Canadiens Postgame
Habs Highlights: Lane Hutson Powers Habs To Another Win
The Montreal Canadiens were back at home on Monday, facing the Vancouver Canucks in a classic Canadian match-up.
The Habs were coming off their best stretch of the season, while the Canucks were faltering, with just three wins in their last 10 games, but as we all know, any team can win on any night, which is what makes the NHL such an entertaining league.
Monday’s game was part of the Amazon Prime broadcast schedule, and if you’re yet to check out their feed, I strongly suggest giving it a chance. Even though my feed was perfect, some noted they had audio issues at the start of this game, but overall, Amazon does a great job producing an innovative and highly entertaining broadcast.
The feed is crystal clear, the analysis is solid, the features are top quality, and they provide new angles that are genuinely worth checking out.
For the record, I’m not sponsored by Amazon, but my direct messages are always open. Hint, hint.
Monday’s game featured several lead changes, but in the end the Habs took home a well-deserved 5-4 win. With the win in the books, the Canadiens are now tied for the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
Let’s dive into the highlights!
Strong Start
The Canadiens were particularly physical to start the game, with Kaiden Guhle setting the tone during his first shift. Montreal followed it up with a very nice play to score the opening goal of the game, courtesy of Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield. While I feel the criticism regarding Slafkovsky has been overblown, as is tradition in this market, it’s true he does have to do a better job when it comes to his play in both the offensive and defensive zone.
That being said, he has seven points in his last 10 games. Perhaps we could give the youngest player in the lineup a little rest when it comes to the dramatic criticism. Or maybe I’m just being a jerk, because like you, I know he can be better.
Either way, he was instrumental in the Canadiens’ first scoring play.
Guhle delivers a huge hit, and the Slafkovsky finds Caufield for the opening goal of the game.
The #GoHabsGo are on fire these days. 1-0. pic.twitter.com/UZCIsOqUCe
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 7, 2025
The Canucks took over at that point, earning a 3-1 lead by the midway point of the second period. I know many will point to the team’s decision to use Samuel Montembeault rather than rookie Jakub Dobes as a mistake, and given Montembeault did allow a couple of questionable goals (behind equally questionable defence), you can certainly make that argument.
That being said, we can’t forget this is just the beginning of the beginning of Dobes’ NHL career, as they say. There’s plenty of time to get Dobes starts.
As per usual since about mid-December, the Habs did not fade away after giving up the lead. Guhle scored his third goal of the year to cut the lead to just one in the second period. The fourth line did another great job creating chaos in the offensive zone, a recurring theme this season.
Guhle’s point shot cuts the Canucks lead to 1.
Another solid shift from the fourth line, including, of course, Jake Evans. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/L7QtZVUcAY
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 7, 2025
All Lines Rolling
Kirby Dach tied the game early in the first period, scoring his sixth goal of the season, a sure sign he’s starting to regain the confidence that powered his first encouraging season with the Habs. Like most of my ex-girlfriends have said, there’s nothing pretty here, but all the matters is that he found the back of the net.
La petite cerise sur le sundae
Hutson serves and Dach finishes
#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/0nl37Xaj9L— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 7, 2025
Lane Hutson, who assisted on Dach’s goal, would go on to give the Habs a short-lived lead with his third goal of the year. Again, it wasn’t sexy, but that doesn’t matter. A terrible penalty by Caufield shortly thereafter gave the Canucks the perfect opportunity to tie the game, which Jake DeBrusk did via his 17th goal of the year.
Tous à bord 🚂
All aboard the Lane Train
#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/uuVQBelMOU— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 7, 2025
It’s almost comical to suggest Hutson’s goal wasn’t that nice, because we all know he deserves many more points than he’s actually registered this year. His penchant for setting up teammates with perfect plays that don’t lead to goals is another one of those recurring themes, but it’s not as entertaining as the last.
Lane Hutson play that should have been an assist No.496591 this season: pic.twitter.com/0bjgiph4yo
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 7, 2025
Thanks to their strong play, the Habs held all the momentum heading into overtime, which forced the Canucks to take multiple penalties. Of course, only one was called, but the referees had options.
Once they were on the powerplay, team captain Nick Suzuki did what he does best, securing a win for his Canadiens. For the record, Hutson registered his third point on the play.
NOTRE CAPITAINE RAMÈNE LA VICTOIRE
OUR CAPTAIN GIVES US THE DUB#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/opFKV5OrAA
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 7, 2025
The Montreal Canadiens are off until Friday, when they’ll face the Capitals in Washington, with the puck drop scheduled for 7 pm ET. All Montreal Canadiens statistics are 5v5 unless otherwise noted, via Natural Stat Trick.
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Lovin this team effort ..!! There is no QUIT in this group …! In years past …when they got down 3-1 ..the game was basically OVER …!! NOT THIS GANG ..!! THEY PUSH BACK …BIG TIME ..! That Hutson is amazing….next we add DEMIDOV …and let THE MAGIC begin …!!
Hutson passed both Michkov and Celebrini and now has the most points 30 of any rookie in the league!
Hudson is flying under the radar but now that he has taken over the lead in points, Emil can fly under the radar as third in rookie scoring with only 11 minutes a game. Montreal has some great looking kids coming up!!!
It feels like the tide is turning, much of the negative chatter about the rebuild has gone silent or at least people are reconsidering their appraisals and time lines. I’m not saying mission accomplished, we all agree we are a long way from the prize, but the heavy lifting, the most painful part of the rebuild is behind us. We have the foundation, a young core of highly talented and motivated players growing together as a team. We are becoming competitive and the best is yet to come. Consider that our highest drafted forwards( Demidov and Hage) , defenseman ( Reinbacher) and goalie ( Fowler) from the past 2 drafts have yet to debut and optimism is a natural reaction. We have multiple other NHL worthy players in Laval in Roy snd Beck and Mailloux and Engstrom and maybe more.
The improved play by Dach in recent games is another source of optimism for me as I was losing confidence that he could provide a 2C solution. Any questions about Hutsons ability to drive offense have been answered- only 5 defenseman in tge entire league have more points than Lane. He could very well end up as the top player from the 2022 Enrty draft ahead of Slafkovsky. Think that was his first 3 point game!
We have witnessed the impact of Laine, he has not lost his shooting ability and that Caufield is also a world class sniper and 40 is an attainable goal this year and 50 is not sci fi when he reaches his peak. I reiterate my long term prediction that we will be in the mix this year- likely falling short- but a playoff team next season and growing into a legitimate contender in the years beyond that with a long window of opportunity based on the age and contracts of our young core. Exciting times
If players like Gally, Dvo, Armia could hit the side of a barn, Hutson would have at least 10 more points.
true dat!
in their defence…they are simply not used to those kinds of passes and dont expect to receive them in those situations…after Gally missed the wide open net he threw away his stick!!
Im gonna guess he doesnt miss that a second time..
I LIKE Dvo but he couldnt hit the ocean if you spot him the beach
Armia looks like a 40 goal scorer at time and an AHL player at other times
I fully expect there will be buyers for Amia and Dvo at the TDL. It will fall to the same question … is the return worth it compared to a wc race/playoff round…
If they weren’t on the ice at all would be even better.
The team is short on that natural ability required to get the team to the highest compete levels.
As the guy who was always looking at the standings to see if we could fall another spot or two in the lottery it is a different vide looking at the standings/schedule to see who we can catch next!!
Rebuild is not as far from over as it seemed in October..
The biggest negative about those Amazon broadcasts (aside from having to pay extra on top of the NHL Center Ice I already paid for) is not being able to pause, rewind, etc. I hate that. Definitely hope they add that feature for next year if the agreement continues with Rogers. If we get any kind of surveys from Amazon about the broadcasts, enough people requesting that feature will lead to changes.
“……While I feel the criticism regarding Slafkovsky has been overblown….:”
No. He’s been playing lazy and scared. And that’s why some time in Laval will do him a world of good.
He has seven points in his last 10 games, including setting up the opening goal last night. It’s definitely overblown, especially when people are suggesting things they can’t actually prove, like he’s lazy and scared.
“There’s plenty of time to get Dobes starts”
Why would you say that? The time is now.
Because he’s a couple of weeks into his NHL career. There’s literally plenty of time left to give him starts.