VANCOUVER | Artturi Lehkonen scored two goals, but JT Miller did even better with a goal and three assists. Inspired by Miller, the Canucks signed a 5-3 win once morest the Canadian yesterday at Rogers Arena.
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Martin St-Louis had said it in the morning. There is a danger of a return to normality. From his experience as a player, he knows very well that the magic instilled by a change of coach never lasts forever.
Difficult match for Petry
Without knowing a catastrophic game, the Habs made costly mistakes. For one evening, we saw the Jeff Petry who stupidly lost the puck and who played with less confidence in his territory.
Miller and Elias Pettersson made number 26 look bad in the third period.
“There’s been good and bad,” winger Rem Pitlick said. We had mental cramps in our defensive decisions. Martin told us between periods. He remained calm, but he showed videos to tell us what was wrong with our game. He didn’t have to hit a trash can to get his message across. We didn’t have a terrible game, but that wasn’t enough. »
But there is no panic. The CH once once more showed courage in this match by fighting until the last second.
After a month under St. Louis, the Habs have a record of seven wins and five losses.
In this journey in the West of the country, the “Glorious” will return home with a record of two wins and two losses.
In the general classification, the CH (15-35-7) is back in 32nd and last place in the NHL with 37 points. With three straight wins and four wins in their last five games, the Coyotes (17-35-4) regained control of 31st place with 38 points.
In the race
Reinvigorated since the arrival of Bruce Boudreau (21-8-4), the Canucks still cling to their hopes of a playoff appearance.
If they succeed, they will owe Miller a big debt.
Author of a four-point game, number 9 has carried his team’s attack on his shoulders for several weeks with 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in his last 19 meetings.
“JT plays great hockey, he inspires his teammates,” said Pettersson.
Pettersson has also regained cruising speed since the departure of Travis Green.
The evening of a trio
The CH third line scored all three goals during this rare visit to British Columbia. Lehkonen showed the way forward with two goals in addition to setting up Rem Pitlick’s late goal.
In his last five games, Lehkonen has now hit the target six times. The Finn already has 13 goals to his name this season.
In the backhand, Samuel Montembeault had a good outing. The man nicknamed “Dikembe” made several spectacular saves to keep his team in the game.
Pitlick and versatility
On the wing or in the center, Rem Pitlick once once more had a good game. Back on the left flank alongside Jake Evans and Lehkonen, Pitlick scored a goal and had two assists.
Claimed off waivers from the Minnesota Wild, the 24-year-old American now has 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 21 games with CH.
Two returns
For this last game in Western Canada, Martin St-Louis hailed the return of two forwards, Jake Evans and
Paul Byron.
Injured in the upper body once morest the Flames, Evans had missed the duel once morest the Oilers, while Byron had been absent for the last four meetings.