Back in Montreal for a single game before heading to California and Nevada, the Canadians failed to avert their bad luck against their 417 rivals, the Ottawa Senators, by suffering a 5-2 loss.
• Also read: The Canadian collapses in the third period
• Also read: Canadians: Arber Xhekaj’s season is over
Martin St-Louis was not an angry coach after that fourth loss in as many games against DJ Smith’s gang.
“I liked our game but not the result,” said St-Louis. In the third third we drifted a bit. We could have been more opportunistic. We dominated them for the first two. It wasn’t a 5-2 game.”
The Journal offers you a return on this meeting in five points.
Edmundson’s journey
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
In the infirmary since January 26 and checked daily since that date, Joel Edmundson is nearing a return. Number 44 made the trip to California. The Habs never revealed the nature of his discomfort, but he would still have had problems with his back. Kirby Dach and Joel Armia did not join the team on the road.
Again the defenders
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
Mike Matheson scored his fourth second-half goal of the season when he lunged for his own back shot to beat Mads Sogaard. Since the return of the star game, CH has relied on a stronger offensive contribution from its defenders. They scored 11 of the team’s 29 goals. Matheson (3) and Justin Barron (3) lead the way.
The magic number of 1000 games
Derick Brassard added a goal and an assist to the Senators’ offense. At age 35 and on his tenth team in the NHL, Brassard played his 997th game. Theoretically, he will hit the 1,000 game mark for the visit to Madison Square Garden on March 2nd. Brassard thus has the chance to play this symbolic match against one of his former teams, the New York Rangers.
In New York, Brassard had shared the same dressing room as Martin St-Louis.
“He’s had a great career,” St-Louis said. I had the chance to play with him in New York. We always called him Big Game Brass because he was a guy who always had the puck on his racquet in big games. He wasn’t too stressed out at the rink. I’m happy for him that he’s reaching this plateau. Playing 1000 games in the NHL isn’t easy. »
Brassard will become the 377th player in NHL history to play 1,000 or more games.
Pezzetta always in intensity
Photo archive, Martin Alarie
Michael Pezzetta played his part against the Senators with three shots, six goals and a fight against Austin Watson in just under ten minutes. Pezzetta ran on the left wing of the fourth row along with Chris Tierney and Alex Belzile.
“I feel like I’ve been playing good hockey for a few weeks, I’m feeling good with my teammates and I’m getting my checks done,” the curly-haired man said. At the beginning of the year I found it difficult. I practically spent the first month watching my teammates from the stands and barely played the first 15 games. It’s nice to be able to play every night now. »
Season over for Xhekaj
Archive photo, Martin Chevalier
The CH offered a rare report from their infirmary after the meeting against the Sens. Arber Xhekaj has to go under the knife because of a right shoulder injury. The rookie defenseman will meet with surgeon Peter J. Millett in Vail, Colorado. This is the same doctor who operated on Cole Caufield and Josh Anderson.