On Tuesday night, the Montreal Canadiens greeted the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre. With Boston and Detroit at their heels and also in action, a win was necessary. The result was a 5-2 win, while the Bruins and Red Wings lost.
Here are my quick notes from the game.
That was another rough start.
An early penalty is always a tough pill to swallow, and throw in a Matheson lost stick, and suddenly you’re down two. Their tendency to dig a hole for themselves early is baffling, and it’s something the Canadiens need to address before the postseason.
A little help from their friends is going a long way for top line.
The Suzuki line continues to shine and they are, once again, one of the top lines in the NHL. But for the trio to stay together, they need production from the other lines. If the second line can’t deliver, Marty will inevitably have to break up the Suzuki line to balance the offence.
Last night it was Kapanen who got the tip on the Struble shot for the Habs first goal. After both Caufield and Slafkovsky had scored to get enough for the win, it was Demidov who delivered the insurance goal. That was a beautiful take away to spring him on the breakaway.
Jakub Dobes is battling for the starter role.
It’s taking a while for his save percentage to climb, but his record of 23-8-4 is solid. This is especially true when you consider the team record. Dobes has not always looked pretty, but he battles every night.
He was strong when the Habs fell behind early, and he was strong again with the Carolina net empty. He keeps finding ways to win.
The Habs are 39-21-10. The standings are tight, but they’re holding their spot with just 12 games remaining.
Hab At Her 