Canadiens lose 3-2 to Sharks — the worst crew in NHL — on dwelling ice

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The San Jose Sharks appeared like the right crew for the Canadiens to play so they may end the primary half of their 82-game schedule on a excessive notice.

The Sharks are the worst crew within the NHL and so they got here into Thursday evening’s recreation on the Bell Centre on a 12-game shedding streak — all in regulation time — whereas being outscored 54-17 throughout that span. The Sharks, who had an 11-game winless streak to begin the season (0-10-1), additionally had the league’s worst purpose differential at minus-90 coming into the Bell Centre.

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The Sharks improved that differential to minus-89 with a 3-2 victory over the Canadiens and in addition improved their file to 10-29-3.

Luke Kunin, Fabian Zetterlund and Nikita Okhotiuk scored for the Sharks.

Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson scored for the Canadiens, who noticed their file fall to 17-18-6 and they’re now 8-11-2 at dwelling.

On the brilliant facet, the Canadiens are 5 factors forward of their tempo final season, once they reached the halfway level with a 16-22-3 file.

The Sharks are nonetheless the worst crew within the NHL, three factors behind the Chicago Blackhawks (12-28-2), who misplaced 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets Thursday evening. The Blackhawks have the second-worst purpose differential within the league at minus-59 — 30 targets higher than the Sharks.

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On this evening, the Sharks had been significantly better than the Canadiens, handing them their second defeat in two nights after shedding 3-2 in a shootout to the Flyers Wednesday in Philadelphia.

When Gallagher was requested after the sport if the Canadiens ought to really feel embarrassed about shedding to the worst crew within the league on dwelling ice, he mentioned: “It’s too good of a league to really feel that. Hopefully nobody feels that. I’ve performed on this league lengthy sufficient … it’s going to humble you actual fast. There’s good gamers on each crew and each crew’s going to come back and compete and be able to play. On no account we take them evenly. I feel the final couple of nights right here our recreation has slipped a bit of bit, however it’s necessary to get it again on observe.”

The Canadiens appeared just like the worst crew within the NHL throughout the second interval once they had been dominated by the Sharks and outshot 17-9. They appeared disorganized and had issues breaking out of their very own zone. Once they did get on the market had been too many turnovers on the offensive blue line and once they did get into the offensive zone they didn’t get a lot visitors in entrance of Sharks goalie Mackenzie Blackwood.

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“Each crew within the league is sweet,” Canadiens goalie Samuel Montembeault mentioned after stopping 32 of the 35 pictures he confronted. “All of them bought good gamers. They had been on a shedding streak, however you bought to provide them credit score. They performed effectively, particularly within the second. I feel they had been working tougher than we had been. We tried to push on the finish within the third, however it was a bit of too late.”

Issues bought off to a nasty begin for the Canadiens 5 minutes into the sport when Jayden Struble went to make a backhand go behind his internet to defence associate Jordan Harris. As a substitute the puck went instantly in entrance of the online to Kunin, who was capable of beat a shocked Montembeault.

Zetterlund put the Sharks up 2-0 at 17:25 of the primary interval after he was left alone in entrance of Montembeault on a defensive breakdown. Solely 21 seconds later, Gallagher bought the Canadiens on the board along with his seventh purpose of the season and his second in three video games after a stupendous setup from Matheson, who picked up his 2 hundredth profession level.

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It appeared like that purpose would give the Canadiens a spark going into the second interval, however as a substitute they got here out completely flat and had been trailing 3-1 after Okhotiuk scored on one other defensive breakdown at 16:44, allowed to sneak in alone from the blue line for a go with none Canadiens even noticing him.

The Sharks had been capable of shield that lead till Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis pulled Montembeault for an additional attacker and Anderson deflected some extent shot by Matheson to beat Blackwood for his seventh purpose of the season with 3:34 left on the clock. The Canadiens saved pushing after that with Montembeault again on the bench, however they couldn’t beat Blackwood once more regardless of outshooting the Sharks 15-11 within the third interval.

Blackwood got here into the sport with a 4-16-2 file, a 3.87 goals-against common and an .890 save share. He stopped 33 of the Canadiens’ 35 pictures for a .943 save share, highlighting Montreal’s issues scoring targets — particularly the forwards.

Captain Nick Suzuki leads the Canadiens with 13 targets, which is tied for 73rd within the NHL. Cole Caufield had a team-high seven pictures for the Canadiens, together with six within the third interval, however couldn’t beat Blackwood and stays caught on 11 targets, which is tied for one hundred and fifth within the NHL.

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Matheson logged a team-high 26:56 of ice time with two assists and 6 pictures. The defenceman ranks second on the Canadiens in scoring with 6-23-29 totals, 5 factors behind Suzuki (12-22-34).

Matheson mentioned he doesn’t take note of the standings as a result of it’s necessary to have the identical motivation going into each recreation irrespective of who the opponent is.

“I don’t really feel like I ever go right into a recreation feeling like, Oh, I can convey a B recreation tonight and be superb, or something like that,” he mentioned. “My private motivation comes from inside and I attempt to convey my A effort each evening, irrespective of who we’re enjoying.”

Not sufficient Canadiens did that in opposition to the Sharks.

They need to really feel embarrassed.

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