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Canadiens Stumble Against Flyers After Coach Change
The timing of the Montreal Canadiens’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night proved unfortunate. Just hours before the match, the Canadiens announced the dismissal of Head Coach John Tortorella, promoting Brad Shaw to take his place.
Often, a coaching change can serve as a wake-up call for players, igniting a desire to impress the new management. However, this was not the case for the Canadiens, who faced an unexpectedly motivated Flyers team and fell short, suffering a 6-4 defeat.
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Despite the overall disappointing performance, certain players shone individually. Lane Hutson distinguished himself by becoming only the fifth rookie defenseman in NHL history to rack up 50 assists in a single season, joining the ranks of Larry Murphy, Chris Chelios, Stefan Persson, and Gary Suter. Hutson achieved this milestone with a beautifully executed assist on a goal by Alex Newhook.
Newhook is displaying marked improvement this season, showcasing his remarkable speed as he maneuvered past Flyers defenders to unleash a powerful shot that found the top corner of the net. His rapid skating, shooting, and quick release highlight his potential as a top-tier player. This combination of skills is translating into tangible results for Newhook, who is beginning to make a significant impact.
Initially, Newhook struggled to find his footing with the Canadiens, but his recent performance suggests he could become a valuable asset as a strong third-line center and an effective puck carrier on the second power play unit.
Hutson continued to impress, adding a 51st assist in the third period, overtaking Persson and Suter in the all-time rookie assist rankings. He now sets his sights on breaking Chelios’s record of 55 assists, which may be within reach given his current trajectory.
In a sliding display of hockey intelligence, Cole Caufield notched his 34th goal of the season by banking the puck off the goalie from an almost behind-the-net position. With 11 games remaining, he aims for a total of 40 goals this season.
Although Christian Dvorak and Patrik Laine added late goals when the game was out of reach, Nick Suzuki collected a point, moving closer to a point-per-game average with his season total now at 74 points in 71 games.
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The Canadiens must address their slow starts, which have become a troubling pattern. Recent comebacks have shown resilience, but consistently falling behind is not sustainable. They need to be prepared right from the opening faceoff; improving first-period performance is critical to avoid relying on miraculous recoveries.
In Philadelphia, the Flyers struck early, with Matvei Michkov opening the scoring while the Canadiens struggled to find their footing, allowing six of the first seven shots on goal. The Canadiens’ fourth line, showing signs of wear, conceded a goal to the Flyers’ fourth line, highlighting gaps in defensive communication and effort that have become concerning.
The Flyers scored again shortly after, capitalizing on mistakes from the Canadiens defense. What was evident was a clear struggle for the Canadiens, who were outpaced and outmaneuvered, leading to an early barrage of scoring from Philadelphia. This lack of energy and organization raises questions about the team’s readiness as they prepare to face upcoming challenges in Carolina and Florida over the weekend.
The Canadiens have displayed inconsistency this season, having experienced dominant stretches followed by troubling downturns. After a strong start post-Four Nations break, they now risk falling into another 10-game slump if they do not regain their previous form. With only 12 games left over the next 21 days, immediate action is required to secure a playoff position.
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The situation surrounding Roman Rotenberg in the KHL playoffs took another turn on Thursday. After benching star player Ivan Demidov at the conclusion of the regular season, Rotenberg chose to limit Demidov’s impact during crucial playoff moments, marking him as the 13th forward in a critical game against Moscow Dynamo, resulting in just seven minutes of ice time in a 3-1 loss.
Demidov, a significant offensive presence, finds himself underutilized due to complex team dynamics that seem to prioritize other agendas over competitive success. This scenario poses an unsettling question: How can a league maintain credibility when the commitment to win clashes with inexplicable management decisions? Fans invest in their teams with the expectation that winning is the foremost objective.
Demidov’s contract ties him to SKA until May 31st, after which he is expected to join the Canadiens. The franchise is likely to welcome his arrival with anticipation as they look to strengthen their roster post-playoffs.
Source
globalnews.ca