BUFFALO | At the end of training camp, many determined that the Canadiens’ starting goaltender position should go to Samuel Montembeault.
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To be fair, neither he nor Jake Allen really stood out. And as is the case in these cases, the veteran gets the benefit of the doubt. Like the defending champion in a boxing match that is decided by a decision from the judges.
Now Allen is slowly but surely cementing his position as the one who deserves Martin St-Louis’ trust. After a 31-save performance against the Capitals that earned him his second straight start, the 33-year-old goaltender had the floor again in Buffalo.
In a game where his teammates lacked coordination for two good periods, Allen kept his team in the game. A glove save at the expense of Dylan Cozens and another save against Alex Tuch were part of 36 saves on the night.
It was just Jeff Skinner letting his guard down. But a Skinner goal against the Habs is like snow in the winter, taxes in the spring, or a fight in a Chinese restaurant in Boston: It’s sure to happen.
Before yesterday’s game, the 31-year-old forward had experienced nights with more than one point against Montreal 11 times in his career. He even collected five twice.
Horde of scouts
Plus, we say the same thing, but since the clash between the Sabers and the Canadiens was the only one on the bill, almost twenty teams had sent a scout to the KeyBank Center.
If someone is looking for a goalkeeper there, Allen gives his general manager strong arguments for a possible transaction. By the way, Julien BriseBois, the Lightning’s general manager, took his place on the Bell Center bridge on Saturday. Speaking of a team that needs a masked man.
In the bay window
The Montrealers would have made their task easier if they hadn’t missed the target so often. 25 of Eric Comrie’s 51 shot attempts at the net missed the target. They definitely need to work on that soon.
Furthermore, St-Louis had only discovered this deficiency on Saturday. The simple fact that they make their shots more appropriate would allow the Montrealers to add more menace to their massive attack.
For example, Cole Caufield, who normally keeps an eye on a compass, shot three times into the bay window.
Another Gallagher goal
If there’s anyone who doesn’t miss his mark, it’s Brendan Gallagher. It’s hard to miss the net when you’re running towards it with the puck.
For the second time in a row, the veteran scored a goal the way he knows the secret: by pushing the puck and the goalkeeper into the back of the goal.
We can say that he found a way to maximize his usage time. Along with Michael Pezzetta, Gallagher was St-Louis’ least used player (11 minutes and 14 seconds).
The Canadian does it again tonight as he receives a visit from the New Jersey Devils. Since Cayden Primeau remained in Montreal while the rest of the team was in Buffalo, he was expected to make his first start of the season.