Stop the presses! For the first time in 21 games, a Canadian goalie will start two games in a row. Samuel Montembeault won against the Kraken on Monday and will face the Kings on Thursday night.
Photo Martin Chevalier
“I’m happy to be able to play again straight away,” said the Quebecer, who hadn’t played in two games in a row since the second and third half of the season.
“It’s important to be able to continue the pace I had in the last game,” he added.
What happens next will determine whether Montembeault has truly become the confidant of his coaches or whether it is a truce in the rotation. If anything, the stats suggest he should be the starting goaltender.
The one who recently signed a three-season extension has claimed six of the Habs’ 11 wins this season. He is the only one with a goals-against average of less than 3.00 (2.66) and an efficiency ratio of more than .900 (.913).
The Kings, a big challenge
Montembeault will not have an easy challenge ahead of him. The Los Angeles Kings come to the Bell Center still undefeated on opposing ice.
They overcame a three-goal deficit in Columbus on Tuesday to improve their road record to 10-0-0. They tied the record that the Buffalo Sabers had set since the 2006-2007 season.
What’s more, Martin St-Louis and his men know what to expect, having faced the Videotron Center’s next tenants less than two weeks ago in Los Angeles.
Caught up in the Californian team’s 1-3-1 system, the Canadians were thwarted 0-4.
“I didn’t hate our first period,” the Canadian head coach said on the eve of this encounter. You have to be patient against them. We have to avoid fluctuations. That evening we lacked the execution to beat the 1-3-1.”
“They play a completely different style to other teams. “This is a system we are not used to,” argued Johnathan Kovacevic. But here we have just spent two days training specifically for them and working on aspects specific to the Kings.
Possible answers
Obviously, taking the lead – which the Canadian finally did when visiting the Kraken – would force the Kings to open the game and be less tight in the neutral zone and at their own blue line.
However, since the Kings don’t allow first goal very often (9 times in 22 games), the Habs need to make sure they put a plan in place to work around this defensive formation.
“The Kings have a record of 15-4-3 against multiple teams that drop the puck. “I’ll see how we attack tomorrow, but not dropping the puck doesn’t scare me,” St-Louis said.
“We can’t be afraid to be creative,” he continued. Quick restarts are required in the neutral zone. Don’t give them time to calm down. If we have possession of the puck and are organized, the Kings will not be able to threaten. But achieving that takes execution and patience.”
Joel Armia missed practice to enjoy a day of treatments