2023-11-19 20:41:55
Bottled up and dizzy against both the Golden Knights and Bruins, the Canadian was brought back to Earth. He understood that he still had some crusts to eat before being able to compete night after night against the best teams on the circuit.
• Read also: WATCH: Struble lets the bad guy out
• Read also: Canadian v. Bruins: “I didn’t like much” – Martin St-Louis
• Read also: The Canadian is struggling against the big clubs
Yes, it must have hurt. Mike Matheson called it a slap in the face. But at the same time, should we be surprised? The last news was that the Canadian was identified as a team in progress. In the prediction game, no one saw them qualifying for the playoffs before the season started.
Getty Images via AFP
The most optimistic predicted them sixth place in the Atlantic Division. The most realistic, the seventh or eighth rank. However, this is exactly where the Habs are currently located.
Where we can be a little worried is in terms of his performance since the start of the campaign. In fact, especially since the start of November during which the Canadian only won two of his nine matches – two victories acquired in overtime.
Standards to find
At this time last year, after 18 games, Martin St-Louis’ squad had collected 19 points. Three more than his current total. Moreover, the Canadian only won two matches in regular time, the lowest total on the circuit.
On Sunday off, the Habs will practice early Monday morning before flying to California where they will continue their five-game streak on opposing ice. Games against the Ducks, Sharks and Kings will be followed by a visit to Columbus.
Of this quartet of opponents, three are certainly within reach of Montrealers. However, to defeat them, they will have to present themselves in a better light. And, also, display more stability.
“This is a crucial point. One night, we can display a high level, and then our game drops very low,” said Jake Allen, after the 5-2 defeat in Boston.
“I don’t expect us to be perfect, but I do expect us to meet our standards. We know where they are, we have to find them,” continued the guard.
Slow and generous
It must be said that Allen had just been bombarded with 44 shots. There was still a lot of hair in his forelock and his leggings still smelled of burnt rubber when the locker room doors opened.
It was the second time in a row, and the fourth since the start of the season, that the Canadian allowed more than 40 shots to the opponent. A generosity that can be corrected in part by being less passive in the defensive zone and more aggressive in recovering pucks.
“We were slow on the puck almost the entire game,” said Nick Suzuki, summarizing this reflection in a single sentence. Normally, we are much more incisive in seeking it out.”
Working the right way and getting back to standards is a bit like that: emerging victorious in battles for the puck, recovering those that are free, winning positional struggles, closing the blue line, cutting the passing lines and limiting the opponent’s reaction time.
In short, “be difficult to play against”.
1700428223
#Canadian #crusts #eat #suspected