Two elements mainly helped the Canadian get off to a good start to the season. Goalkeepers, especially. But also the trio of Sean Monahan.
This unit, complemented by Tanner Pearson and Brendan Gallagher, is the only one that has remained virtually unchanged: the three veterans have been paired together in 14 of the 15 games so far.
During 10 meetings, the magic happened. Over the last five… it was less like that.
Gallagher certainly scored an important goal against the Boston Bruins last Saturday, but Monahan was not on the ice at the time.
During this sequence, which began with a defeat against the St. Louis Blues, this trio scored a goal at five on five, but found themselves on the ice for six goals from the opponent. The combination is also deficient in terms of shots on goal, scoring chances and expected goals. A trend opposite to the first ten.
If Gallagher and Monahan continue to have success offensively, it is mainly due to their use on the power play. Pearson, for his part, is running out of fuel: no goals and one assist in his last 10 outings, after a great start with five points in five games.
“It’s happened to me before, and it’s going to happen to me again,” number 70 gently pointed out on Tuesday morning, after his team’s morning training. I have learned, over the years, not to worry about it. Obviously I would like to score more, but there are several ways to help your team win. It goes further than putting points on the board. »
Without making a big deal of it, Pearson nevertheless admitted that he and his two partners were fully aware of the situation, without having discussed it formally.
“Some nights it’s not your night,” Monahan continued. We want to be guys who produce offensively. »
Would the opponent be better prepared to face this trio?
“It’s hard to say,” continued the center player. After 15 games, teams adjust to their opponents’ structure. For us, it’s just about managing the match well and taking calculated risks at the right time. »
Martin St-Louis also does not seem to have lost any sleep due to the slowdown in this unit. His entire team had trouble against the Blues and against the Tampa Bay Lightning, he recalled.
“Even when they helped the team win games at the beginning of the year, they weren’t perfect,” said the coach of his three veterans. But generally, they have good intentions. Sometimes it will drop a little, so you have to tighten the screw and ask for more. But I like where we are as a team right now, and they are part of that.
The Habs will face the Calgary Flames at the Bell Center this Tuesday evening. Samuel Montembeault will defend the Montreal net. In attack, Jesse Ylönen will replace Michael Pezzetta, while in defense, Gustav Lindström will be called in to replace the injured Jordan Harris.
