The Canadiens had a chance to reset after a rough loss to Carolina, and for a while Thursday night in Nashville, it looked like they were on their way. Montreal built a 2-0 lead in the second period, only to watch the Predators claw all the way back, tie it before the intermission, then grab the lead on a power-play goal with about three minutes left in regulation. Nashville finished the job with two empty-net goals and left Montreal with a 5-2 defeat.
Even in a loss like that, there were a few things worth pulling apart.
For one, Montreal may have stumbled onto something on the third pair. Martin St.
Louis gave Adam Engstrom his first action of the season and put him next to Arber Xhekaj, and the results jumped off the page. The duo only logged 7:34 together because Xhekaj was hit with a game misconduct at the end of the second period, but they still posted a 73.33% CF%, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Given how much the Canadiens have searched for the right fit on the back end, especially on the third pair, there’s a strong case to keep that combination intact against Detroit if they keep playing like that.
Montreal also got a surprisingly strong return from a forward group that had to be adjusted because of Ivan Demidov’s injury. Juraj Slafkovsky stayed on the top line with Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, while Chris Kreider worked with Alex Newhook on the second line.
Josh Anderson was moved up into that mix in place of Kirby Dach, and that unit did damage. Newhook scored with an assist from Anderson, and Kreider appeared to add another before Nashville challenged and had it overturned for offside.
By the numbers, that line finished with a 91.58% xGF%, the best of Montreal’s four forward lines and more than seven points higher than the Suzuki line, according to Natural Stat Trick.
The bigger issue, though, is one that keeps showing up: Montreal’s second period. The Canadiens scored twice in the middle frame Thursday, but Nashville answered with two of its own and erased the lead.
Through four games this season, Montreal has been outscored 8-4 in the second period, and that’s not a pattern you can ignore for long. They’ve led going into the third period only once this season, in the opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
So while the result in Nashville was disappointing, it wasn’t empty. The Canadiens left with a few encouraging signs - especially on defense and in one forward grouping - even as the second-period issues remain right there in the spotlight ahead of Saturday’s game against Detroit.
In Other News...
Bruins Fans Have A Real Matthew Poitras Trade Question Again
A fresh round of trade chatter has put Montreal back in the mix for a name that would instantly change the conversation around the Canadiens. Dylan Larkin is being discussed as a potential fit, and the appeal is obvious for a team still looking to keep building around Nick Suzuki while adding more speed and edge down the middle. Nothing is close, but the fact Montreal is even being mentioned speaks to where the club stands in the market right now.
The larger picture is familiar for Canadiens fans: the team is trying to stay aggressive without forcing a move that does not match its timeline. Larkin is only one piece of a busy league landscape, with other notable situations still unresolved around the NHL, but Montreal remains the one that matters most here because of the fit and the cost. For now, it is the kind of rumor that keeps a fan base engaged, even if the real answer is still waiting somewhere farther down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Have Every Reason To Question This Connor Zary Decision
The Canadiens had a chance to take a swing on Connor Zary, and the decision to pass on him already looks like the sort of call that will be debated in Montreal for a while. Calgary was trying to turn Zary into a second-round pick before the situation shifted, and the Flames ultimately put him on waivers after no deal came together. For a Canadiens team that has spent plenty of time trying to deepen its young forward group, it was an opportunity worth noticing.
Zarys recent production also invites the kind of comparison Montreal fans have been making all season, especially when looking at Kirby Dachs uneven stretch. Even with injuries thinning the roster and adding pressure on the depth chart, the Canadiens still let the chance go by, which makes the choice feel even more curious in the moment. Whether that turns out to be prudence or a miss is the part that will keep hanging over it. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Make A Desperate Lineup Shakeup After Back-To-Back Losses
After back-to-back losses and some obvious defensive strain, the Canadiens are making another round of adjustments for their game against Nashville. Adam Engstrom is stepping into the lineup, and Jacob Fowler is also dressed, giving Montreal a different look as it tries to steady things and stop the slide.
Jakub Dobes will back up Fowler in goal while Samuel Montembeault remains day-to-day, leaving the Canadiens to juggle a situation they would much rather have settled. Jayden Struble was scratched to create room for Engstrom, a sign that the club is still searching for answers as it looks to clean up its own end. [Read more 🡒]