Arpon Basu
The Athletic’s senior columnist on the Montreal Canadiens, co-host of the Basu and Godin Notebook podcast, regular contributor for Habs on TSN. Subscribe at:
Print: nytimes.com/athletic/nhl/team/c…
Audio: basuandgodin.com
- On the state of the Canadiens at the break after a 5-1 win in Winnipeg last night, firmly a playoff team and with room for improvement. And with that, my Canadiens coverage takes a pause, but not my Canadian coverage. Next stop, Milan. A presto! www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
- Back when Lane Hutson was finishing college, Quinn Hughes warned not to judge him too quickly, that Hutson would be fine. A little less than two years later, Hughes still has his back, but is surprised at how quickly Hutson has come to dominate the NHL. www.nytimes.com/athletic/702...
- Reposted by Arpon Basu[Not loaded yet]
- Martin St. Louis has long wanted to elevate his young team’s B-game, how they perform on nights they don’t quite have it. It was non-existent earlier this season. It just got the Canadiens 3 out of 4 points on the road against two of the hottest teams in the NHL: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...
- Nick Suzuki on getting picked on the Wild entry on the winning goal: “I felt like I was tripped.” Martin St. Louis when asked the same question: "We expect more." Of course, he meant from the officials, but he was careful. That pick play at the offensive blue line has been consistently called.
- Kaprizov wins it for the Wild 4-3 in OT
- Phillip Danault gets his stick on the hands of Kirill Kaprizov as he drives the net and the Wild head to the PP in OT.
- Jake Evans, 8-1 in the dot tonight, sent out for the FOGO to start OT
- Though they let a third period lead get away from them, the Canadiens reach overtime to earn a big point. This was a difficult assignment and they've already earned a passing grade tonight.
- Brock Faber ties it up for the Wild moments after Nick Suzuki rang one off the post. Mike Matheson stepped up to drop a shoulder, Faber moved into the space Matheson vacated and goes 5-hole on Dobeš. 3-3.
- Quinn Hughes briefly took over the league lead for assists by a defenceman with his 48th of the season in the first period. Lane Hutson tied it back up at the end of the second.
- Canadiens get two goals in 29 seconds, straddling the second intermission.
- Kirby Dach gives the Canadiens a 3-2 lead right off the opening faceoff of the third period. Nick Suzuki with an incredible setup.
- Ivan Demidov ties it with 15.8 seconds to play, one timer off a Lane Hutson feed. 2-2 game.
- Man that was an incredible pass from Lane Hutson. Just ridiculous.
- The Canadiens, much like the second period in Buffalo on Saturday, are just surviving in the second period so far.
- Brendan Gallagher snaps an eight-game goalless streak in vintage style, drives the net and tucks it around Gustavsson to make it 2-1 with 50 seconds left in the first
- Canadiens defensive breakdown as no one picks up, uhh, Quinn Hughes. As soon as he attracts Oliver Kapanen’s attention, Hughes hits Kapanen’s man, Kirill Kaprizov, and the Wild go up 2-0.
- In the first 14 minutes of this game, Mike Matheson has played at least one five-on-five shift with four different defencemen: Guhle, Carrier, Dobson, Hutson.
- Joel Eriksson-Ek gets a freebie from Jakub Dobeš. The first shot on goal of the game goes in and the Wild lead 1-0.
- Canadiens lines in warmup in Minny Caufield-Suzuki-Dach Slafkovský-Kapanen-Demidov Anderson-Danault-Gallagher Veleno-Evans-Bolduc Matheson-Guhle Hutson-Dobson Xhekaj-Carrier Dobeš Montembeault
- Canadiens weekly notebook on Cole Caufield and Mike Matheson taking parallel journeys, Bruce Cassidy on how Nick Suzuki can help Team Canada in Milan and more. www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...
- No Alexandre Texier at Canadiens practice in Buffalo today. Kirby Dach is still skating with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.
- According to @domluszczyszyn.bsky.social’s model, last night’s loss to the Jets dipped the Panthers playoff chances to 46%, their lowest point of the season. The Canadiens climbed to 83% with their win over the Sabres: www.nytimes.com/athletic/669...
- On Canadiens-Sabres: From me, the potential solutions to some nagging problems that led to a Canadiens comeback win: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701... From @matthewfairburn.bsky.social, the Sabres were unhappy it was essentially a road game and other thoughts: www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...
- Juraj Slafkovský matched a career high with seven shots on goal tonight.
- Basically only Canadiens fans remaining in the building, serenading the road team as time expires. There's been a lot of big wins for the Canadiens this season. This might be the biggest so far.
- Oliver Kapanen nearly 200 feet into an empty net and the Canadiens lead 4-2
- I would estimate there's been roughly five offside calls missed in this game, and that might be a conservative estimate
- Canadiens good forecheck, Dach to Suzuki to Caufield and it is 3-2 Montreal
- Canadiens start the third strong, piling up possessions in the Sabres zone, and Caufield tips home a Dobson pass in the slot to tie it up 2-2
- The Canadiens go into the third down 2-1, and are frankly fortunate to be only down one goal. That period was all Sabres.
- Just as Lane Hutson's second minor of the game expired, and as the Canadiens were on the verge of killing off a second straight penalty, Noah Ostlund gives the Sabres a 2-1 lead with a rocket from the slot.
- Jakub Dobeš with a big save on Josh Doan, Sabres taking it to the Canadiens here.
- Owen Power scores on a delayed penalty to tie it up 1-1.
- Excellent Canadiens patience on the power play, Suzuki to Slafkovský in the bumper and he wires it top corner, 1-0 Canadiens. That is a new career high in goals Slafkovský with his 21st.
- Canadiens warmup lines in Buffalo Caufield-Suzuki-Dach Slafkovský-Kapanen-Demidov Anderson-Danault-Gallagher Veleno-Evans-Bolduc Matheson-Guhle Hutson-Dobson Xhekaj-Carrier Dobeš Montembeault
- Alexandre Texier is not on the ice for Canadiens warmup, Joe Veleno is. Martin St. Louis said this morning there were no changes.
- Kaiden Guhle took full responsibility for the hit he took from Josh Manson the other night. Said he put himself in a bad spot and didn’t think Josh Manson’s hit was dirty. Also said his arm blocked most of the blow and he didn’t really take the elbow to the head/face.
