Who in a million years could have predicted the complete and utter demise of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2021-22 NHL season after their Stanley Cup final run last spring. Ask any Habs fan and you’ll get a different answer: no Cary Price, no Shea Weber, letting Corry Perry go, under achievement from the likes of Cole Caulfield, Josh Anderson or Jeff Petry, poor coaching, Bergeron gone – the list goes on and on. And now with a new team President, General Manager and Head Coach they will try and salvage something from this disastrous 10-33-7 season and begin to build for the future.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are more focussed on the current. Their top 6 overall standing has them in fine tune mode. Most pundits don’t think Kyle Dubas is done fiddling with his roster even after yesterday’s acquisition of 6 foot 3, 208 right shot d-man from Arizona, Ilya Kyubushkin. He figures to slot in as a third pairing guy. Ryan Dzingel has already been claimed off the waiver wire by the San Jose Sharks.
As for tonight’s contest from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Les Canadien looked to continue their 2 game winning streak and Anderson complied with a at goal the 3 minute mark from the aforementioned Caulfield and Petry. Coach Keefe had mentioned pre-game that he was looking for improvement in the Leafs defensive and passing game. Nada – they looked lethargic, waiting tilt h 7th minute mark to get their first shot on goal. The first Toronto PP attempt showed promise but no results. How about this Caufield kid ? Since Martin St Louis’ arrival he has 5 goals 6 games including tonight’s 2-0 go ahead goal.
This reporter can’t remember seeing a Toronto Maple Leafs team so humiliated in one period of hockey since maybe the Zamboni game. Too many passengers to name. Montreal showing their speed to get behind the Leafs defence, Justin Holl and Timothy Liligren fighting it out to see who will be the first to be Marlie bound, 3 more Habs’ goals: Mike Hoffman with an “armpit” goal in the first minute, Anderson again, this time walking right in like we were watching a kids’ shinny game and then Pitlick scoring after a rare Leaf offensive threat to make it 5 zip. Add to that the Monreal fans singing their taunting victory song, Nick Suzuki laying out Holl and then 33rd birthday boy Jake Muzzin getting his head bounced off the ice a couple of times after just returning from concussion protocol. NOT pretty for Leafs’ Nation.
Where’s the 15,000 metres X country skiing coverage when we needed it !
A little melee initiated by Jason Spezza and the end of the second may have sparked some mild enthusiasm for the Leafs as the third period started. The previously invisible Michaev had one go in off his pants while trying to get out of the way of a Reilly slapshot and then :45 seconds later Pierre Engvall put in his 8th off a nice feed from Spezza. Final 5-2.
HOPPER NOTES: Martin St. Louis coached his team up to a 3-3 record under his brief tenure – his squad is playing with speed, energy and confidence…as followers know, one of my pet peeve are the playing of the National anthems after all the pre-game hype and analysis…Montreal does it right – puck dropped at 7:10 as promised (no anthems)…funny seeing former Tampa Bay teammates Keefe and St. Louis on opposing benches…some of the Leaf “passengers” I mentioned earlier – how about this 6 pak Taveres, Mickaev, Kerfoot, Kase and of course Holl and Liligren…can somebody please supply a solution to all the along the boards scrums ? It’s a scourge to our game. By the end of the game I was actually starting to feel sorry for Justin Holl and his hand grenade passes, dumb penalties and giveaways. With Jake Muzzin’s status unknown, does Duba start looking for a left D instead of another righty ?
Discuss – CHEERS – Comments always welcome.
Good stuff Dave. Reading this was more fun than watching the game. Keep ‘er going.
Speechless