The Montreal Canadiens had two targets to hit on the finish of the season, and each of them, nobody may have seen coming at first of the season.
The Canadiens have been in final place in November, however with a win over Ottawa, not solely may the Canadiens have wrapped up a playoff spot, they may have severely thought of unseating the Senators for the primary wild card spot.
Montreal appeared to be eyeing the second spot with the trouble in Ottawa Friday. However they have been at all times second-best in opposition to the Senators — the playoffs should wait for an additional day after a 5-2 loss.
Wilde Horses
There’s little to have fun, however the Nick Suzuki march to 90 factors continued with level 87. Juraj Slafkovsky gained the puck within the nook, then delivered a powerful cross to Suzuki. It’s the thirty fifth level in 23 video games for Suzuki for the reason that 4 Nations break. Merely excellent offensive numbers.
Suzuki has essentially the most factors for a Canadiens participant this century. The captain eclipsed the 84-point mark of Alexei Kovalev from 2008. It’s been some darkish occasions for offence in Montreal for a very long time. Suzuki lastly put up some higher numbers after a 17-year drought for the crew.
Suzuki has some extent in seven straight video games. Not solely is he making an attempt to hit 90 factors, he’s additionally making an attempt to notch 30 targets. He has 29. The final Canadiens participant to get a minimum of 90 factors was Pierre Turgeon with 96 in 1996. Vincent Damphousse had 94 that very same 12 months.
Wilde Goats
The poor begins continued for the Canadiens. Solely 28 seconds in, the Senators counted earlier than the Canadiens even touched the puck within the recreation. Head Coach Martin St. Louis had the fitting individuals on. He had his primary centre, accompanied by his traditional linemates.
He had his greatest defending pair on in Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle. Nevertheless, each single certainly one of them both misplaced a puck battle or misplaced their man in permitting Shane Pinto to attain from three ft in entrance of the online. It’s weird how dangerous the Canadiens have been within the first interval, but they entered the evening on a six-game profitable streak.
Taking part in a nasty opening 20 needed to meet up with the membership ultimately, and this was that ‘ultimately’. The Senators rolled throughout Montreal. Lower than 4 minutes later, it’s the Suzuki line on once more with the Savard-Struble pairing, and one other purpose was allowed. Dylan Cozens scored on a rebound. It was ugly, and it was ugly quick.
The facility play can also be struggling. It’s the twenty third within the league for the reason that 4 Nations break. That energy play may use an injection of a gifted playmaker like Ivan Demidov as quickly as he will get comfy. Demidov ought to exchange Juraj Slafkovsky, who’s the rationale the puck is misplaced on that energy play more often than not. Slafkovsky struggles to deal with pursuit-pressure on him. If it comes rapidly, it impacts his choice making.
Get day by day Nationwide information
Get the day’s high information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
Demidov, on the facility play, can have a footprint that may be very very like Suzuki’s. He can have sturdy imaginative and prescient, good playmaking, sturdy shot, and a capability to carry on to the puck significantly better than the person that he ought to exchange. There’s quite a lot of expertise on that energy play. It shouldn’t be backside third within the league.
The loss all however guidelines out the primary wild card hope for Montreal as Ottawa is now virtually free and residential for that honour. Nevertheless, the Canadiens need to get again to work on Saturday now in Toronto, as they don’t need to go away this too lengthy, creating extra drama than is needed.
After six straight wins, and quite a lot of emotional power spent, it was not stunning that they didn’t match the Senators depth on this one. They’ve to ensure they get it again yet another time, although, earlier than this season concludes.
They’ll additionally hope for assist. Three golf equipment nonetheless alive can all be eradicated earlier than the Canadiens drop the puck in opposition to the Maple Leafs. The Islanders are in Philadelphia. The Blue Jackets are internet hosting Washington. The Rangers are in Carolina. All three golf equipment can’t afford a loss Saturday afternoon, or they’re out.
The Purple Wings gained in Tampa Bay in a shootout. They continue to be alive.
Wilde Playing cards
At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, on an in any other case quiet evening in April, the Sick Podcast started livestreaming a shot of double doorways at Pearson Airport in Toronto. Within the subsequent hour, Ivan Demidov was anticipated to stroll by means of arrivals.
That’s it. Nothing extra. Demidov wasn’t going to start out skating, or shoot some pucks on a makeshift web on the airport. All he was going to do was stroll by means of a door after which carry on strolling.
As streaming video occasions go, it’s tough to think about something duller than this. So why did it turn into a viral occasion?
There have been 480,000 views of that door by the point the evening was over. Demidov-mania in Montreal has begun. That is how starved for a famous person Canadiens hockey followers are.
Demidov didn’t converse to the media who staked out the airport together with the followers. Demidov had a protracted day flying from Istanbul, Turkey. It was straight to the resort room in Toronto for him with a police escort.
Toronto is the place Demidov will be a part of the membership Saturday morning and step on the ice as a Canadiens participant for the primary time. Demidov gained’t play on Saturday in opposition to the Maple Leafs as he will get acclimated to Canada attempting to lose his jet-lag after an exhilarating week.
Demidov has chosen jersey quantity 93. That is acceptable as that is the final 12 months that the Canadiens gained the cup. He’s the very best hope that they’ve had since then that they’ll win one other cup. It’s been 32 years for Montreal, and, the truth is, all of Canada.
No stress, child.
Nevertheless, nice gamers welcome stress. They know they’ve the expertise to rise to it. Make no mistake, Demidov is that nice participant. Scouts throughout declare that he must be in comparison with Nikita Kucherov.
Demidov broke the KHL report in 2024-25 for factors in a season for a draft-plus-one participant. He surpassed Matvei Michkov. An expectation that he can have a rookie season like Michkov in Philadelphia is a good one. It’s anticipated Demidov can be within the Calder Trophy dialog as greatest rookie subsequent season.
All is wanting extraordinarily constructive for the Canadiens who end 12 months three of the rebuild already anticipated to be a playoff crew within the subsequent 4 days. Including Demidov and a second-line centre ought to solely add to the anticipation that franchise greatness is simply across the nook.
It’s a enjoyable time to be a Canadiens fan. We simply didn’t comprehend it was so enjoyable that 500,000 followers would watch a future begin stroll by means of a door.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports activities author, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after every Canadiens recreation.
© 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
Source link