Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Jonathan Drouin – Nick Suzuki – Josh Anderson

Tyler Toffoli – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Corey Perry

Paul Byron – Jake Evans – Artturi Lehkonen

Ben Chiarot – Shea Weber

Joel Edmundson – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Alexander Romanov

Carey Price – Jake Allen

Victor Mete

Ryan Poehling, Michael Frolik, Cale Fleury, Charlie Lindgren

Joel Armia

Game Report

Two weeks into the new season, with the Canadiens heading already playing their seventh game on the schedule, it was finally time for the home opener. It was clear from the outset that things were going to be different. The lower bowl of the Bell Centre was decked out in spiffy new red and blue tarps, emblazoned with the logos of the team and their sponsors.

The concourses of the arena were strangely quiet for a game day. The familiar food smells were missing from the building. Youppi wasn’t bounding around in the stands. Players were virtually greeted with fans on TV screens as they walked from the parking garage to the dressing room.

But there were good differences too. Fans watching at home seemed to appreciate the player introductions announced by local front-line workers. And the ‘O Canada’ compilation of mostly well-known anthem singers, starting with Roger Doucet and ending with Ginette Reno was particularly well done.

Special teams define the match

When the game started, the Canadiens looked less than inspired. It was not the same high tempo, heavy forecheck team that we have witnessed on the road. But this game was all about special teams.

And halfway through the first period, the canned Bell Centre ‘fans’ started chanting “Go Habs Go!” As if on cue, Brendan Gallagher scored on the power-play arriving in the crease to chip home a nifty, no-look pass from Corey Perry. Gallagher’s goal was the first by a Canadien in the Bell Centre since Lukas Vejdemo recorded his first marker in the NHL back on March 10, 2020.

Before the first period was done, Shea Weber added another Montreal power-play goal with a blast from the circle. It most certainly wasn’t their best performance of the season but the Habs took a two-goal lead to the first intermission.

Midway through the second period, Josh Anderson batted in a rebound after Jesperi Kotkaniemi drove the play hard to the Calgary goal. In the last minute of the middle frame, while on the penalty-kill, Nick Suzuki lofted the puck out of the zone. Tyler Toffoli broke down the ice, juggling the puck as he went, finally corralling the disc just before sweeping it past Calgary goaltender David Rittich.

Toffoli scored his second short-handed goal of the season, the Canadiens fifth in the first seven games of the season, equally a league record. It was Toffoli’s sixth goal of the season putting him at the top of the goal-scoring lead with Max Pacioretty and Mikko Rantanen.

Habs fans getting that feeling

With his fifth assist of the season, Suzuki extended his point streak to seven games. Kotkaniemi now has five points in his last four games. And the 20-year-old Finn was a team best 73 percent at the faceoff dot. For his part, Anderson scored his second game-winning goal of the season.

The Canadiens are playing very well right now, not yet at their best, but very well. When a forward line sputters or defensive zone coverage falters, another part of the team steps forward and does their job pushing momentum in the Montreal direction. 

Kotkaniemi, Toffoli, Perry and Anderson each played a significant part in Thursday night’s win. None of those players were in the Canadiens lineup last time this team played in the Bell Centre.

The lineup is not perfect and has not reached its potential. But when it does, it could be something to behold. 

The Canadiens will play the second game of their series against the Flames on  Saturday night. 

Plus / Minus

▲ Carey Price, Tyler Toffoli, Jeff Petry, Shea Weber, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nick Suzuki, Corey Perry, Josh Anderson, Jonathan Drouin, Brendan Gallagher

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