Big night for 4 Nations players

On By Littum

Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images

  • No Kaiden Guhle, who is a late scratch with an injury. The difficulty is ramped up for this one, and maybe that’s not a bad thing in what could be a trap game.

First period

  • Nashville shows zero jump to start the game and spends the first shift in their own zone. An early goal will go a long way here.
  • The Predators are starting to get a few shots now.
  • A few shots so far for Hutson, but no goal.
  • An excellent setup by Hutson for Cole Caufield after three Predators players, but it’s just another play that should have been a point for the rookie.
  • This is very similar to the first period against the Islanders when the Canadiens created chances but didn’t connect in the last minute.
  • Nashville’s power play is ready to go to work after too many men have called. This is the one situation where they can actually hurt you.
  • They can’t hurt you when the puck is in their zone, much less when the puck is in their net. Jake Evans makes it happen with short hand.

Jake Evans with shorthanded marker Habs ahead 1-0 on Preds

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– Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) 5 December 2024 at 20.23

  • Josh Anderson plays the puck around the net and tries to push his man back on it and he gets gelded. Why is it allowed to go when Jayden Struble was called for hitting a man half a second after he dumped the puck last game? It was clear interference that should have been called.
  • Nick Suzuki accepts the pass outside the blue line that goes the wrong way and uses his Jaromir Jagr butt to back into the zone through four defenders for a mini break. If it had been a goal, they would have had to put the roof back on the Bell Center for a second straight game.
  • It’s good that Michael McCarron has made a career with the Predators. At the same time, I’m glad the Canadiens’ era of drafting third liners in the first round is over.
  • Hutson joins Anderson in a two-on-one race. but Anderson couldn’t open a passing lane.
  • Now Hutson gives the puck away in his own zone, but there is actually support to save him.
  • Patrik Laine, Joel Armia and Suzuki all had close chances in quick succession. Lots of scoring opportunities in this game.
  • Mike Matheson works to get up from being hit in the goal post.
  • Laine didn’t win the faceoff after Kirby Dach was shot away, so there’s one thing he doesn’t do well.
  • Caufield fires a shot off the crossbar.
  • Montreal’s power play kicks off with a minute to play. Laine time.
  • The top unit only had four shots in about 15 seconds. It used to take them 15 shifts to get that many.
  • Eleven shots for Montreal. Before I look, I think they have more scoring chances.
  • Natural Stat Trick lists 14 scoring chances, so it played almost exactly like the Islanders game. However, they had a tough second period on Tuesday, so hopefully they can change that.

Second period

  • Being able to follow up a power play with a shift from Jake Evans and Joel Armia is a real luxury for Montreal. There are few moments for the opposition to let up, and that’s with around 40% of players not playing in top form. If only they could have had a better start to the season…
  • Laine passes the puck to Justin Barron, who is all alone in the slot, but the defender thought a little too long about what to do and ended up missing the net.
  • I’d say Jayden Struble just stood a man up with a punch, but he actually knocked him back so far that he fell backwards.
  • Nashville gets its first real shift of offensive-zone pressure five minutes into the second period, but can’t convert it.
  • The crowd just got way too excited for a Christian Dvorak outburst.
  • A Hutson giveaway leads to a shot off Montembeault’s post. Just a little too eager to create an offensive rush there.
  • David Savard was too strong on his shot and knocked his man into the boards. That will give the Predators another power-play chance. Or Evans another chance short-handed.
  • Andrew Brunette tells Marc Denis he likes the Predators’ energy. How bad do they usually look?
  • Nashville entered the power play with seven shots on goal and left with 12. Montreal will need to stay out of the box.
  • The crowd just got way too excited for a David Savard outburst. However, it would have been crushing for Nashville after the power play they had.
  • The teams are currently dealing with high-danger chances.
  • Nashville has actually been carrying some god energy since that power play, so I guess Brunette is prescient.
  • Matheson exploded right past his own post through four Predators players and they were so shocked that he even attempted such a thing that they tripped him. Extremely dangerous, but certainly effective.
  • Now a chance to put a dagger in this Predators team that just played very well for 10 minutes.
  • Hutson stood at the top of the crease ready to make a play on the puck, but Colton Sissons hit him before the puck arrived. He will sit for passport interference.
  • Montreal survived the second period (19 scoring chances against). Now they can return to their better form for a short period of time.

Third period

  • It took a few looks, but Laine has his second power-play goal in two games. A wrist right to the top corner. What a shot.

Lmao, you don’t stop that shot from Patrik Laine 2-0 Habs

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– Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) 5 December 2024 at 22:02

  • On the shift after the goal, the puck comes just over the top of the crease for Brendan Gallagher, but he can’t connect. So many of them tonight they could have seven goals.
  • It’s also Hutson’s 17th assist. It is an area race between Hutson and Caufield for the highest number of points on one column.
  • Laine takes a stick to the face. Both referees miss it. Seconds later, Montreal is called for a penalty. I think they call this ‘game management’.
  • The Predators put the puck in the net, but the referee immediately waves it off. Nashville is so desperate to score that they’re trying to shoot pucks in now.
  • After that, Nashville looks a lot less dangerous.
  • …Until Struble goes and grabs her husband. Another penalty while defending on the right, which is clearly not something he enjoys.
  • Now the Predators try to push Montembeault with the puck over the goal line. You have to give them credit for thinking outside the box. They come out on the ice with one of those t-shirt cannons next shift.
  • The punishments are killed. Ten minutes left.
  • Now Xhekaj is off to the checkout. Montreal plays too much of this period in its own zone.
  • That’s also what you get for scoring on a five-on-three.
  • Evans nearly had his second short-handed goal. Justus Annunen shut it down.
  • Armia hits the post from his side of the middle with the net empty.
  • Now he misses the net completely, so an icing on the cake.
  • Let Montembeault shoot.
  • Third time’s the charm. That’s why he’s on Team Finland right there. No give up.
  • Montreal wins 3-0 and does enough on special teams to beat a team that can’t score anyway.
  • Hopefully, a few more of those chances go to goal on Saturday versus the Washington Capitals.

EOTP 3 stars

3) Just keep him on the left side, please

2) He said he would score 40 or 50 goals. He has time.

1) I saw the same note in Kent Hughes’ office