The Montreal Canadiens are making a habit of proving people wrong. After sweeping a four-game road trip, all in regulation and without captain Nick Suzuki, they returned to the Bell Centre looking to keep the good times rolling. Five games, five regulation wins, and still no Slick Nick in the lineup. The Pittsburgh Penguins came close to spoiling the party, but Montreal prevailed 5-4. Apparently, somebody forgot to tell this team that it was supposed to struggle without its captain.
☕ Fowler gets the job done. Jacob Fowler, who earned his first NHL victory against these same Penguins, got another crack at them. It wasn't exactly his finest performance, allowing four goals on 29 shots. However, he came up big when it mattered most, stopping 14 of 15 shots in the third period. Sometimes, you don't need to be spectacular for 60 minutes. You just need to close the door when the neighbours start kicking it in.
☕ Beck makes his presence felt. With Kirby Dach reportedly sick, Owen Beck got the call and wasted little time making an impression. He set up Oliver Kapanen's first-period goal and finished with a plus-1 rating and three hits despite playing a team-low 8:51. He also came awfully close to completing the Gordie Howe hat trick, narrowly missing the net after a setup from Florian Xhekaj. Eight minutes and 51 seconds? That's barely enough time to finish a cup of coffee. The kid is NHL-ready, folks.
☕ Anderson discovers the back of the net. Josh Anderson, who is looking for a new contract, led the Montreal offence with two goals and an assist. He now has six goals on the season, putting him on pace for 36 over an 84-game schedule. For perspective, he scored 14 last season. If this keeps up, somebody might want to check whether he's been replaced by his more productive twin.
☕ Kreider quietly gets it done. Chris Kreider chipped in with a goal, an assist, a plus-4 differential and five shots on net in just 12:10 of ice time. Nothing particularly flashy about that line, just a productive night's work. Some players need 20 minutes to make an impression. Others apparently have a shorter commute.
☕ Guhle continues to be a rock. Kaiden Guhle led the Canadiens in ice time for the second consecutive game. He also registered three blocked shots and five hits. With Mike Matheson now sidelined, Guhle's importance to this blue line becomes even more obvious. He's doing the dirty work, eating minutes and making life miserable for opposing forwards. In other words, exactly what you want from a defenceman.
☕ Hutson puts on a show. Proudly sporting an "A" on his jersey for this game, Lane Hutson collected two assists, finished plus-4 and added four blocked shots. His spectacular spin move to set up Alex Texier's goal early in the second period was another reminder that this kid sees the ice differently from most players. Some defencemen move the puck. Hutson seems to have a remote control for it.
☕ Time to bring back the captain. Five consecutive regulation victories without Nick Suzuki is impressive, but let's not get carried away. Having Phillip Danault as your most-used forward is not a sustainable arrangement for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Danault has done his part, but he’s very limited in what he can do. Get Slick Nick back in the driver's seat… or get a legitimate second line centre.
☕ Another one bites the dust. The Canadiens had yet another goal disallowed in the first period after Mr. Saturday Night, Cole Caufield, beat the Pittsburgh goaltender. The Penguins challenged, and apparently Jake Evans had committed the unforgivable crime of clipping the goalie's toenail. No goal. At this rate, Montreal should start celebrating only after the officials have finished their forensic investigation. The Canadiens have already had three goals disallowed in a single game this season. Are we sure somebody isn't keeping a tally?
☕ Sid the Kid gets his flowers. Sidney Crosby received a warm welcome from the Bell Centre faithful and responded with a goal, two assists and a plus-3 differential. Good enough for second-star honours. Rivalries aside, the man has earned the respect. You don't need to wear the right sweater to appreciate greatness.
☕ The injury list keeps growing. After we published The Elephant in the Room: Canadiens Injury Transparency, Montreal took it to heart by providing a medical update. They announced that Mike Matheson will miss two weeks with a lower-body injury. Samuel Montembeault's status has been upgraded to day-to-day, while Ivan Demidov was spotted walking around without his walking boot. Meanwhile, Suzuki practised hard on Saturday, offering another hint that his return could be approaching. At this point, the Canadiens' medical staff probably needs its own dressing room.
☕ Next stop: Winnipeg. The Canadiens are back at the Bell Centre on Tuesday to welcome the Winnipeg Jets. The visitors will be looking to avenge their 2-1 loss to Montreal in the Heritage Classic outdoor game. Another test awaits, and the Habs will have an opportunity to extend their winning streak. Five in a row is nice. Six would taste even better.
Bottom Line: Five straight regulation wins without Nick Suzuki. That's not a coincidence, and it's certainly not something to sneeze at. The supporting cast has stepped up, young players are making their presence felt, and the team is finding ways to win even when the performance isn't perfect. But let's not confuse a strong pot of coffee with an unlimited supply of caffeine. This team will need its captain, a healthier blue line and more consistent goaltending if the ultimate goal is to compete for the Stanley Cup. For now, though, enjoy the aroma. The coffee is hot, the Habs are winning, and Montreal is becoming a rather uncomfortable place for visiting teams.
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