The final five of the season started with a Detroit Red Wings visit.
Montreal limped to the finish line, and that’s not a turn of phrase. They are literally limping, if they’re not aching, or otherwise debilitated.
The Red Wings coasted to a 5-0 win over a Canadiens team that was more Laval than Montreal.
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No doubt when the season started did Nick Suzuki think he would be finishing the season with Jesse Ylonen and Sean Farrell on his line — the top line of the team. Suzuki was looking for a new career high in points, with two rookies.
It’s been that type of season, but Suzuki has played strong hockey despite a lot of setbacks to his left and to the right of him. On the left, Farrell played a strong game. He recovered nicely from a nightmarish evening against the Hurricanes.
He could be singled out, but the truth is that the entire team struggled. Credit to him for recovering well. Farrell was the best forward on the ice for the Canadiens in the first period. He had a chance early from in close and was about to release a wicked one-timer on the power play, but had his stick lifted. Late in the period, he found a soft spot in the Red Wings defence and fired a superb shot from 15 feet.
Farrell was able to find the quiet zones on the ice to create opportunities for himself. In that way, he reminds one of Cole Caufield who described the Canadiens drafting Farrell in one word on Twitter: STEAL.
Farrell doesn’t have the shot that Caufield does, so the goals will not come as easily, but if he continues to find the quiet zones, constantly moving, sneaking into areas, he should find success at this level.
Again, there was no element of his game that said it was too big for him or too fast for him. He did not have trouble with the size of the Red Wings stopping him from achieving his goals, and the game certainly wasn’t too fast for him. He had his time to make plays.
In fact, that might be the best aspect of his game so far. He processes the game quickly. When he gets the puck, he has a plan in his mind already. He is able to execute small plays quickly, like outlet passes on the half-wall on defence, and head-man passes in the neutral zone when a defender is coming to take time and space away.
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Farrell already has to know what he is going to do with it before he gets it, and so far, it appears that is not too difficult for him. He has a fast processor.
College to the NHL is a big leap, though, and at least a half-season of development in Laval would be helpful. Though the American Hockey League is not a scorer’s league, it is a structured league.
He will learn there. He will not be hurt going there.
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The Canadiens looked to Cayden Primeau for a second start to his Montreal season. He performed well in Philadelphia in his first start, allowing only two goals, though that was enough to take the loss. The book on Primeau is still open, and the organization needs to see what they have in him.
In the first period, it would have been nice for Primeau if they would have protected him slightly more. The first goal, Lucas Raymond was allowed to move straight into the high slot to fire a shot into the top half of the net from 15 feet.
As much as the shot was just under the bar, it was in the middle of the goal, and Primeau didn’t make himself big on it. He was on his knees when it was taken. One can be critical of everyone on the first Detroit goal.
The second goal he was without help again. It was a clear-cut breakaway for David Perron from centre ice. He made a terrific move that Primeau had no chance on at all. Two goals allowed on seven shots.
In the second period, Primeau got caught deep in his own net. That doesn’t have to be a big issue, but when you combine it with making yourself small in the net, there is a lot to shoot at. That’s exactly what Matt Luff was able to do — find a lot to shoot at for an easy goal.
The fourth goal on Primeau not a goalie in the world would be able to save. Joe Veleno was parked in front of Primeau and deflected the puck from two feet away. No time to react. No time to do anything.
Primeau was an outstanding collegian. He won the Mike Richter Award as the best college goalie in the NCAA. He also put an outstanding playoff together last spring, taking Laval deep into the playoffs.
It has not yet come together in the NHL. It still may, but the comfort level that made him technically sound in college and the minors is not yet there at the highest level. Primeau is 23. Samuel Montembeault didn’t look like he would mount an NHL career at all at 25.
Patience. This takes time.
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A synopsis of the injured is in order to show just how bad it is for the Canadiens this season. There’s not enough space to detail all of the injuries, but even a look at the players that are gone for the season is a telling list of extraordinary proportions.
On Monday alone, the Canadiens announced that three players were done for the season. It was made official that Juraj Slafkovsky would not be back for the last two weeks after his early season lower-body injury.
We finally learned what was bothering Sean Monahan that happened in rehab after injuring his foot. Monahan was ruled out for the year after needing groin surgery. On the weekend, Alex Belzile fractured his leg. Belzile was playing so well. He fought so hard to be good enough to enjoy the high life of the NHL, only to break his leg.
Those three join a shockingly long list of players gone for the season with serious injuries: Cole Caufield needed shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum. Arber Xhekaj also injured his shoulder and needed surgery after it popped out during a fight.
Josh Anderson was having the best season of his career, or perhaps the second best, but he is out with a high ankle sprain after crashing into a goal post late in a game two weeks ago against Tampa Bay.
Kaiden Guhle suffered numerous injuries all season long. The one that finally got him was a high ankle sprain as well. Another defenceman, David Savard, is also done for the year with a knee injury.
It’s the same issue for Christian Dvorak who had a knee injury, but his was more serious as he required surgery. He had that surgery in New York City in early March.
That’s nine players who are gone for the rest of the season due to injury. There were another two who were ruled out for this contest, but could still play again this year at some point. The forward lines tonight had only three regulars of 12 forwards. Only Nick Suzuki has played every game this year.
Remarkably, every single one of these players will be ready for training camp in September. Perhaps it would be wise to put some bubble wrap on the boards for that camp.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
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