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3 major takeaways from Montreal Canadiens' 2-1 loss in preseason game vs Toronto Maple Leafs
The Montreal Canadiens lost a tight game versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Nick Robertson scored two goals for the Leafs, while Kirby Dach got the Canadiens on the board late in the third period, forcing an exciting end.
While the Habs outshot the Leafs 27-22, they were unable to generate enough offense to take over the game. So, let’s take a look at the three major takeaways from the Montreal Canadiens’ loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Three major takeaways from Montreal Canadiens' preseason loss vs Toronto Maple Leafs
#3 The offense just wasn’t there
The Montreal Canadiens played a solid, all-around game. However, they were unable to generate enough scoring chances despite having regulars like Cole Caufield, captain Nick Suzuki, Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson.
The Leafs did a good job playing the type of tight-checking hockey coach Craig Berube is known for. The Leafs were physical and didn't commit any foolish mistakes that could have cost them goals.
Moreover, Leafs netminder Dennis Hildeby looked sharp, keeping his team in the game as Montreal pushed, especially after Dach’ late goal, but the Habs couldn't solve Hildeby and dropped the matchup.
#2 The Habs lost Patrik Laine to injury
The biggest setback had to be Patrik Laine's injury early in the first period. After a seemingly accidental collision with Leafs forward Cedric Pare, Laine collided with Pare knee-first. The incident left Laine on the ice, unable to get up.
There's no word on the extent of Laine’s injury. Thus far, Montreal Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis has said that the injury doesn't seem serious, but that assessment may change following evaluation.
Losing Laine for any stretch of time could be a serious blow to the Canadiens, as they were counting on his resurgence to provide the team with more offense.
#1 The Habs played the entire game with four defensemen
Eventually, the Habs played with four blueliners. David Reinbacher left after one shift following a collision. He skated off the ice but didn't return. It appears that Reinbacher suffered a lower body injury.
Meanwhile, Arber Xhekaj decided to take justice into his own hands, engaging Cedric Pare in retaliation for the hit on Laine. Xkekaj was assessed a game misconduct for the altercation, leaving the Canadiens with four blueliners.
Matheson played a team-high 27 minutes, while Lane Hutson logged a little over 25 minutes. Given the circumstances, the Habs’ four blueliners played an admirable game, keeping the score close the entire night.
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