Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Jonathan Drouin – Max Domi – Joel Armia

Artturi Lehkonen – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Paul Byron

Nick Cousins – Nate Thompson – Nick Suzuki

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Ben Chiarot – Jeff Petry

Mike Reilly – Cale Fleury

Carey Price – Keith Kinkaid

Christian Folin, Jordan Weal, Brett Kulak 

Game Report

If you are on social media, you have seen the mindless posts trashing the team’s captain and franchise player and advocating that the Canadiens part ways with them as soon as possible. Some even claim that one or both has had a poor start to the season.

If you are a committed Habs fan, you are well advised to move on from such drivel. 

Shea Weber leads all Montreal defencemen with eight points in 12 games, is a plus-3 and is averaging almost 23 minutes a game. Tonight Weber had the game-winning goal and an assist. That’s remarkable given that he plays each night without a first pairing left defencemen as Marc Bergevin was unable to fill holes in the off-season.

In addition to being named the best by Ken Dryden this week, Carey Price is recognized as the top goaltender in the world in every jurisdiction except the 514 area code. It’s bizarre. 

Price made 33 saves, including 13 high danger chances by the Coyotes. The win pushes his record this season to 6-3-1 with one shutout. That’s impressive especially with the state of the Habs defence.

Given that Price has been in net for each of the Habs wins this season, it’s easy to imagine where the Canadiens would be without him.

Brendan Gallagher celebrated a milestone game by scoring just 22 seconds into his 500th career game. 

Three of the Canadiens four goals were scored within 77 seconds from the start of a period. This must have pleased Claude Julien reversing an early season trend where the Habs have been giving up late period goals.

The Habs will head to Las Vegas where they will play the Golden Knights on Thursday night. 

Plus / Minus

▲  Carey Price, Shea Weber, Brendan Gallagher, Phillip Danault

▼  Jonathan Drouin, Mike Reilly, Joel Armia, Max Domi, Paul Byron, Jesperi Kotkaniemi