The New Jersey Devils signed a 2-1 victory in the first preseason game on the Bell Center ice. Tomas Tatar scored once morest his former team, but it wasn’t that play that made him proudest.
• Read also: Matheson, like a little guy
• Read also: First preseason game: an encouraging defeat for the Canadian once morest the Devils
• Read also: CH alumni support Captain Suzuki
During the warm-up period, Tatar slipped a few words to his compatriot Juraj Slafkovsky. He repeated the same scene for the initial face-off since the two rivals found themselves on the ice. And at the end of the meeting, the number 90 of the Devils went to the bench of the Habs to discuss with Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar.
“I’m extremely proud of both (Slafkovsky and Mesar),” Tatar said in the opposing team’s locker room. They are two young people from Slovakia. I played with Juraj at the World Championship. I wanted to help him for the NHL by giving him advice. It makes me very proud to see them wearing the Canadiens jersey. They are two good young people and I know that they will make the fans of Montreal happy.”
Slafkovsky and Mesar had wide eyes as they recounted their meeting with Tatar.
“There are not many players from Slovakia in the NHL and when you play once morest a guy from your country, it’s a good feeling, explained the first class of the 2022 draft. not give advice, it is funnier.”
“It was cool talking with Tomas,” Mesar said. When I was young, I watched it on television. And today, I was playing once morest him.”
With Nemac in Jersey
Last May, Tatar got to know Slafkovsky better in the national team. At the World Cup in Finland, the 18-year-old winger led Slovakia’s scoring column with nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in 8 games.
“Juraj was very good for an 18-year-old,” Tatar said. I loved my time with him, we had developed a great bond. We had a very young team at this tournament and we practically caused an upset. I wanted to know the young people and I wanted to help them before the draft. We finally got the top two picks in the 2022 draft. I was really happy. It’s big for our country.”
In New Jersey, Tatar will serve as a big brother to defenseman Simon Nemec, the second overall pick at the latest auction. Nemec had not made the trip to Montreal for this preparatory meeting.
“I will help Simon with the Devils, as I would have done with Juraj or Filip if I was still with the Canadian, explained Tatar. When you come from the same country, it’s just normal to give back. I want him to feel good. There will be times when he misses Slovakia. He is just 18 years old, it is not always easy.
A tip for Montreal
At the dawn of his second season with the Devils, Tatar had his best moments in the NHL in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020, forming a very good line with Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher. With three seasons of experience in Montreal, he is well placed to offer advice to Slafkovsky.
“There will be pressure for him in Montreal, but he will have to trust himself, he summarized. There was also pressure on his shoulders in Slovakia. It attracts media attention there. When you’re a first overall pick, you always end up under the reflectors. But I know people will like it in Montreal. He has a good attitude and an endearing personality. He just needs to have fun.”
Modest start
In terms of hockey, Slafkovsky broke the ice by participating in the first meeting of the long preparatory calendar. Used on the right wing alongside Kirby Dach and Rem Pitlick, he gave a realistic assessment of his debut.
“I’ve won a few battles for the puck, but I’ve also lost battles,” he said. I can play better. I know myself. I can be faster and take more shots. There will be another meeting on Wednesday.
► Cole Caufield scored the only goal for his team thanks to a powerful lead on the power play.
+
Owen Beck
He was good at the rookie tournament and he was still the case for this pre-season duel He hit a post, won his face-offs and created turnovers
–
Kirby Roof
It’s still fast We won’t leave in fear But Dach was looking for his bearings once morest the Devils He will have time to redeem himself
First period
1-Mon: Cole Caufield (1) (Hoffman, Matheson)AN-12:32
Penalties: Boqvist (NJ) 8:07, Tatar (NJ) 11:31, Dach (Mon) 12:54
Second period
2-NJ: Tomas Tatar (1) (Bratt, Boqvist)AN-16:07
Penalties: Thompson (NJ) 9:43, bench (Mon) (served by Slafkovsky) 15:40, Slafkovsky (Mon) 18:30
Third period
3-NJ: Graeme Clarke (1) (Johnsson)14:03
Penalties: Dach (Mon) 8:16, Tatar (NJ) 9:54, Foote (NJ) 17:23
Shoot to the net
New Jersey 11 – 13 – 8 – 32Montréal 9 – 8 – 4 – 21
Guardians:
NJ: MacKenzie Blackwood and Nico Daws (at 11:29 of 2nd period) G, 1-0-0) Mon: Jake Allen and Cayden Primeau at (9:17 of 2nd period) G, 0-1-0)
Numerical advantages:
NJ: 1 in 4, Mon: 1 in 5
Referees:
Eric Furlatt, Beau Halkidis
Linesmen:
Jonny Murray, Derek Nansen
ASSISTANCE:
19 308
What we noticed…
An “A” for Caufield
Sign of a rebuilding team, Cole Caufield received the honor of wearing an “A” on his jersey for this first preseason game. Head coach Martin St-Louis didn’t have many options with several veterans on the sidelines. Mike Matheson and Mike Hoffman were the other two deputies.
Allen without reproach
There is no stake with Jake Allen. He will act as the team’s number one goaltender in the absence of Carey Price. On his debut in camp, Allen stopped all 18 Devils shots in nearly 30 minutes of play.
Beck and the circles
Owen Beck has a reputation as the OHL’s best center in the face-off circle. The Habs’ second-round pick (33rd overall) this summer showed his skills once morest the Devils by winning 10 of his 17 attempts (59%).
Four players down
The CH still have a ton of players in their camp. GM Kent Hughes, however, reduced his roster by four, from 75 guests to 71. Goaltender Antoine Coulombe (Shawinigan), — defender Daniil Sobolev (Windsor) and wingers Jared Davidson (Seattle) and Cédrick Guindon (Owen Sound) will return with their junior team. Initially, the CH spoke of 74 players at this camp, but the team had not counted the presence of Sobolev, who arrived following the rookie tournament in Buffalo.
