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Andrei Markov Celebrated as Canadiens Secure Win in Shootout
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- Andrei Markov Celebrated as Canadiens Secure Win in Shootout
David Kirouac-Imagn Images
The Montreal Canadiens hosted the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday night, though the puck-drop was delayed as the team honoured longtime defenceman Andrei Markov .
Markov is among the most underrated players in franchise history, and it's fair to say that a ceremony to honour his contributions to the organization was long overdue.
Head coach Martin St-Louis made a few key lineup changes prior to the game, with Juraj Slafkovsky returning to his usual spot on the first line, and Alexandre Texier replacing him on the second line. This led to Zachary Bolduc being demoted to the fourth trio.
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Once the Markov-related festivities were over, the teams put together an evenly-matched game, with the Canadiens providing a much better effort than the previous few outings.
The game eventually went to the shootout, where the Canadiens emerged with a 3-2 win.
Let's dive into the highlights!
Double-Edged Sword
The Habs were quick out of the gate, peppering Jets netminder Eric Comrie with a bevy of high-quality chances. They weren't able to beat the back-up goaltender, but they did display very encouraging puck movement, including a few offensive-zone shifts from the newly formed second line.
The first period also included a fight between Arber Xhekaj and Jets captain Adam Lowry , which resulted in a 10-9 decision for the Canadiens defenceman.
Unfortunately, we all know that when a team presses hard, but fails to score, momentum has a funny way of shifting to their opponents, which was the case on Wednesday night, as Winnipeg scored in the dying minutes of the third period.
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It was a very difficult shift for Mike Matheson and Noah Dobson , a pairing that has had its fair share of struggles in recent games. It should also be noted that the forwards failed to support their defencemen, making it a veritable comedy of errors.
Comeback Time
If there's one positive recurring theme for the Canadiens in recent years, it's that they've been able to muster some semblance of a comeback on most nights. It doesn't always lead to a win, but they do a pretty good job forcing the issue whenever they're trailing. Last I checked, they're among the best teams in the NHL when it comes to third-period comeback wins.
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This time around, the pressure started with Slafkovsky's ninth goal of the year, and his sixth on the powerplay. It should also be noted the Canadiens' powerplay has found its rhythm in recently, scoring six times in the last 10 man-advantage opportunities.
First-Year Prowess
Exciting rookie Ivan Demidov then took matters into his own hands, and not just to find one of his linemates with another exceptional pass.
Yes, there was an excellent assist involved, but it was Demidov's forecheck before setting up fellow rookie Oliver Kapanen that really stole the show.
It was one of the best outings of the season for Demidov, not to mention the newly formed second line. Moreover, he was given a good amount of ice time, at least compared to his usual usage. At one point in the third period, Demidov actually had more 5v5 ice time than captain Nick Suzuki .
Shootout Results
The game eventually went to overtime, and then the shootout, where Cole Caufield opened the scoring with a smart shot. The most important aspect of the shootout was Jakub Dobes ' perfect record, which surely added a much-needed confidence boost to the mix.
The Montreal Canadiens will be back in action on Saturday, facing the Maple Leafs in Toronto . The puck drop is scheduled for 7 pm ET.
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All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick .
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