Islanders 1 — Canadian 2 (P) | Patrik Laine had already won

His first goal, for obvious reasons, will make an impression.

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Shooting a shot of this quality is not given to everyone. And the reaction that followed spoke volumes about the moment — the ecstatic players on the ice and a Bell Center that hadn't been this loud since…since when, anyway?

Patrik Laine, however, could say mission accomplished for a few hours already. We already knew to what extent the last few years had been for him a long road towards a physical and mental recovery which seemed never to materialize. After joining the organization during the summer, he thought he had achieved his goal, but a serious knee sprain pushed him back.

Over the past few weeks, it was clear that his return was approaching, as the intensity of his training increased. On social networks, Monday, Laine made supporters smile by relying on the miracles of Brother André. But the anxiety that inhabited him was no joke.

“I talked about it with my psychologist yesterday,” he confided on Tuesday, after CH’s 2-1 overtime victory. I was nervous. I decided that putting on this sweater today was an accomplishment after all that. That everything that comes after will be a plus. No matter what happened, it wouldn't be a bad match. I worked too hard to come back and put on this jersey. »

Before even playing, Laine had already won.

All day long, the attacker repeated how “grateful” he was to those who helped him. Among his teammates, the admiration was evident.

“We are very aware of what he has been through over the past two or three years,” said Nick Suzuki. To see him recover [de sa blessure au genou] and coming back, it inspired us all. »

“He’s a good player, but also such a good guy,” added Juraj Slafkovsky. The things he said to us on the bench, if you heard them… I could have cried the whole match! »

But still? “I can’t tell you,” the young man continued, laughing.

Laine found his performance “terrible”. “I was rusty, obviously, but we got the two points and that’s what counts. »

“He keeps saying that!” Josh Anderson said outraged. At the first intermission, he said he only had 20 seconds left. [d’énergie]. He seemed rather dominant to me. »

Balance

The truth probably lies somewhere in between. The 26-year-old Finn certainly wasn't “terrible”, especially not for a player who hadn't appeared in an NHL game in a year. Martin St-Louis particularly appreciated his calm in possession of the puck, and it was his skill, in addition to his lightning shot, which was most evident.

However, he was not “dominant” either… and that is quite normal. We've been implored to be patient with Kirby Dach for 25 games, it would be ungrateful to bury Laine after just one.

The chemistry wasn't instantaneous with Dach and Slafkovsky, his linemates. Even though the combination did not generate any offensive threat worthy of the name at five-on-five. Defensively, it was correct, nothing more.

“He went well [intégré] the way we want to play as a team,” summarized St-Louis.

The next few weeks will show the true face of Patrik Laine as a hockey player. His coach warned in the morning that he had no expectations of him in the short term. He wants to see him reach his full potential, period. When ? We'll see.

Its impact, however, is already significant, in more subtle ways.

On the one hand, he injects a dose of energy that the team and the fans really needed. In the introduction, we talked about the amphitheater which roared when number 92 scored, to the point of burying the house announcer. We will obviously read a very Montreal passion, but also a sort of liberation for ticket payers who have not had much to eat since the beginning of October.

“I don’t deserve this!”, laughed Laine on this subject. It will be something I will remember forever. This is the coolest thing I've ever seen. »

On the other hand, his presence has the immediate effect of balancing the trios in a way that has not yet happened this season. Everyone, suddenly, is pretty much where they should be in the organizational chart on offense. And for the first time in almost three years behind the bench, Martin St-Louis benefited from complete training, without injuries. Which did not escape him.

“It's the first time I felt so comfortable managing my business without focusing on confrontations,” he confessed. He appreciated this “continuity” between his combinations, which can thus follow one another in “waves”, as is the case in the best teams on the circuit.

The Canadian obviously does not yet belong to this select club. But if this balance is confirmed and persists over time, it could be one of the most important foundations that the leaders have put in place since the start of this painful reconstruction.

We will be careful not to get carried away, especially since, until proven otherwise, Flannel is still languishing at the bottom of the ranking. However, we cannot ignore this step in the right direction.