The Montreal Canadiens hit the ice on Monday morning at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. The team will get to work and prepare for Tuesday’s home matchup against the Winnipeg Jets. Montreal enters the matchup on a five-game winning streak, while Winnipeg remains winless in nine.
Surprisingly, Montreal’s winning streak began when Nick Suzuki went down with an upper-body injury on October 23. The injury snapped his 546-game ironman streak. The captain’s return is imminent. He participated in Saturday’s optional game day skate, and looked comfortable shooting the puck, and taking draws.
During their five-game winning streak, the Canadiens outscored their opponents 18–8. Fifteen of those goals came at five-on-five, one was scored shorthanded, and the remaining two were empty-netters.
Montreal’s power play has gone 0-for-13 during Nick Suzuki’s absence. However, players and coaches are quick to note that the team scored twice just seconds after a power play expired.
One of the biggest contributors to the streak has been Jacob Fowler. He started four of the five games, recording a shutout, a .954 save percentage and 7.68 goals saved above expected according to MoneyPuck.
After starting the year in the AHL, Fowler was recalled to step in for an injured Samuel Montembeault and is arguably the hottest goalie in the NHL right now. On Sunday, the league named him October’s Rookie of the Month. He went 7-1-0 with a 1.84 goals-against average, .932 save percentage and two shutouts in eight starts.
Rocket Notes
The Laval Rocket were in Calgary for a pair of games against the Wranglers, affiliated with the Flames. Calgary led 2-0 through 40 minutes on Thursday. However, Luke Mittelstadt and Xavier Simoneau answered with back-to-back goals to tie the game. Calgary scored twice in the last four minutes and collected the 4-2 win. With 16 points, Mittelstadt still sits on top as the league’s leading scorer entering Sunday.
On Saturday, the Wranglers opened the scoring in the second period, and Jared Davidson and Simoneau each scored a shorthanded goal to give Laval a 2-1 win. Davidson’s goal was his first of the season, and fourth point in 10 games. His primary assignment this season has been on the fourth line and occasional appearances on the second power play unit.
Laval is back home to host the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) on Wednesday, and back-to-back games against the Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets) starting on Friday.
Home › Forums › Canadiens Notes: Habs Winning Streak
Tagged: AHL, Laval Rocket, Montreal Canadiens, nhl