary.
“It’s not so much when the puck drops we have to win this game,” St. Louis told reporters in Calgary. “It’s what’s next. Every action, what’s next? When you get a scoring chance, were you ready for it? Because that’s what’s next. Obviously, you’ve got to finish. I know Cole was ready for the chances he had tonight. They just didn’t go in.
“Tomorrow the sun will shine. We corrected ourselves after the first. I didn’t hate our first. I just felt we didn’t get enough out of it. We didn’t hurt ourselves, but we didn’t spent enough time in the offensive zone. Listen, (Calgary) plays very tight, like we did tonight. Both goalies were great. The game could have gone either way. It just didn’t go our way.”