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Canadiens: 3 Takeaways From A Heartbreaking Loss

Patrik Laine had a big impact on the game tonight. Photo credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

The Montreal Canadiens got some reinforcements to take on the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night, as Patrik Laine was back in the lineup. Unfortunately, Joel Armia had to pull out because of an injury sustained in Tuesday’s game. As a result, Martin St-Louis had to shuffle his cards a bit. Laine took Michael Pezzetta’s spot with Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson, while Pezzetta joined Jake Evans and Emil Heineman.

Reinbacher Sitting Is Precautionary
Canadiens: Must Win Battle In Seattle
Juraj Slafjkovsky Is Taking a Step This Season

Not Every Goaltender Is a Third Defenseman

The NHL has seen its fair share of goaltenders who were so good around their net that they were almost an extra defenseman on the ice. Martin Brodeur and Carey Price are the two names now coming to mind. Jakub Dobes didn’t look like that kind of goalie on the game's first goal.

He came out of the net and attempted to clear the puck, sending it up on the boards, but Jordan Eberle had no trouble intercepting the attempted clearance and setting up Brandon Montour for the goal. After that, the young netminder looked nervous and often deported to one side in his net. Puck tracking was also an issue, and the Kraken hit at least three posts in the first frame, on top of dominating 15-5 on the shot clock.

He made 14 saves, but he wasn’t as confident as usual. Saturday, he was the calm and steadying presence at the back, but not Wednesday night. The Kraken second goal also came from the youngster's attempt to handle the puck behind his net.

A One Trick Pony?

Brandon Montour's penalty was a bright ray of sunshine in a game heavily dominated by Seattle. It allowed the Canadiens to get back in the game and on his return to play, Laine scored from his office.

The big Finn might not be very effective at five-on-five, but he’s a fantastic weapon on a man-advantage or four-on-four, as evidenced by his great feed straight on Alex Newhook’s blade to score the equalizing goal.

After 40 minutes, Laine only had eight shifts and 7:39 minutes of ice time (Roy had two more seconds), but he was the spark plug that led to the game flipping on its head. The Canadiens had a surprising 3-2 lead at the end of the second frame. The sniper finished the game with 10:08 spent on the ice while Roy played 10:38 and Pezzetta 9:25.

Bouncing Back

While the first period must have been hard to watch for Canadiens’ fans and for St.-Louis, his players showed that they could bounce back. After being outrageously dominated in the first period, Montreal shook it off and got to work.

Back in October, this team was utterly unable to do that. When things were going badly, they couldn’t stop the bleeding, and that’s how Seattle beat them 8-2 in the first month of the season.

This is something contending team can regularly do and part of what this young Canadiens team still has to learn, being able to do it in the race to the playoffs certainly is valuable experience.  

Montreal really clawed its way back into the game, finishing the night with a respectable 25 shots and managing to take the lead against all odds. Some will say that Juraj Slafkovsky's second goal should have been waived off because the puck had been touched too high, but like any sports involving referees, you win some calls and you lose some. This was the young Slovak's 100th career-point. 

However, contending teams are able to pull the win off, which the Canadiens couldn't because of their own lack of discipline. Arber Xhekaj received three minors over the 60 minutes of regulation, and Seattle scored on the last one, before adding another power play marker on a David Savard penalty to tie up the game and send it to extra time. 

So close and yet so far for the Sainte-Flanelle who lost 5-4 in overtime, after just five seconds or extra time. The point allows the Canadiens to remain ninth in the Eastern Conference, but the extra point would have given them as many as the Columbus Blue Jackets. This defeat stings now and could sting even more if they miss the playoffs by a single point...

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3 Interesting Things About Penguins' Timmins

Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Conor Timmins and Connor Dewar from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Mar. 7.

The 26-year-old from St. Catharines, ON was initially a second round pick (32nd overall) of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2017 Draft. In 144 career games, the right-handed defenseman has five goals and 34 assists for 39 points.

Here are three things to know about the newest member of the Penguins.

One International Invite, One Gold Medal

Timmins has represented Canada at only one international event, the 2018 World Junior Championships, where he won the Gold Medal.

Conor Timmins 6-1 Goal - Canada vs Switzerland 2018 WJC 1.2.18Conor Timmins 6-1 Goal - Canada vs Switzerland 2018 WJC 1.2.18Conor Timmins 6-1 Goal - Canada vs Switzerland 2018 WJC 1.2.18Subscribe for more videos. On this channel you will see every goal from team Canada and the Tor...

Besides his success in the medal round, including an assist on the Golden Goal, Timmins was named a WJC Top 3 Player on Team and led the entire tournament with a plus-15 rating. In seven games, he had a goal and four helpers. 

Dominated in the OHL

Timmins skated three seasons with the Soo Greyhounds, serving as an alternate captain during his final season in 2017-18. 

Maple Leafs' Conor Timmins Scores His First NHL Goal With Point Shot vs. FlyersMaple Leafs' Conor Timmins Scores His First NHL Goal With Point Shot vs. FlyersWatch as Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Conor Timmins scores his first goal as a Maple Leaf, and his NHL career to double the lead against the Flyers.-------...

His best season came in 2016-17, when he was almost a point-per-game player, scoring 61 points (7G, 54A) in 67 games, the best statistical season of his hockey career.

Overall, Timmins scored 19 goals and collected 96 assists in 163 OHL games to finish with 115 points, good enough for a .71 points-per-game average. He played in the CHL Top Prospects Game in 2017.

Last NHL Goal Came Against...Pittsburgh

Five days before Timmins pulled on a black and gold jersey, he scored his first goal in 35 games in a wild 6-5 win over the Penguins on Mar. 2.

Timmins has scored only five goals in his career, including his first against the Philadelphia Flyers (Jan. 8, 2023), followed by lamplighters against the Chicago Blackhawks (Feb. 15, 2023), New York Rangers (Dec. 12, 2023), and the Montreal Canadiens (Nov. 9, 2024).

Interestingly, Timmins has goals against three of the Original Six teams, just missing the Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, and Maple Leafs. 

Despite playing with the Arizona Coyotes (eight games) and Colorado Avalanche (33 games), all of Timmins' goals have come with Toronto (101 games). 

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Thunder overcome Celtics 'test' to reach play-offs

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (right) joined Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019 [Getty Images]

Oklahoma City Thunder sealed a spot in the NBA play-offs with 16 games of the season remaining following an impressive 118-112 win over reigning champions the Boston Celtics.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander strengthened his case for the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award by putting up 34 points, five rebounds and seven assists in 39 minutes.

The victory means the Thunder, who are 12 games clear at the top of the standings in the Western Conference, have joined the Cleveland Cavaliers from the Eastern Conference in the play-offs.

And beating 18-time champions Boston was an important "test" to overcome for the Thunder, who are looking to win the NBA title for the first time.

"It's huge," Gilgeous-Alexander said after the Thunder improved to 54 wins and just 12 defeats.

"Because [the Celtics have] have done what we're trying to do, the games against them are always going to be heightened. They're always going to be a little bit more exciting.

"There's no better test in the NBA."

The Celtics, who have now won 49 and lost 17 games, are second behind the Cavaliers (won 55 lost 10) and remain on course for a play-off spot.

Jayson Tatum, who scored 33 points in 41 minutes, says his side need to improve their form if they are to win back-to-back championships.

"Everybody has to play a little bit better," said Tatum.

"Better at the margins, the little things. You're playing against contending teams that are not really going to beat themselves.

"And the little things, not fouling jump shooters at the end of the clock, live ball turnovers, things like that, [we] just got to be a little bit better on."