TORONTO | Good last in the NHL. Let’s say that this is not where the Canadiens’ leaders saw the team before the start of the season. Not at the height of the ice rink either.
“The expectations are there for us too,” said Martin St-Louis, the day after the 4-1 defeat against the Maple Leafs. We know our rank in the rankings. We are also disappointed.”
The Habs have experienced some lows in recent seasons. But a streak of six games without a victory, he had not gone through since the series of seven games, which occurred in March 2023.
“Obviously, it’s not where we want to be,” said Brendan Gallagher about the Canadian’s position in the rankings. But that doesn’t mean that you stop, that you feel sorry for yourself. We have to find solutions.”
The 32-year-old veteran seems to have found the solution. Against the Leafs, he scored his seventh goal of the season. He has hit the target in each of the last three games and in four of the last five. How? Most of the time, rushing to the net.
If it seems like a proven recipe, why aren’t more of them doing it in the Montreal camp? Good prince, the Albertan skirted the question with a laconic answer.
“The puck is rolling for me right now.”
However, a few moments earlier, he had affirmed that “results do not arrive alone. You have to earn them.”
The famous bikini
Deserving the results inevitably requires greater involvement from everyone, better effort. An aspect of the game in which “it’s always possible to give more,” said Gallagher.
But to fix the problem, we must first recognize that there is one. And that doesn’t always seem to be the case, depending on the players you talk to.
“We played a pretty good match [contre Toronto]. We spent time in the offensive zone, but we gave up two goals shorthanded and one while we were on the power play. It killed our momentum,” Suzuki said.
“But our even strength game is better. We were just unable to score,” he continued.
Well, okay. At five against five, the Canadian took more shots than the Leafs. But should Suzuki be reminded of his coach’s analogy between statistics and bikinis?
What they reveal is suggestive, but it hides the main point.
In this case, the main thing is that at 4 to 1, the Leafs managed the clock and avoided taking unnecessary risks. The main thing is also that Mitch Marner and William Nylander did a lot of what they wanted with the puck.
Suzuki is looking for itself
To reverse the trend, the Montreal team will inevitably need its big guns. Cole Caufield, with 10 goals, and Suzuki, with 13 points, have not blackened the scoresheet in their last four games.
A lethargy that the captain sees as an obstacle to his tasks as leader.
“When things are going well, it’s easier to occupy this role. Right now, I’m trying to say and do the right things, but I don’t feel like I’m playing as well as I usually do,” Suzuki said.
“Yes, it’s harder to be a leader when you don’t feel good about yourself. gamerecognized St-Louis. But you have to continue to control what you can control: effort and attitude. As for Nick, I’m not worried. The rest will come.”
An attitude that we must strive to keep positive, regardless of the pitfalls.
“We must not forget what we do to earn our living. We’re all living our dream of playing in the NHL. […] There’s no such thing as a bad day at the rink, Gallagher recalled. If you don’t have a positive attitude, it’s only going to get worse.”
Oh yes? Can it be?
