Montreal Canadiens vs. Colorado Avalanche
In a recent matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, the Montreal Canadiens were forced to play without defenseman Jayden Struble, who is currently dealing with an upper-body injury. This absence allowed Arber Xhekaj to remain in the lineup instead of being replaced by rookie Adam Engstrom.
Player Performances
Engstrom had previously made his NHL debut with the Utah Mammoth but was a healthy scratch in an earlier game against the Vegas Golden Knights before rejoining the team for Saturday’s contest.
Unfortunately for Xhekaj, his performance against Colorado was subpar, which mirrored the struggles of many teammates during the game. He notably stumbled while trying to defend against Jakub Dobes during the opening goal and lost track of his assignment on the second goal. Despite these lapses, Xhekaj did manage to deliver nine hits throughout the game, contributing significantly to the Canadiens’ physical presence. His time on the ice totaled 13:46, where he accounted for a third of the team’s total hits.
On the other hand, Engstrom played for 13:29 and stood out as one of the few Canadiens players to avoid a negative plus/minus rating. He attempted one shot, recorded one hit, and blocked two during his time on the ice. If Struble remains sidelined for an extended period, Engstrom could continue to gain confidence and experience, putting pressure on coach Martin St-Louis when Struble is ready to return.
Physical Contributions
Both Xhekaj and Struble have contributed to the Canadiens’ physical game this season. Struble, who showcased his willingness to engage physically by dropping the gloves just four seconds into a previous game against the Boston Bruins, has amassed 36 hits in 19 games. Xhekaj has slightly more with 41 hits in 22 games, but neither player leads the team in this regard. That honor goes to Juraj Slafkovsky and Zachary Bolduc, who have 44 and 42 hits respectively in the same number of games. Engstrom, while less physically inclined, has yet to establish his presence in this category, registering only one hit in his two appearances with the team.
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