The Montreal Canadiens seven-game road trip through the Christmas holidays was a minefield of danger to their season, but after five games, the Canadiens had eight out of a possible 10 points, earning a point in every game.
It’s an impressive achievement for a young club to play so well on the road. Two games remained on the weekend with visits to St. Louis and Dallas.
The Blues faced Jacob Fowler as the three-goalie system continues in Montreal. The Canadiens turned in their flattest effort of the season, falling 2-0.
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This contest was without an offensive highlight. It’s remarkable that a full 60 minutes of hockey could be played and there was simply nothing that stood out in a positive way. They all were vexed by a Blues team that was on the Canadiens at every turn.
Montreal barely had any chances to note until a futile push late. Even with a five-on-three for 1:37 seconds, the Canadiens still didn’t create a high-quality chance. Beautiful passing, but nothing really came together.
It isn’t as if the Canadiens are normally anemic, either. Montreal is the fourth-highest scoring team in the league. Sometimes nothing works well for even strong players.
A positive word for Fowler. He was forced to face quite a lot of quality shots, and handled them well. His positioning is excellent. He is back on his feet and ready for a rebound very quickly. He tracks the puck well. Nothing about Fowler’s goaltending at the NHL level suggests that he should go back down to the AHL.
Everyone else can promise to do better in Dallas Sunday, and likely be right.
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The first goal against was one of those moments that simply did not have to happen. It was such a simple play.
Zachary Bolduc passed it to Jayden Struble with no pressure on either of them — an easy defender-to-defender pass. However, Struble missed it for the turnover. The forwards couldn’t get back in time. Jacob Fowler had absolutely no chance on the cross-ice pass to beat him.
The second goal against was shorthanded. If the game wasn’t already a sleeper, it sure was after that. Lane Hutson gave the puck away in what seemed innocent enough, but it just kept bouncing the Blues way until it was in the net on a rebound.
It’s a long season, and no team gets up for all 82 games. It’s impossible. Some days the energy isn’t there in both the spirit and the body. This was one of those games. Right from the opening whistle, this was a tired-looking team. It happens. It’s not worth belabouring it too long.
Even a head coach will simply move on to the next game. Martin St. Louis won’t have a long speech with a lot of anger for his team. He’ll be grateful for all the good results in the previous five games, and simply move on to the next one.
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While Michael Hage has been excelling at the World Junior Championship, a player who didn’t make the Canada roster is wowing everyone in the Western Hockey League. Bryce Pickford is putting up stunning numbers in Medicine Hat.
Pickford was the Player Of The Month in the WHL for December with 22 points in nine games. Pickford is third in the league in scoring overall, with 28 goals and 52 points in 35 games. These are forward numbers, but Pickford is a defenceman.
He is also doing good work defensively. Pickford is second in the league in plus-minus at plus 40.
Pickford signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens just before Christmas. The Canadiens are hoping that Pickford plays some games in Laval for their playoffs.
However, that may not be possible because the Tigers are so strong that Pickford could advance to the Memorial Cup, instead of the American Hockey League. Medicine Hat sits in first in the Central Division of the WHL.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
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