The Canadian players left Pittsburgh and moved to warm countries. For the next seven days they can clear their heads, forget about this 3-2 defeat and not think about ice hockey. However, as they gaze at the banana-less palm trees of Santa Banana and sip their Piňata di Bravo with lots of rum, Your coaches and your general manager need to find some possible solutions and solve some problems.
Protect advances
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The Canadian's inability to maintain his progress has become a bad habit. Yes, the Habs have a record of 12-0-2 when leading after two periods. However, behind these statistics lies a sad reality.
Seven times since the start of 2024, the Habs have seen their opponents come back from a deficit of at least two goals during a game or score an equalizer in the final part of the third period. And that doesn't even include the visit to Dallas, where the Montrealers needed every little thing to prevent the Stars from turning a 4-1 deficit into a 4-4 draw.
In addition, 17 times the outcome of one of the Canadian's games was decided in extra time or in a penalty shootout, and 11 times it was the opponent who came from behind. If we only count those games that lasted more than 60 minutes, we are almost a quarter of the way through the season.
Strengthen the defense
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Obviously, a big part of the solution is a more watertight defensive structure. The Canadian has allowed at least 35 shots on opponents twenty-one times this season. Of those, Montreal's goalkeepers were bombarded with more than 40 shots nine times.
In fact, the problem lies less with the structure and more with the players' ability to apply it. The hybrid system between a zone defense when the puck is high in the territory and a man-to-man defense when it is deeper in the territory seems to mix several.
Limiting turnovers at the opponent's blue line, congesting the neutral zone, and avoiding excess numbers are all good habits to develop to avoid spending too much time in your zone. It can be a good idea if your puck possession index (the famous Corsi) shows 45.51%, good for 29th place on the circuit.
Stop the threesome
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We didn't think it would be a topic of discussion this late in the season. And yet. The Canadian's three-man team in front of the net continues. During his midseason recap, Kent Hughes hinted in thinly veiled words that Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau would be the two masked men he would move on with.
Which makes Jake Allen the extra man. Well, since December 31st, Montembeault has gotten twice as much work as his two teammates. However, he should score goals in two out of three games, which is not entirely the case.
Sending Allen elsewhere would avoid disagreements like Saturday, when Allen entered the fray even though Montembeault was on fire Thursday. The problem for Hughes is that Allen is getting $3.85 million for another season. To make the acquisition, a team has to be in a really bad situation.
An enrichment on the market place
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Sean Monahan is the most beautiful item Kent Hughes can display in the marketplace. It will be interesting to see what price is set for its services. As the number of games increases, the value of the 29-year-old athlete increases. A center who gets paid $1.985 million for around fifty points is a bargain.
Plus, Monahan isn't just useful offensively. His success rate in the faceoff circle (55%) and his ability to provide quality minutes while shorthanded make him a prime candidate for a team that's just one piece short of completing its heist. -Head.
Note to general managers looking to win top honors (Dring! Dring! the Lightning, the Oilers, the Rangers): “This article is still available.”
However, not everything is gloomy at the start of the holidays. In recent weeks we've seen progress, the watchword among Canadiens executives. Progress in certain areas of the game, but also on an individual level.
The massive attack is activated
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The Canadiens' massive offense has risen from the dead over the last two weeks. In the last seven games, the Habs have converted seven of their 21 power plays. In three of those games, Montreal's massive attack scored two goals. This is the same repeat as the first 42 games of the season.
Moving Cole Caufield from the faceoff circle to the back of the territory seems to be paying off. As is the growing confidence of Juraj Slafkovsky, who is becoming another option for quarterback Mike Matheson. In addition, Monahan has been involved in the team's last five goals with the man advantage.
Kaiden Guhle against the best
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Kaiden Guhle is becoming more and more comfortable dealing with the big guns of the opposing camp. He proved it well on Saturday in Pittsburgh. He was almost flawless in his role as Sidney Crosby's shadow. In fact, the Penguins captain had to pull a rabbit out of a hat to get an assist in this game.
The 22-year-old defender has all the athletic and intellectual qualities to fulfill these tasks. His skating and reading of the game are on another level.
The great Juraj Slafkovsky
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As we mentioned above, the Slovakian is gaining confidence. While not long ago his main focus was getting the puck to his teammates, now he doesn't hesitate to use his shot.
He also understood that he had good size and could use it to his advantage in battles for the puck and on the forecheck. Coming from a world where pressure at the back of opponent's territory is rather light, it's a good sign that at 19 he has grasped these intricacies of the North American game.
Cole Caufield maintains his streak
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We were worried about him, but he seems to have gone his own way. The 23-year-old striker went on vacation in the middle of a nine-game points streak. During this time he moved the strings in five games in a row.
In addition to his new position on the power play, Caufield is becoming more involved at the opposing net. He understood that the puck wouldn't always come to him and not always where he expected it to be. By spending more time in the slot, he increased the number of scoring chances he had.