The stretch run of 25 games to the end of the regular season began for the Montreal Canadiens at home on Thursday night. Montreal is on pace for 104 points which would get them into a playoff spot easily.
However, any letdown would also be costly as the standings are extremely tight this season.
The New York Islanders forced overtime with an extra attacker in the final two minutes, then won it in the extra session 4-3.
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Noah Dobson had extra motivation for the Islanders’ visit. It was the first time that he faced his former club since the summer trade. Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche didn’t feel that Dobson was worth the commitment as he approached his free agency.
They felt that he was asking for too much money, and they weren’t ready to commit long-term. Enter GM Kent Hughes who had no issue with an eight-year commitment to Dobson. It’s working out well for the Canadiens so far, as Dobson has been outstanding in his first season in Montreal.
Dobson opened the scoring by streaking down the left side and ripping a shot into the far corner. In the second period, he counted a second on a slap shot from the point on the power play. Dobson gets only a small amount of power play time on the second unit, yet he has 12 goals on the season.
Dobson already has surpassed his point total from last year. His career best is a remarkable 70 points. Dobson won’t hit that this year, but he is on pace for a strong 57 points. He’s not featured offensively in the lineup behind Lane Hutson, but he is contributing a strong season.
It was an untidy game that often looked disjointed. The smooth connections that the Canadiens showed entering the break weren’t there after the break. However, even when they are not at their best, they are staying in the games now. That’s what talent does.
Finally, that talent came through on the power play midway through the third period. It was the strangest of goals. Juraj Slafkovsky let a slap shot go that blew up his stick. While the stick was flying towards Ilya Sorokin, so was the puck moving at about 20 miles per hour.
It bounced off Ivan Demidov’s skate, then ricocheted across the net where Cole Caufield had an easy tap in from four inches. Sorokin was playing a game of Where’s Waldo. It was Caufield’s 33rd goal of the season. He’s third in the entire league.
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If it wasn’t clear to many Canadiens fans that the rookie of the year this season is Matthew Schaefer before the contest, it certainly is clear now. While Demidov had a difficult night, Schaefer was New York’s best player by far.
Schaefer counted twice to get the Islanders back into the contest. The game changed on a two-man advantage for the Islanders for 1:53. Samuel Montembeault was looking strong, and the Isles were frustrated, but it all changed on the power play.
Slafkovsky took a weak one with a slight slash on a stick called for interference, then Mike Matheson committed a high sticking foul. After that, Schaefer took over. The 18-year-old has 18 goals on the season. This is a remarkable rookie total for a forward.
The league record for goals for a rookie defender is held by Brian Leetch with 23 in 1989. That was a different era with almost two more goals scored per game than now, so when Schaefer beats that mark, it will truly be a special season in league history.
It would have been quite a bold call to choose Schaefer for the Olympics, but the best player on the ice is the best player on the ice regardless of his age. There can be no doubt that Schaefer will be on the 2030 team.
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The top end of the roster is still a bit thin with question marks at first line winger to play with Caufield and Suzuki, and at second line centre contemplating whether Oliver Kapanen is enough for that role. However, for overall depth, the roster is in magnificent shape.
When Zachary Bolduc is a healthy scratch, that’s an extremely deep set of 12 forwards. Bolduc did nothing wrong. He’s actually improving his game consistently this season under intelligent tutelage.
There are simply not enough spots for all the great players. Newhook’s return forced a difficult decision for the head coach, Martin St. Louis. He was forced to decide between Alexandre Texier and Bolduc. Texier played on the fourth line with Jake Evans and Newhook in the Islanders game.
The only pause for reflection on this decision is this: By keeping the Anderson, Gallagher, and Danault line intact, there’s an underlying message that veterans won’t be insulted. It also says that the head coach wants success right now. He’s not trying to build the game of Bolduc as much as he wants to manufacture wins right now.
It’s only one game at this point, though. It’s not a continuous choice to let Bolduc stagnate. It would be best if there were a rotation. One night Bolduc sits, then the next night Texier. Perhaps the coach can see clear to the concept that Gallagher can use a little rest himself at this late stage of his career.
All in all, it’s an extremely a nice problem to have the idea that there is too much talent on the squad.
Oh! Patrik Laine.
Quite a nice problem to have with the deep construction of this roster by General Manager Kent Hughes in four seasons. In 2022, Rafael Harvey-Pinard was on the first line with Jesse Ylonen. Remarkable.
It’s not the time to panic about who sits. It’s time to celebrate the depth of this rebuild.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
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