A powerful efficiency by Canadiens in 4-3 win over Avalanche

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There was lots to love concerning the Canadiens’ 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche Monday night time on the Bell Centre.

Juraj Slafkovsky scored his first aim in 10 video games, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard scored his first aim this season, Cole Caufield scored his fifth aim within the final 9 video games and Joel Armia scored the winner at 15:50 of the third interval — his seventh aim after beginning the season with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

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The facility play went 2-for-2 and goalie Jake Allen received his first sport since Oct. 28 because the Canadiens beat among the finest groups within the NHL and improved their report to 18-18-7.

Ross Colton, Cale Makar and Devon Toews scored for the Avalanche as their report fell to 28-13-3.

So, what did Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki like most about this sport?

“Most likely simply our group effort,” he stated after choosing up two assists. “Obtained some targets from different traces. Once we had been on the market towards (Nathan) MacKinnon’s line, all 5 of us had been doing an actual good job. They received some possibilities, it’s going to occur, however simply our five-man sport was actually good tonight towards them. It undoubtedly made a distinction within the sport.”

The Avalanche’s No. 1 line of MacKinnon between former Canadien Jonathan Drouin and Mikko Rantanen failed to attain. MacKinnon had a team-high seven pictures, however couldn’t beat Allen, who was 1-8-1 in his earlier 10 begins whereas his teammates scored 18 targets mixed throughout that span.

“Clearly, you wish to win each sport,” Allen stated after making 32 saves because the Avalanche outshot the Canadiens 35-34. “I’m a realist in each sense of the phrase in my life. I perceive that there’s going to be stretches like this and there’s going to be stretches the place I really feel like I can’t cease a seashore ball however I can’t lose a sport. I’ve had that in my profession … I had that final 12 months even. I really feel pretty stable about my sport … it’s simply been robust to discover a strategy to win. To have the ability to get it right here tonight at house is an effective feeling.”

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It was additionally feeling for Slafkovsky to attain his first aim on the Bell Centre since Nov. 5, 2022. Six of Slafkovsky’s 9 profession NHL targets have come on the highway, together with his first 4 this season.

“In fact, it will get irritating in case you don’t rating for some time,” Slafkovsky stated after banging in a rebound of a Suzuki shot on an influence play to tie the rating 1-1 at 7:17 of the primary interval. “However I’m simply making an attempt to smile daily and include a smile to the rink and hopefully the following day is the day.”

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Slafkovsky’s final three targets have all include him standing proper in entrance of the online. The 6-foot-3, 230-pounder is tough to maneuver when he decides to go there and the 19-year-old is doing it rather more typically now.

“Simply making an attempt to place myself to be in a great spot for a rebound and retrieve pucks,” he stated. “I really feel prefer it’s getting higher. Positively not there but, however getting higher.”

Slafkovsky can be beginning to shoot the puck extra. He led the Canadiens with six pictures, tying his profession excessive.

After Makar put the Avalanche up 2-1 at 1:01 of the second interval, Harvey-Pinard scored his first aim within the 16 video games he has performed this season, driving to the online with the puck after which banging his personal rebound previous goalie Alexandar Georgiev.

Caufield’s power-play aim at 1:52 of the third interval gave the Canadiens a 3-2 lead as he beat Georgiev with a wrist shot excessive to the glove facet. Caufield has had an inclination to shoot excessive to the quick facet and he appeared to catch Georgiev without warning going to the far facet this time. It was Caufield’s thirteenth aim of the season, transferring him one forward of Suzuki for the workforce lead.

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Toews tied it up once more when he scored at 9:37 of the third interval. Allen made a few enormous saves after that on MacKinnon, shortly earlier than Armia scored the game-winner on a powerful particular person effort. Armia fought off a few defenders for a unfastened puck in entrance of the online after which backhanded it behind Georgiev whereas falling to the ice.

There at the moment are solely three gamers on the Canadiens with extra targets than Armia: Caufield (13), Suzuki (12) and Sean Monahan (11). Armia has solely performed in 27 of the workforce’s 43 video games.

Head coach Martin St. Louis stated he has preferred Armia’s perspective all season.

“He went right down to Laval and he was an incredible chief down there and performed extraordinarily nicely and got here again up and sat in a chair that was accessible for him,” St. Louis stated. “He’s been a part of our (penalty) kill … I feel he’s been killing extraordinarily nicely for us. I feel he’s having enjoyable. He’s smiling and he’s enjoying some actually good hockey proper now. Quite a bit for Military is simply that consistency and we’re getting that proper now and I hope it retains going.”

The Canadiens will probably be again in motion Wednesday in New Jersey towards the Devils (7 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

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