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It was a trap game. After running the gauntlet beating hot teams like Columbus, Carolina and Tampa Bay, the Montreal Canadiens had to make sure that they didn’t take it easy against the struggling New York Rangers.
They didn’t, giving it another strong effort against a Rangers team that gave it all they had. It was a 3-2 Canadiens victory.
Wilde Horses
It took until near the midway point of the second period, but the stars did come out to shine on Broadway in the end.
The first moment of brilliance was from Ivan Demidov. He didn’t just pass it over to Alex Newhook, which would have had a limited level of effectiveness. He looked right at the Rangers goalie for a shot, then passed it.
It’s that high level of deception that makes all the difference in the NHL.
It was the same intelligence and creativity on the second Canadiens goal. Nick Suzuki knew the pathway to passing to Juraj Slafkovsky wasn’t there if he tried it direct, so he banked it off the boards at the perfect angle instead. Slafkovsky redirected it in a deft fashion 90 degrees to Cole Caufield. He wired it home with a one-timer into the top corner with the perfect shot.
That wasn’t it for the night, though, as they just kept on going. With five minutes remaining, it was a defensive zone draw, but seconds later, it was in the net. Suzuki with won draw to Mike Matheson to a streaking Caufield. He danced around the defender, then slid in his second of the night.
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The numbers are stunning for the line. That’s 30 goals in the last 15 games since being reunited. The sample size is getting bigger and they’re not slowing down at all. Caufield has 49 goals this season, 28 of them in his last 27 games. Caufield is only one goal behind the league-leader Nathan MacKinnon for the Rocket Richard Trophy.
Suzuki has 94 points with another two point game. The milestones are within reach with seven games remaining. From that line, it’s remarkable. They are a top-three line in the NHL in the same category as the MacKinnon line in Colorado and the Mark Scheifele line in Winnipeg for goals this season.
The Canadiens got yet another stellar game from their goaltender. The issue with the team when Samuel Montembeault was struggling has become a strength. Jakub Dobes is seventh in the entire league in Goals Saved Above Expected. They gave him a rest, so Jacob Fowler put in a Dobes-like number himself. Fowler stopped 21 of 23 shots for a GSAE of .96.
Wilde Goats
The Canadiens have won seven straight games. The Canadiens have seven games remaining and a playoff spot is almost a certainty. They need four points. They have allowed only eight goals in their last six games. They are sixth in the league in points.
It’s excellence all around. No goats.
Wilde Cards
Lost in the shuffle of Nick Suzuki making a charge to be the first 100-point player on the Canadiens since Mats Naslund in 1986 is Suzuki’s status to win the Selke Trophy.
The award is given to the best defensive forward in the NHL. Aleksander Barkov won the award the last two seasons, but with his serious injury this season the race is wide open.
Suzuki has had such a remarkable campaign leading the Canadiens to huge success that he has become the favourite — only a slight favourite, though, over Nico Hischier. Suzuki has a 31 per cent probability to win the Selke, while Hischier is second at 26 per cent.
Suzuki is finishing the season with a charge while Hischier is on a weak Devils club. Suzuki has a plus-34 to lead the Canadiens. Hischier has a minus seven on the Devils. Based on that metric, it’s difficult to understand at all why Hischier would be second favorite to win the Selke.
Offence does have some sway in the vote done by the NHL hockey writers association, and Suzuki is on his way to a 100-point season. Hischier is on pace for only 65 points.
Looking at the statistics and how the clubs are performing, the bettors may have this one wrong. This doesn’t look close at all. Suzuki should be the insurmountable favourite to win the Selke.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
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