Canadiens Lineup

Paul Byron – Max Domi – Jonathan Drouin

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Jesperi Kotkaniemi –  Joel Armia 

Kenny Agostino – Michael Chaput – Nicolas Deslauriers

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Mike Reilly – Jeff Petry

Brett Kulak – Jordie Benn

Carey Price – Antti Niemi

Charles Hudon, Karl Alzner, Matthew Peca 

Andrew Shaw, David Schlemko

Game Report

If you get caught with your head in the clouds, even briefly in this league, there is someone there to quickly bring you crashing down to earth. Nashville, the fifth ranked team in the league, taught the Canadiens a lesson on this night.

To a person, Habs players said that they weren’t prepared from the start of this game.

The Canadiens coach said that they were second to every puck, lost battles all night and played without a purpose.

In short, Montreal was outplayed from start to finish. In their own building. To a team that played into overtime the night before in Detroit.

It was a disappointing performance by the Canadiens who allowed their opponent to dictate the style of the game.

Claude Julien didn’t seem to have the adjustments necessary to change the flow of the game. For three periods the Canadiens did the same thing. And for three periods that meant getting slowed down by Nashville and turning the puck over.

The Canadiens top offensive line had no offense. And they were a disaster in their own zone. Jonathan Drouin and Max Domi each finished the game at minus-3.

Mike Reilly has struggled for a few games now with his second-pairing assignment. In this one, Reilly was clearly over matched. Same for Brett Kulak.

Shea Weber played at heroic 25 minutes of hockey, scoring the Canadiens only goal, delivering a crushing hit on Rocco Grimaldi and shutting down the opposition in his own end.

But there weren’t enough Shea Webers and Carey Prices in this game to match the execution by Nashville. And for the first time in a long time, the Canadiens are on the outside looking up at Eastern conference playoff teams. The Sabres and Islanders now occupy the two wildcard spots.

Plus / Minus

▲  Shea Weber, Carey Price 

▼  Jonathan Drouin, Brett Kulak, Max Domi, Mike Reilly