Canadiens Lineup

Tyler Toffoli – Nick Suzuki – Brendan Gallagher

Jonathan Drouin – Christian Dvorak – Josh Anderson

Artturi Lehkonen – Jake Evans – Joel Armia

Michael Pezzetta – Ryan Poehling – Alex Belzile

Ben Chiarot – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – David Savard

Alexander Romanov – Chris Wideman

Cayden Primeau – Sam Montembeault

Sami Niku, Mattias Norlinder

Cedric Paquette (undisclosed), Jake Allen (concussion), Mike Hoffman (upper body), Mathieu Perreault (eye), Joel Edmundson (undisclosed), Carey Price (knee), Paul Byron (hip), Shea Weber (multiple injuries)

Game Report

For fans of defensively-responsible hockey, this was not the game to watch. The two teams staged a track meet in the opening frame combining for almost 30 shots on goal and 44 shot attempts. The Rangers tested Canadiens goaltender Cayden Primeau with six high-danger scoring chances.

It was a decent road period for Montreal who must have felt fortunate to be down by just one goal after the first period. Kaapo Kakko was gifted a wide open net after Primeau ventured too far afield, drawn by Artemi Panarin. 

Second periods have been a weakness for the Canadiens this season but the visitors managed to trade chances with the Blueshirts with each team picking up a goal. After struggling most of the season, Christian Dvorak had one of his better games picking up his second goal of the year. Just 93 seconds later, the Rangers re-established a one-goal lead after Jeff Petry lost track of Chris Kreider.

After Dvorak’s equalizer, the Canadiens had some life taking a brief hold on the game’s momentum. But forward Michael Pezzetta made a bad decision to initiate a fight with NHL heavyweight Ryan Reaves. In rather rapid fashion, Reaves pummeled Pezzetta energizing his teammates and the MSG crowd.

It was Reaves’ first fight with his new team with the Rangers scoring a brief time later.

In the third period, each team added a goal. The Canadiens managed just three high danger chances in the final frame, enroute to their 14th loss in 18 games.

With 28 seconds left in the game, and the Canadiens looking for the tying goal, Brendan Gallagher punched Rangers forward Barclay Goodrow off a faceoff. It was a selfish, undisciplined play that earned Gallagher a 10 minute misconduct.

Up Next

It was a bit of redemption for Primeau. The 22-year-old goaltender had a dreadful pre-season and an inconsistent start to the year in Laval. Primeau is a work in progress, making solid saves at times tonight but also finding it a challenge to track the puck.

On more than one occasion, Primeau made what should have been a routine save look difficult. That said, the performance had to be a boost to his confidence.

The Canadiens return home from their three-game road trip to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. 

Plus

Minus

▼  Jeff Petry, Nick Suzuki, Tyler Toffoli, Brendan Gallagher, Ben Chiarot, Michael Pezzetta, Jonathan Drouin