The Montreal Canadiens welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night (Nov. 16) at the Bell Centre. With only 12 points to their name and just 14 tallied for the Blue Jackets in the standings, this was a confrontation between Eastern Conference foes trying to avoid the basement. Montreal came out on top 5-1 thanks to the efforts of unexpected heroes and inspiration from a special guest. Here are three takeaways.
Mike Matheson Channels Shea Weber
Former Canadiens captain and newly minted Hall of Fame inductee Shea Weber was in the building on Saturday. He gave a brief speech to an appreciative crowd before puck drop, thanking them for their support and reminding everyone how much pride he had playing for the club.
It was a sweet moment that allowed supporters to reminisce about some of the happier days at the Bell Centre. If anyone on the Canadiens’ roster found inspiration from the pre-game ceremony, look no further than current defenceman Mike Matheson. The 30-year-old played a massive role in the game, playing stout defence and contributing on the attack. Someone watching the game may have even confused him for Weber in the first period when he ripped a shot on the power play to open the scoring.
Matheson nearly earned a brace. In the second period, an offensive flurry that kept the puck circling Columbus’ net eventually led the disc to the blue liner’s stick in the slot. The imposing defender cannoned the puck towards the opponent’s goal, but keeper Daniil Tarasov stood strong.
On a night when a former Habs defender was honoured, Matheson led his side with an individual expected goals for (ixG) of 0.348. Only Matheson knows whether Weber’s presence truly made the difference. That said, it was a fittingly brilliant performance from someone whose play has sometimes been looked down upon this season.
Canadiens’ Defensive Mindset
Speaking of defence, it had been a long time since observers could confidently state that the Canadiens put in a sturdy, collective performance in that department. Not since Oct. 26 when the club faced the St. Louis Blues did they concede fewer than three goals (they won 5-2 that night). Moreover, it was only the third time all season Montreal accomplished the feat. That 18 games have been played says a lot about the team’s struggles.
While it’s easy to always point to the netminder when a team concedes but a single goal (Samuel Montembeault was good, to be clear), this was a spirited performance from everyone involved. Columbus only mustered 26 shots in total, with a bunch being relatively easy to see and handle. The Blue Jackets never found any kind of groove when on the attack in the first period. It was only in the middle frame that the visitors successfully generated pressure in Montreal’s zone, but all their efforts translated to no more than a single goal.
Related: Lane Hutson Forcing Canadiens Front Office to Make a Decision on Mike Matheson
The statistics will show that Columbus was guilty of a whopping 18 giveaways. Giveaways aren’t the same as takeaways, but they might as well be just as praiseworthy. The Canadiens, particularly in the third period, were incredibly robust in the neutral zone. Montreal consistently made Blue Jackets skaters uncomfortable when attempting to move forward to set up offensive schemes.
What’s more, two such moments directly translated to goals for the Canadiens, which brings us to our next point.
Canadiens’ Supporting Cast Steps up in Third
Lucas Condotta, Josh Anderson, and Jake Evans. What do people think of when those names are written? ”Who is Condotta?” and the other two haven’t pulled their weight this season. Whether fair or accurate, that about sums it up.
In a game Montreal narrowly led 2-1 in the final stanza, all three came up big when the hosts needed to put the opponent to bed. At 11:04, Condotta, a recently called-up player from the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League (AHL), was left all alone in the left face-off circle and ripped a Joel Armia pass to make it 3-1.
Barely a minute later, another neutral zone turnaround allowed Cole Caufield to slide a pass across the crease and onto Evans’ stick, who tipped home a lovely marker.
Finally, at 15:55 and with the match’s result beyond any doubt, the Canadiens confidently won a face-off in the Blue Jackets’ zone. Matheson sent the puck Anderson’s way, who blasted the biscuit into the basket to make it 5-1.
The third period was indicative of Montreal’s solid night. This wasn’t the Caufield show (despite an assist), nor was it the Nick Suzuki show (despite that he scored the game-winner). As per MoneyPuck, Armia, Condotta, Emil Heineman, Christian Dvorak, Justin Barron, Kaiden Guhle, Lane Hutson, Matheson, and Kirby Dach all had a superior 5-on-5 expected goal share (xGF%) than the typical stars. Let’s not kid ourselves. A few names in that list have been the target of harsh remarks this season.
But what are fans supposed to take away from a 5-1 victory over a side with the same low number of points collected in the standings? Bluntly, they should simply enjoy it. It’s been written plenty of times, including here at The Hockey Writers, that 2024-25 might be a long campaign in Montreal. There will be – and already have been – more than enough lows supporters care to digest.
Wins like this are to be enjoyed. They let people know that there is a spark in that locker room and on that bench. Hopefully, the team doesn’t need pre-game ceremonies honouring former players to get hyped up every time.
