It’s advantage Canadiens for the first time in the chase for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With just over a dozen games remaining, if Montreal can simply play slightly over .500 they have the inside track.
Each game is vital. Thursday night it was an affair against the New York Islanders with goaltending making the difference in a 4-3 Islanders win.
Wilde Horses
The biggest two reasons that the Canadiens have a chance for a playoff spot this season are the play of the number one line, and the arrival of Lane Hutson. The worry was that Hutson would tire as the season wore on considering a long season for a collegian is 55 games. That didn’t happen.
However, the bigger worry was that it is impossible to make the playoffs with only one line scoring goals all season. They needed secondary scoring for those nights that the Nick Suzuki line faced a tough match-up, or simply didn’t have the energy.
Enter the Christian Dvorak line just in time. That line was in on four of the six goals against the Ottawa Senators Tuesday. Dvorak had his first four point game as a Canadiens player just before he hits unrestricted free agency. Good timing for him.
In truth, though, it was Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher that carried the night. Their tenacity was at its greatest. The never-give-up attitude of Gallagher shone, and Anderson’s ability to skate fast while delivering the body softened the Senators as the game progressed.
They just kept going on Long Island. As a F1 (first forechecker), Anderson is equaled by few others in the league. He brings big speed to the defender, but also a big physical force that makes the defender think twice about going in first to get the puck.
The second line is also ramping up with better play. That line has been a black hole all season long, but it must be said that Alex Newhook is actually starting to figure out the centre position at the NHL level. He played centre at Boston College and he was extremely good at it.
He could not get it figure out in Colorado, then he was moved to the wing, then he was moved right on out of there. He didn’t show much in his first attempt at centre either in Montreal, but he is starting to make better decisions defensively, and his speed to carry the puck up ice is unequalled.
His wheels make a difference to defenders who have to back away from a pinch at the blue line to respect that they could get beaten for speed. Newhook is arriving finally at the age of 24 closing in on his first round draft pick expectations. He does so much at high speed, it is clear that a higher ceiling is coming.
It was the Newhook line that opened the scoring for Montreal as Joshua Roy was in front of the net for a tap-in rebound. Roy with his first goal in a year at the NHL level. It was also his first point in nine games this season.
The Canadiens made it close when a predictable script played out. On the power play, Patrik Laine was in his usual spot on the left side where he ripped it for his 17th goal of the season. Suzuki inched closer to his point-per-game milestone with another season.
The comeback was made complete when the third line came through again. Brendan Gallagher with a heavy heart with the passing recently of his mom pounded his chest when his scored on a breakaway with time winding down. What an emotional moment for Gallagher.
Wilde Goats
Not any complaints about a tight game that just didn’t work out. The shots on goal were 40-21 Montreal through regulation. Ilya Sorokin was better than Samuel Montembeault. Sometimes you get ‘goalied’.
However, they earned a point and every point is extremely vital. Also, in the positive column is much of the competition for the wild card spots lost. The Ottawa Senators were rocked by Colorado. The New York Rangers lost again to Toronto. The Columbus Blue Jackets lost in overtime to Florida.
When you fail and everyone else fails, all that happened is the schedule got shorter, and that’s good for the Canadiens.
Wilde Cards
The non-serious Roman Rotenberg has added another chapter in his laughable helm as head coach of SKA St. Petersburg.
Rotenberg has been quoted as saying in RG Media that he will not be using Ivan Demidov in his upcoming games, and there is a strong chance he will not use him in the playoffs. This despite the fact that Demidov is his leading scorer this season. On Thursday, Rotenberg made Demidov a healthy scratch in a 3-2 shootout loss.
Rotenberg who is more famous as head of Gazprom as an oligarch than a hockey coach says he wants the club to be tougher.
There is also an indication that Rotenberg wants to send Demidov back down to the juniors in the MHL to play for the under-20 team, so he can battle for the Kharlamov Cup. No one has ever heard of a serious league trying to win the equivalent of the junior league title or the minor league title more than the Stanley Cup.
Demidov is contracted under Rotenberg until May 31st. If Demidov is able to escape that contract, it can only be because he has paid for his release. Officially, the Canadiens are not allowed to pay for that release. How that actually works in the real world always remains a mystery. You can ask a million questions, but you will not get a clean response.
Considering Rotenberg knows a lot about money and nothing about hockey, all of this nonsense almost certainly is not about winning on the ice, but off it. Imagine how the players feel on that club knowing that their top scorer is a healthy scratch.
An opportunity for Demidov this season in Montreal all becomes moot if the Canadiens don’t make the playoffs. However, if they do, Demidov may want to exercise all his options to debut in the NHL this April.
The initial reaction by many seems to be how awful for Demidov, but it is actually quite the opposite. By not using Demidov and threatening a demotion to the juniors, the oligarch Rotenberg is signalling that he’s put out the “for sale” sign. He is basically saying in so many words “we have no use for him, come get him”.
Call of the Wilde: Habs on winning streak after 4-Nations break
