On Saturday, the west coast road trip mercifully concluded in Los Angeles against the Kings. The Habs allowed 12 regulation goals in the first two games of the trip and collected just one point. After a slothly slow start in this one, the result was a 4-3 win.
Here’s what caught my eye.
The coaching staff need to figure out the slow starts.
A slow start in this game could be overlooked. They had played practically two full games in a 24-hour period. But the game against the Kings was not an exception. Slow starts have plagued the Montreal Canadiens all seasons.
It’s a bit of a mystery how a team with such a great culture, a ton of talent, and a healthy amount of swagger can start so many games late. Whether it’s inexperience, or over-confidence in their ability to make it up, or whatever… it’s a mystery they need to solve. That’s on the coach.
20 games remain in a tight race to the playoffs, and if the Habs want to be there, they need a full 60 in the final 20. The coach knows the attention to details has not been there, and we may see some tough love when practice resumes in Montreal.
Slafkovsky beat his career best with three points in LA.
Two pretty goals and a prettier assist on Suzuki’s game winner brought him to 23 goals and 52 points in 62 games. He’s hit a career high with a quarter of the season remaining.
It took him a minute to get sorted following the Olympics, but he’s been excellent since being reunited with Suzuki and Caufield. Slaf also managed to get himself in the Montreal history book tonight.
The next nine games are at home or close to home, and there are some things I would like to see.
With two back-to-backs this week, I want to see Jacob Fowler recalled. These games are too important and Monty is not reliable.
Speaking of back-to-backs, I want to see some load management. Brendan Gallagher cannot play two nights in a row any more, and some decent players who can keep up are sitting.
Show me the plan on D. I know Gorton told Engels they didn’t feel an “imminent need” to adjust their group of seven. Having seen the last three games, that feels like a load of gas station poutine.
Xhekaj’s missed assignments and Struble’s inconsistency, and neither being able to stay in the line up feels like an imminent need. The coach having to make in-game pair shuffles because of the reality of one strong right shot feels like an imminent need.
No one has forgotten what happened to Carrier against Washington last Spring. No one enjoys waiting for Guhle to be the defenseman everyone seems to believe he is, or for Matheson to clear a crease.
I can buy – and even respect – that they didn’t want to add someone who would block the path for Reinbacher or Engstrom. I can’t buy that they don’t see an imminent need.
Unless it’s Reinbacher time. Maybe he and Fowler can make the commute from Laval to Montreal together.
Hab At Her 