MONTREAL – The Canadiens have lost three straight games for the second time this season. They have only one victory in their last five outings in front of their supporters. The numerical advantage gloomy in the last rank of the NHL and indiscipline comes back more and more often to haunt the team.
What could be better than a long seven-game road trip to do the dirty laundry with the family and get back to the basics that have kept the team looking good more often than not since the start of the campaign?
“It’s time to find yourself a little. I think we are comfortable abroad. It’s not that we’re far away at home, but there are games where we don’t give ourselves a chance because we have to kill penalties all the time. So we’re going to try to find our discipline on the road,” summed up head coach Martin St-Louis after a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday night at the Bell Center.
St. Louis admitted that while he hasn’t always agreed with referees’ decisions in recent games, his players are also committing acts that expose them to judgment by officials.
“You have to control your stick. You have to avoid putting yourself in a position where the referee could crack down on you, St-Louis reminded. Sometimes the decisions are harsh. Yes, I find that it often happens that we are victims of questionable decisions. But it’s up to us to fix that. It can’t always be the fault of the referees. ”
One of the weirdest trends in recent games has been the goals scored in the first two periods. The Canadiens have allowed 12 goals against the opposition in the first 40 minutes of their last five games. They scored none, each time having to try to come back in the third period.
“I think we’re generating chances, but we’re not scoring,” said Nick Suzuki, who ended a five-game drought by hitting the target against the Lightning.
The Habs captain felt the holiday trip was timely for him and his teammates. While he can’t quite pinpoint why, Suzuki thinks the Canadians may be playing a little better on the road these days.
“It’s hard to explain because we play the same type of hockey,” Suzuki said.
The Canadiens have a home record of 7-9-0. Their record on opposing rinks is 7-6-2.
The holiday season trip is often seen as a pivotal moment in the Canadiens’ season. It was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic last year, but the Habs had lost all three games in a season that was already adrift.
“It might be weird to say, but it’s going to be good to get out there and hang out with the guys,” said Jonathan Drouin. We are not thinking of the seven games, but just the three before Christmas. It would be nice to win at least two! We will see. ”
The Canadiens will face the Arizona Coyotes on Monday, then the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday and finally the Dallas Stars on Friday. The second leg of the trip, from December 28 to January 3, will include games against the Lightning, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators.
