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“That was a tough recreation to teach emotionally, as a result of we had so many nice moments after which we shoot ourselves within the foot,” Martin St. Louis mentioned.
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It was a recreation the Canadiens seemed to be in full management of, main the Penguins 3-1 after the primary interval.
By the top of time beyond regulation, the Canadiens had generated a season-high 42 pictures in opposition to goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, making solely his sixth look this season.
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And but there Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis was, sitting on the podium after a 4-3 shootout loss to Pittsburgh, pressured to reply questions on why his crew collected just one level as an alternative of two Wednesday evening on the Bell Centre.
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Typically the hockey gods merely aren’t smiling down upon a crew.
“I’m not shocked, I’m upset,” St. Louis mentioned. “That was a tough recreation to teach emotionally, as a result of we had so many nice moments after which we shoot ourselves within the foot. We had full management of that recreation and allow them to get again in it.”
Montreal jumped out to a 2-0 lead earlier than 13 minutes had elapsed in opposition to a Penguins crew that had performed the evening earlier than and appeared ripe for the choosing.
Defenceman David Savard, enjoying his second recreation since getting back from a fractured hand, opened the scoring at 6:24, profiting from an Eric Karlsson turnover, earlier than Jayden Struble produced his second objective in solely his eleventh NHL recreation.
Canadiens’ defencemen now have scored 23 objectives this season, tying the Colorado Avalanche for the league lead. If solely Montreal may get related manufacturing from their forwards, they won’t be combating a 12-13-4 report.
Struble now has extra objectives in 11 big-league video games than he produced in 31 contests as a senior with the Northeastern Huskies. Struble continues turning heads together with his spectacular play. He began the sequence on which he scored behind the web, skated up-ice, made a pleasant zone-entry move, went to the web and scored on a rebound. It seems Struble is with the Canadiens to remain.
Highway to the Cup
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Even after Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby lower the deficit in half later within the interval, Sean Monahan restored the two-goal cushion with a uncommon Canadiens power-play objective at 15:20 of the primary, changing Mike Matheson’s rebound from the crease.
Montreal bumped into penalty hassle within the second interval, taking three successive minors and permitting two power-play objectives — by Jake Guentzel and Crosby, who leads the Penguins with 17 objectives. Crosby, 36, added an help and now has 31 factors via 28 video games. Crosby’s on tempo for 50 objectives and 94 factors.
“He can nonetheless play lots at his age,” defenceman Kaiden Guhle mentioned. “He’s nonetheless the most effective on this planet. He’s a particular participant. It looks as if he’s nearly getting higher yearly. He’s not slowing down in any respect. It’s particular to be on the ice with him. It’s enjoyable to play in opposition to him for certain.
“This may have been an enormous win for our group. It’s unlucky we didn’t come out with that one. It’s good to get some extent, however that was our recreation available.”
The Penguins had misplaced 4 consecutive video games, and 9 of 12, earlier than Tuesday’s victory in opposition to Arizona. And though Pittsburgh’s energy play had struggled, going 13 video games earlier than producing two in opposition to the Coyotes, it may very well be argued the Canadiens additionally proved to be the proper tonic.
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The Canadiens dominated the third interval, outshooting Pittsburgh 11-3, however didn’t convert two energy performs, together with one late in regulation after Drew O’Connor interfered with goalie Samuel Montembeault. Montreal didn’t generate a shot whereas O’Connor was within the field.
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One other alternative with the person benefit was squandered in time beyond regulation, after Evgeni Malkin tripped Cole Caufield. Not less than this time the Canadiens produced 4 pictures.
It took an unbelievable 12 rounds of the shootout earlier than Jansen Harkins — with zero factors via 13 video games — beat Montembeault, who obtained a bit, however not sufficient, of the shot. The NHL report is 20 rounds, Dec. 16, 2014, between Florida and Washington.
“It was an excellent present tonight,” Montembeault mentioned. “Clearly the followers cherished it. It could actually go both manner in a shootout.”
The Canadiens are actually 6-9-2 on residence ice and conclude this three-game homestand Saturday evening in opposition to the New York Islanders, earlier than embarking on a mind-boggling seven-game street journey over Christmas and New Years — an annual tour that historically destroys their season.
Montreal gamers don’t have any clarification as to why the crew struggles at residence.
“I don’t even know what our report is at residence,” Montembeault mentioned. “I do know our general report, however don’t know what it’s at residence or on the street.
“There’s no clarification. We play in entrance of our followers. We must always come out robust each evening and use their vitality as motivation.”
hzurkowsky@postmedia.com
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