Hidden Game: As trade deadline looms, Canadiens come up short in Carolina

Article content

‘Twas the night before the NHL’s trade deadline, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes might keep his players there.

Goaltender Jake Allen watched the game from the press box at PNC Arena on Thursday night. Defenceman David Savard was front and centre, not given the night off due to trade-related reasons. Fellow blue-liner Mike Matheson played his usual steady game. He was there on the power play and killed penalties. Indeed, it was just another routine night where Matheson rarely, if ever, seemed to be on the bench. Josh Anderson, who was at the centre of many trade rumours last season at this time, could rest easy following the game, probably realizing his address wasn’t likely to change.

Article content

Article content

As for Michael Pezzetta? It’s now eight games and counting since he was dressed. Is he in Martin St. Louis’s doghouse? Only the head coach can answer that query. Meanwhile, Jesse Ylönen remains in the lineup, game after game. We hate picking on one player, but Ylönen has now gone 41 games without a goal and has contributed only four assists over that span. He has been held without a point in his last 19 games.

Are we the only ones who can’t figure this equation out?

Does this man ever smile?: Rod Brind’Amour was one of the NHL’s greats over 20 seasons with St. Louis, Philadelphia and Carolina. We get that the Hurricanes’ head coach is intense, but could the guy lighten up occasionally? Meet him in a dark alley? Heck, we wouldn’t want to cross paths with Brind’Amour in the light of day. If he ever leaves the game, he’d make a great character actor.

What’s in a name?: The Hurricanes might have defenceman Brett Pesce, but we’ll take legendary actor Joe Pesci any day and twice on Sunday. Nobody has been better in Mob movies than Pesci, who has made a career out of starring in them.

Next time, decline the penalty: The Canadiens somehow managed to squander five manpower advantages. Indeed, with Jalen Chatfield off for tripping in the third period, Carolina controlled the play. Seth Jarvis had a breakaway, only to be denied by the glove of Samuel Montembeault. Moments later, the Hurricanes failed to convert a two-on-one break while still killing the penalty.

Article content

Article content

This isn’t rocket science: Carolina netminder Frederik Anderson got the start after missing 49 games due to a blood-clotting issue, last having played on Nov. 2. Not surprisingly, Anderson looked like a sieve on the Canadiens’ only goal, scored by Joshua Roy, almost six minutes into the game. Roy scored on a harmless-looking shot from distance, high to the blocker. Perhaps Anderson thought he was still playing for Toronto?

News you need (Part I): That was Roy’s second goal in two games and third of the season in 18 games.

Good riddance: Remember Jesperi Kotkaniemi, selected third overall by the Canadiens in 2018? Of course you do. The Finnish native signed a one-year, US$6.1-million offer sheet with Carolina in August 2021 that Montreal failed to match. Kotkaniemi has one goal and five points in his last 30 games. Oh, he’s also in the midst of an eight-year, US$38.5-million extension signed in March 2022.

How not to backcheck: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before. Juraj Slafkovsky lost his man on Carolina’s opening goal, scored by defenceman Brady Skjei, 13 minutes into the game.

Article content

Is there anything he can’t do?: Captain Nick Suzuki has played every game for Montreal. He leads the team in goals (25) and points (61). He’s on the power play, kills penalties and is the centre on the team’s top line. His speed and skill also resulted in the Hurricanes’ first two penalties. We’ll go out on a limb and suggest he won’t be traded on Friday by Hughes.

It’s a game of inches: Teuvo Teravainen hit the crossbar before 30 seconds had elapsed. Suzuki also struck the bar late in the period while Cole Caufield hit the post in the fourth minute of the second period.

News you need (Part II): Caufield has now gone nine games without scoring following his two-goal effort Feb. 15 against the New York Rangers.

The clubhouse leaders: Suzuki and Caufield both were minus-3 on this night.

The kiss of death: It’s never a good sign when a team allows a late goal. Stefan Noesen’s score at 19:35 of the second period proved to be the winner. The Canadiens subsequently were outshot, 18-7, in the third.

If only: Roy thought he had scored the tying goal in the opening seconds of the third period — only to have it disallowed due to goaltender interference against Alex Newhook. St. Louis didn’t bother to challenge the play.

Article content

Stat of the night: The Canadiens won only 24 of 60 faceoffs.

Pass of the night: Pesce’s long delivery to Skjei, resulting in a breakaway and Carolina’s third goal.

He deserved better, as usual: Montembeault made 35 stops for a save percentage of .921.

They said it: “How we can play against good teams, it’s really encouraging,” Suzuki told reporters in Raleigh, N.C., following the game. “Guys played hard. We played for each other.

“They have a really good PK,” he added. “They bring a lot of pressure. Their (defence) are really good at anticipating plays. It brings a big challenge. It wasn’t good enough from us.”

“You have to understand what kind of game’s going to be played,” St. Louis said in Raleigh. “You have to be able to adapt. We’re getting better at learning how to play different styles of games. You can’t be a one-trick pony.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

twitter.com/HerbZurkowsky1

Article content

Article content