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Maple Leafs 1 – Canadiens 0 (2nd period)
The match did not start on a very encouraging note for the Canadians, who quickly lost the services of defenseman David Reinbacher. The Habs guard took a solid check at the start of the match and quickly returned to the locker room, even though he was having difficulty putting weight on one leg.
Then the sky fell on the Canadians’ heads a few moments later. Forward Patrik Laine was the victim of knee-to-knee contact while trying to pass between two players entering the zone. Cédric Paré took out his knee and Laine remained on the ground in pain. He then left the ice with assistance, unable to place his left leg on the ground.
Arber Xhekaj quickly avenged his teammate. From the next appearance, Xhekaj rushed at Paré and punched him numerous times in the face, without even taking off his glove. Xhekaj received a major penalty and an additional minor penalty, sending the CH shorthanded for seven minutes.
The Maple Leafs’ numerical advantage was activated a few minutes later. A brilliant crossfield pass from Easton Cowan allowed Nick Robertson to open the scoring with a good shot from the circles.
Pre-match notes
The Canadian returns to action this evening with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Center in a second preseason game in three evenings against their old rivals.
If the Habs had sent the majority of their replacement members into the fray Thursday night in a 2-1 loss against the seasoned Leafs, that will not be the case this time.
Indeed, the members of the Canadian’s first two trios will be there. Unit No. 1, made up of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, as well as No. 2 made up of Kirby Dach, Patrik Laine and Alex Newhook.
Owen Beck, who is fighting with Oliver Kapanen to break through the lineup, will also be there as he rotates the third line with Joshua Roy and Josh Anderson.
On defense, Canadian fans will no doubt enjoy another outing from the spectacular Lane Hutson, who will be paired with veteran David Savard. Accomplices Logan Mailloux and Arber Xhekaj will be reunited, while David Reinbacher will be supported by Mike Matheson.
“I have to be better every day. I have an okay camp, not great. I definitely have to play my best game tonight,” Mailloux admitted after morning practice.
Furthermore, none of the Leafs’ offensive big guns – Auston Matthews, William Nylander, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, among others – will be in uniform. It is essentially an American League club that the Montreal team will be pitted against.
The Canadian’s training:
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Newhook Roof Laine
Roy-Beck-Anderson
Farrell-Condotta-Davidson
Matheson-Reinbacher
Hutson-Savard
Xhekaj-Mailloux
Montembeault
They were getting
