The Montreal Canadiens have been stuck in reverse for much of the 2021-2022 regular season, and maybe it’s because they replaced their intro music at the Bell Centre? At the behest of injured defenceman Joel Edmundson, they changed it back to Fix You by Coldplay, and lo and behold, the home team won 6-3 against the Nashville Predators on Sunday. Were their bones ignited by a certain song, or was it mere coincidence? Rolling seven defencemen Rolling seven defencemen probably wasn’t the difference-maker, but that’s another thing they tried Saturday. Chris Wideman returned to the lineup and got two assists. Michael Pezzetta sat this one out.
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It was a busy night both on and off the ice for the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night.
While Jake Allen made 47 saves in a 6-3 win for his club over the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena, the Habs announced assistant general manager Scott Mellanby had resigned from his post.
The Canadiens may not have planned to make such an announcement during the middle of a game, but they were given little choice: rumours about the Canadiens talking to former New York Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton were making the rounds, signalling management changes are afoot. Here’s what the insiders were saying on Twitter:
Many are grumbling that Premier François Legault has more pressing issues to worry about than the amount of Quebec players in the National Hockey League and the potential return of the Quebec Nordiques. I actually like the fact that he has some big ideas about hockey. There is indeed something wrong with a world in which Quebec produces fewer hockey stars than in the past and it would be a good thing for all Quebecers if the province could more easily develop the next Guy Lafleur. But the main reason I loved Legault’s hockey announcement is because he says he is working to help bring the Nords back.
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Very intriguing situation in Montreal. We know Scott Mellanby is out. He resigned. We know there’s interest in Jeff Gorton. Geoff Molson is running point on this and it’s believed, Gorton is targeted for a very substantial hockey operations position.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) November 28, 2021
Hearing that Scott Mellanby had extensive talks with Habs owner Geoff Molson at first about becoming GM, then that changed to perhaps becoming president of hockey operations. But he was told yesterday he was out of the running. So he resigned today.
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 28, 2021
Sources say Marc Bergevin was hurt by the news/rumours on Gorton & Mellanby. He had previously recommended Mellanby to replace him but was kept in the dark on any ongoing talks/négociations. Bergevin was made aware of the rumours through the media. He remains the GM as we speak.
What the Puck: Canadiens' change needs to start with a new head coach
Canadiens management is treating the team’s fans with utter contempt. The Habs are one of the worst teams in the NHL. They’re 30th in the 32-team league, but it’s not even simply the points. I had the misfortune of watching the 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Wednesday and the Habs did a good impersonation of a team that didn’t even want to win the game. When almost every player on the team sucks eggs, which was the case in Washington, there is something very wrong in that room. Yet general manager Marc Bergevin said a few days ago they’re staying the course, that no radical changes are coming.
— Louis Jean (@LouisJeanTVAS) November 28, 2021
There was still a game to be played, and it was an exciting one. Don’t let the score fool you: the Canadiens scored three empty-netters to skew what was in reality a much closer game. Chris Wideman was scratched with an upper body injury, bringing Michael Pezzetta back to the lineup. Casey DeSmith got a rare start in goal in place of Tristan Jarry for Pittsburgh.
The game was scoreless after the first period. After allowing a shorthanded goal during a four-minute power play against the Sabres on Friday, the Habs once again received a four-minute man-advantage after Dominik Simon drew blood from a high-stick on Brendan Gallagher. They didn’t score, but they didn’t allow a shorty.
Josh Anderson was a factor with his speed and physical play in the first, which continued throughout the night. In the second, the Habs finally broke the scoreless tie at 15:34 when Jonathan Drouin on a breakaway slipped a backhand under DeSmith.
Tage Thompson scored two goals for the Buffalo Sabres in a 4-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at KeyBank Center on Black Friday. The Sabres entered the contest on a four-game skid, but outplayed the Habs from start to finish, outshooting them 39-26. Samuel Montembeault made 35 saves in the loss, while former Hab Dustin Tokarski got the win for Buffalo. The Habs lost their second game in a row to fall to 5-15-2, with a 1-9-1 record on the road. The lanky forward opened scoring at 4:08 in the first. Victor Olofsson pushed a one-handed pass to Jeff Skinner, who found Thompson racing through the slot towards the net.
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JO ????#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/f2fH40KWwg
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
Soon after, Simon nearly tied the game when his shot squeezed through Allen and dribbled towards the net, but Mattias Norlinder was able to intercept the puck as it neared the goal line.
Mattias N????-rlinder!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/tqxGocCiZJ
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
The Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Evan Rodrigues line was dominant all night, placing 26 shots between the three of them. Rodrigues was the one to tie the game on the power play early in the third. Kristopher Letang kept the puck in the zone, allowing Crosby to connect with Rodrigues on a one-touch pass. The 1-1 equalizer was one of Rodrigues’ 12 shots on the night.
Evan Rodrigues goes bar down on the power play ???? pic.twitter.com/vAdhLWIoSj
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 28, 2021
The Habs regained the lead 32 seconds later. Anderson battled his way through two defenders with the puck before a pinching Sami Niku found Christian Dvorak wide open in front. Dvorak’s goal made it 2-1.
The Habs made big changes on Sunday, signaling the start of a new era for the storied franchise. This organization desperately needs all-encompassing change, and that is now Jeff Gorton’s task. © Provided by Hockey News on Sports Illustrated Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports It was long coming, the end of the Marc Bergevin Era with the Montreal Canadiens. The axe dropped on Bergevin, as well as assistant GM Trevor Timmins and public relations head honcho Paul Wilson, on Sunday afternoon.
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Quelle réplique! ????
Quick reply!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/xESgWeVVon
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
The Penguins nearly capped off the wild sequence with another tying goal, only this time Allen robbed Rodrigues off the draw with a glove save.
JAAAAAAKE ????????#GoHabsGO pic.twitter.com/iZ3T6NLwBX
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
The Habs then took a 3-1 lead. Norlinder sent a puck on net with three Habs waiting in front for a rebound. After bouncing around en route, the puck landed on Lehkonen’s stick and then the back of the net, giving the Finn his third goal in four games. Norlinder got his first NHL point.
Un troisième but en quatre matchs pour Lehkonen!
Third goal in four games for Lehkonen!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/r8EAh6RZQL
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
The Penguins didn’t quit with time winding down. Anderson continued his gutsy display with a key shot block. After the Habs failed to clear, Jeff Carter reduced Montreal’s lead to 3-2 with DeSmith pulled.
Jeff Carter gets one back for Pittsburgh late in the third with the empty net!#LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/dYFksL0Yw1
— Hockey Daily 365 (@HockeyDaily365) November 28, 2021
After Anderson scored an insurance marker in an empty net, the Penguins returned volley, this time Crosby on a one-timer. It was 4-3 Habs.
Josh Anderson fait 4-2 dans un filet désert!
Josh Anderson makes it 4-2 with an empty-netter!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/hmjGFv2idE
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) November 28, 2021
That was as close as the Penguins got. Anderson scored another empty netter (awarded automatically after Letang tripped him on a break) and Toffoli got one of his own for a 6-3 final score. It’s not trading Mike Cammalleri in the middle of a game bad, but having to release a statement about a resignation in the front office was an unfortunate distraction on a night where the Canadiens won. Allen and Anderson were integral in getting Montreal to come out on top.
The Liveblog commenters got two soap operas for the price of one on Saturday. How fun is that after the season they’ve endured?
About Last Night: Bolts beat Habs in final three minutes .
The decimated Montreal Canadiens hung on for the first 57 minutes of their rematch against the reigning Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at the Bell Centre on Tuesday, but late goals by Corey Perry and Ondrej Palat sealed a 3-2 victory for the champs. These were not the same Habs as the ones who faced the Bolts in the Stanley Cup final back in June/July. Because of offseason moves and injuries, only eight players from that squad suited up Tuesday. That includes backup Jake Allen, who got the call tonight. It could have been an anticlimactic game, given where each team currently stands, but the plucky, depleted Canadiens gave a spirited effort.