Montreal Canadiens vs. San Jose Sharks
The Montreal Canadiens began their Pacific coast road trip with a matchup against the San Jose Sharks at the SAP Center on Tuesday evening. Head coach Martin St-Louis faced a crucial moment ahead of the upcoming trade deadline, with scouts from the Vancouver Canucks and the St. Louis Blues in attendance. While the Blues are scheduled to play the Sharks again on Friday, their presence suggested they might have been scouting players for potential trades.
Roster Decisions and Game Preparation
St-Louis opted to roll with the same roster that delivered a resounding 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals just days prior, which resulted in Joe Veleno, Alexandre Texier, and Arber Xhekaj being healthy scratches. Notably, Jakub Dobes was given a second consecutive start in goal.
First Period Struggles
Despite the Canadiens’ preparation during the Olympic break to tighten up defensively and avoid odd-man rushes, they struggled to implement these improvements during the first period. Several lapses occurred early on; for example, Lane Hutson‘s turnover at the Sharks’ blue line put the Habs in a precarious situation, leaving him vulnerable after receiving a risky pass from Philip Danault. Coupled with this, two of Montreal’s key players, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky, also committed significant turnovers, resulting in near-scoring opportunities for the Sharks.
Second Period Developments
The second period started optimistically for Montreal as they briefly took a 2-1 lead following a goal from Danault. However, this momentum was short-lived, as Michael Misa equalized for San Jose shortly after. A notable misplay by defenseman Jayden Struble, who lost control of the puck at the blue line, led to the tying goal, raising questions about the Canadiens’ defensive depth as the team may look to strengthen their blue line ahead of the trade deadline.
The Canadiens compounded their troubles late in the second period, conceding two goals within a 25-second window. The sequence began with Macklin Celibrini scoring through Dobes, quickly followed by a goal from Alexander Wenneberg, who capitalized on a turnover by Kirby Dach, leaving fans questioning Dach’s effort and positioning on the top line.
Third Period Comeback and Final Moments
As the third period commenced, Montreal found themselves trailing 5-2 after a costly penalty led to a Sharks power play. Nevertheless, the Canadiens rallied back, with Ivan Demidov scoring quickly, followed by Alex Newhook who added two goals, bringing the game to a tie. Newhook’s impressive performance showcased his offensive skill set, accumulating four points in his past three games and reflecting a positive return from injury.
Unfortunately for the Canadiens, their comeback effort was thwarted when they were penalized for having too many men on the ice in the final minutes. This misstep allowed Sherwood of San Jose to net the game-winning goal. Although Montreal mounted a late offensive push while pulling their goalie, it was ultimately insufficient, and the Sharks sealed the game with an empty-net goal, concluding an intense contest that marked Dobes’ first defeat in regulation since December 9.
Looking Ahead
With this loss, the Canadiens signal a tough beginning to their road trip, as they need to regroup and refocus before their next encounter. Fans await to see how management will address team needs with the trade deadline looming on the horizon.
