Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens doubled 4-2 by Philadelphia in throwaway contest - BERITAJA

With 1 crippled remaining, location crystal advantage for the Montreal Canadiens successful the first information against the Tampa Bay Lightning was still connected the line, but it wasn’t the superior interest of the caput coach.  Martin St. Louis rested Mike Matheson, Josh Anderson and Phillip Danault, truthful they could amended heal what is ailing them.

The Philadelphia Flyers wrapped up a playoff spot connected Monday night, truthful they caput their ain motivational issues arsenic well. The Canadiens were sloppy and nonchalant successful a 4-2 loss.

Wilde Horses 

This 1 didn’t matter overmuch to excessively many.

Three players would person liked to deed caller marks. Cole Caufield wanted to drawback Nathan MacKinnon for the extremity scoring lead, but he didn’t, finishing the play astatine 51.

Lane Hutson wanted to walk Larry Robinson for about assists successful a season, but he remained tied astatine 66.

Ivan Demidov wanted to count a 20th goal, but he vanished astatine 19.

Other players wanted to solidify their standing. Brendan Gallagher wanted to show pinch immoderate remainder that he could beryllium beardown still, and he did pinch the Canadiens tally successful the 2nd period. Gallagher besides was successful connected the 2nd extremity by Jake Evans causing havoc successful beforehand of the net. Gallagher apt earned a spot successful crippled one.

Some defencemen wanted to show they belonged.  Kaiden Guhle and Adam Engstrom had a 62 Expected Goals share. David Reinbacher and Hutson had a 69 share. There was a batch of younker connected the bluish statement for the last game, truthful those are immoderate beardown numbers. That’s a 2nd consecutive crippled for Reinbacher pinch beardown analytics.

Wilde Goats 

In the first period, Porter Martone scored for the Flyers. It was only his ninth crippled successful the NHL aft playing the play astatine Michigan State, and he has 9 points already connected 4 goals. He’s evidently fresh for the NHL. He was connected the aforesaid squad arsenic Michael Hage astatine the World Juniors, though Hage was amended astatine the tournament.

Hage and Martone were some successful the Big 10 past season. Both had fantabulous years. Martone had 50 points. Hage was 4th successful the federation successful points pinch 52 astatine Michigan. Martone decided to move pro. Hage decided to spell backmost to assemblage for a 3rd season.

Hage didn’t consciousness he was ready, and that’s his sentiment of himself. All he has to do is comparison himself to Martone to cognize that he didn’t springiness himself capable in installments for being fresh for the adjacent step. Martone was drafted successful 2025. Hage was drafted successful 2024.

It’s uncommon that players excelling for 2 consecutive years successful assemblage take a 3rd twelvemonth astatine college. Hage says he wants to amended his musculus wide and go a amended leader. This sounds for illustration a personification who doesn’t person the religion successful himself to lucifer his talent. General Manager Kent Hughes said they would person been unfastened to immoderate script that Hage wanted.

Hage could alteration his mind. Deciding connected Michigan connected April 11 is not a statement successful September. He should. He’s fresh to perceive caller coaches, and he’s fresh to study from professionals for illustration Martin St. Louis. Logan Cooley changed his mind conscionable earlier the season, and Hage is 1 of the about talented prospects successful each of hockey. He could show it correct now arsenic an NHLer — for illustration Martone.

This was a thing crippled to the Canadiens, and though location were immoderate who struggled, it’s not a important communicative successful a crippled that didn’t matter, truthful nary goats.

Wilde Cards

A celebrated adage successful the playoffs is “your champion players person to beryllium your champion players”.

If the Canadiens’ champion players are their champion players, location will beryllium occurrence successful the playoffs, because the Canadiens champion are among the best.

The NHL’s champion goaltender successful the past 20 games is Jakub Dobes. He has a Goals Saved Above Expected of 21.2. He is miles up of Justus Annunen, the 2nd champion pinch a 16.1. Third is Alex Lyon of the Sabres pinch a 14.5. In net, the Canadiens are 2nd to nary one.

On defence, the Canadiens besides connection elite astatine the apical pinch Lane Hutson top-three successful the convention successful points.

It each amounts to awesome excellence successful extremity and connected the bluish line, but it is the apical statement who supply the numbers that impressment the most.

The goals must proceed to beryllium scored, truthful the unit is connected the apical statement to germinate successful the post-season. They didn’t excel successful the playoffs against Washington, truthful they must fig it retired against Tampa Bay this season.

The apical statement is connected occurrence pinch 35 goals successful the past 21 games. This is an unequalled full of 140 goals pro-rated. Over the season, Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky person 110 goals arsenic a line.

Here’s really that compares to the league’s best: Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Necas and Artturi Lehkonen besides person 110 goals. Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor and Gabe Vilardi person 103 goals. Brandon Hagel, Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov person 98 goals.

The Suzuki statement is the champion statement successful the convention this season. It’s difficult to judge for Canadiens fans, but the forward’s totals are best, the goalie has been champion successful the past 20, and they person a top-five defender.

The champion players person to beryllium the champion players. Watch for it.

Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde connected globalnews.ca aft each Canadiens game.