Marc Dumont
There’s no denying the Montreal Canadiens would be in better shape if they had won the first game of their second-round series versus the Buffalo Sabres.
With that in mind, the 4-2 scoreline in Game 1 was a little flattering to the Sabres, who scored four goals on their first nine shots. Given that the Canadiens have enjoyed their own fair share of luck in the shooting department, we can’t dismiss Buffalo’s short yet efficient outburst of offence.
Still, there were a few positives worth exploring as the Habs prepare for Game 2.
Montreal Canadiens Positives
The Habs actually managed to outshoot the Sabres, and by a pretty wide margin, too. Montreal held an 18-11 edge in shots on net at 5v5, not to mention a 28-16 advantage in all situations.
There are a few mitigating factors worth considering in this situation, including the fact that Montreal blocked a lot more shots than the Sabres, creating quite the gap in shots on net. And the Sabres actually produced more high-danger shots than the Canadiens (12-11, all situations).
It’s also worth considering the Habs were trailing the Sabres for the majority of the game, and thus, score effects came into play.
And yet, the mere fact that Montreal managed to outshoot an opponent as talented as the Sabres is a very encouraging sign for a team that rarely outshoots anyone in the NHL.
Keep in mind, the Canadiens were only ranked 23rd in shot share at 5v5 during the regular season, while the Sabres finished 16th.
An uptick in shot volume from the Habs wasn’t just encouraging, it was a necessary step for a team that tends to rely on quality rather than quantity when attempting to score.
Lane Hutson led all Canadiens with four shots, though he was tied with forwards Alex Newhook, and Juraj Slafkovsky. Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov provided three shots, while Cole Caufield, Jake Evans, and Noah Dobson generated two shots.
In other words, most of Montreal’s best players were able to unleash more shots than they had on average in the series versus the Lightning.
Something’s Gotta Give
Speaking of Montreal’s best players, Suzuki, Slafkovsky, and Caufield once again failed to score at 5v5, though the captain did manage to find the back of the net on the powerplay.
Through eight playoff games, only Suzuki has managed to score at 5v5, the epitome of a red flag when discussing a team that tends to rely on its first line to drive the offensive charge.
And yet, Wednesday’s game was arguably the first line’s best performance at 5v5 since the start of the playoffs.
They put more pucks towards the net than their opponents (9-7), and they were able to generate a respectable amount of speed through the neutral zone, which led to more scoring opportunities off the rush.
This should benefit Caufield, in particular, a player who has had a very hard time finding the back of the net following a career-best season that saw him score 51 goals.
Game 1 was far from a masterclass, but it did feature a considerable uptick in shooting opportunities for Caufield and Company. This is due, in part, because of the Sabres’ style of play. They’re suffocating, but they’re also hell-bent on generating odd-man rushes, which leads to a little more open ice than what we saw in the series versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If the trends hold, expect Caufield to start finding the back of the net with more regularity versus the Sabres.
Besides, given the first-line’s success in the regular season, there’s nowhere left to go but up in the playoffs.
Canadiens Can Be Better
Without trying to create an excuse for the Game 1 loss, it’s fair to point out the Sabres had been rested and waiting for the Canadiens for several days, whereas the Habs were coming off a hellish series versus the Lightning that featured an unreasonable amount of extracurricular activities.
Consequently, the Canadiens approached the first period of Game 1 with the same intensity of a wild animal that got stuck in a gate for several days before finally being rescued.
With a little better preparation, not to mention some rest, the Habs should be able to avoid yet another multi-goal deficit.
All Montreal Canadiens Statistics are via Natural Stat Trick.
