The Habs went 2-1-0 during the second week of January and sit third in the Atlantic division with a record of 25-14-6.
The Canadiens began the week with two days of rest before hosting the Calgary Flames on Wednesday. Montreal won comfortably against the fourth-worst team in the league, with Phillip Danault picking up his first point in Montreal since being traded, and Alexandre Texier picking up three points.
Clearly, after the post-game, first-star interview conducted in French, Texier decided he wanted another one on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. He picked up a hat trick in the 6-2 romping of the Stanley Cup champs, and got to give another interview en français to the Bell Centre faithful.
With two of three games done, Montreal looked ahead to Saturday night’s tilt against the Detroit Red Wings, the winner of which would take top spot in the Atlantic. Unfortunately, Montreal floundered against the Wings and was shut out 4-0 in front of a sold-out Centre Bell. While it wasn’t the Habs’ worst performance, and John Gibson did put on an incredible performance, the Canadiens looked slow and sluggish for most of the game, only really picking things up in the third period. Of course, four of six points on the week can’t be called a failure, but Saturday’s stinker against the Red Wings is enough to put a damper on what was overall a positive week for the bleu-blanc-rouge.
Montreal Canadiens Three Stars
Honourable mention: Nick Suzuki (GP 3 | 0G 2A 2P)
Nick Suzuki could be on this list every single week. There’s a reason he wears the ‘C,’ he’s the Canadiens’ best player, their leader, the rudder that steers the ship. Like a true leader, Suzuki isn’t usually flashy, doesn’t play for himself, and manages to shift the spotlight to teammates when things are positive, and himself when they aren’t.
He had points in both the Canadiens’ wins, and was specifically instrumental in keeping the Florida Panthers at bay defensively. His line was dominant against the lesser Flames, and even though the top line struggled against Detroit on Saturday, Suzuki was a monster on the penalty kill, something he’s started leading along with Phillip Danault in place of Josh Anderson and Jake Evans.
Third Star: Mike Matheson (GP 3 | 0G 2A 2P)
After taking an elbow to the head (courtesy of Brad Marchand), Mike Matheson looked like himself again this week, and it was a positive for the Canadiens. When he’s on, Matheson is one of the best two-way defenceman in the NHL. When it comes to transitioning the puck, controlling the neutral zone, and defending the rush, there are few defencemen that can compare to him, and it was on display this week. He was a force in the Canadiens’ loss to Detroit, a game that saw Lane Hutson look swarmed and overwhelmed.
No Canadien has seen their role change over the last 18 months like Matheson. He lost his spot on PP1, then on the power play entirely, and is now the Canadiens’ penalty-kill specialist. He leads the team with 183 minutes played short-handed, and has played just 12:52 on the man advantage so far this season. He plays 23 minutes a night against the league’s best, and does so at a high level.
Second Star: Oliver Kapanen (GP 3 | 2G 2A 4P)
While some may doubt that Oliver Kapanen has what it takes to be a second-line centre, at the very least, those fans have to concede that he’s filled the hole better than any other player over the last three seasons. He was an asset against Calgary, scoring the Habs’ third goal and making some huge plays on the penalty kill, and he was fantastic against Florida, nabbing a goal and two assists along with four blocks. He doesn’t make the mistakes most rookies do, and it’s hard to find huge, glaring holes in his game. He has a diverse toolkit of serviceable skills, he’s not a liability anywhere, and his hockey IQ is among the best on the Canadiens.
First star: Alexandre Texier (GP 3 | 4G 1A 5P)
Alexandre Texier has eight points in his last six games. After the St. Louis Blues terminated hia contract on November 23, the Habs called. Since then, he has 14 points in 24 games, and is now playing 17 minutes a night.
His impact was felt even beyond the scoresheet. He lets Suzuki and Caufield be themselves by dedicating himself to a roving, checking role, freeing the puck and the ice for his linemates. While his details are sometimes lacking, the effort isn’t, and hard work is paying off. He is getting lucky bounces, huge chances, and all the other things that come when you do the right things on the ice. His spot on Suzuki’s line is all but cemented for the time being, and it’s certain that he’ll continue to enjoy the opportunity he’s being given in Montreal.
Laval Rocket player of the week
Jared Davidson (GP 2 | 1G 2A 3P)
In a week that’s probably better off being forgotten, Jared Davidson was the standout for me across the Rocket’s two games. He was the most noticeable forward in Friday’s win against Rochester, and was one of the few positives in Saturday’s loss to the Syracuse Crunch. While Laval is struggling, Davidson has an opportunity to separate himself through his play style.
Next up
The Canadiens’ play four games this week, starting with one more at home on Monday against another bottom-ranked Canadian team: the Vancouver Canucks. The Habs will then quickly turn around and fly to Washington to play the Capitals on Tuesday. Then it’s Buffalo on Thursday, before Montreal finishes it’s week in Ottawa on Saturday. All four of this week’s opponents sit below Montreal in the standings, and the Habs will look to keep it that way.
