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Habs stay in final place in Atlantic Division with two video games left in season following 5-4 shootout loss in Ottawa.
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The rebuilding Canadiens weren’t anticipated to make the playoffs this season, however the Ottawa Senators had been imagined to at the least contend.
Each groups received’t be within the playoffs, with the Canadiens lacking the postseason for the third straight season and the Senators lacking for the seventh straight yr. That ought to make Canadiens followers really feel a bit higher.
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The groups met Saturday night time in Ottawa with the Senators profitable 5-4 in a shootout. The Canadiens have now misplaced 9 straight video games towards the Senators, courting again to April 5, 2022.
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The Canadiens had an opportunity to maneuver forward of the Senators and out of final place within the Atlantic Division standings with a regulation-time victory. The Canadiens had been main 4-3 earlier than Thomas Chabot tied the sport with 1:05 left within the third interval with Senators goalie Joonas Korpisalo on the bench for an additional attacker after which Drake Batherson scored the one aim of the shootout for the victory.
The Canadiens (30-36-14) at the moment are two factors behind the Senators (36-40-4) and each groups have two video games remaining within the season.
Cole Caufield scored twice for the Canadiens, whereas Mike Matheson and Alex Newhook added singles. Jesse Ylönen, Caufield and Suzuki all failed to attain within the shootout.
Brady Tkachuk scored twice for the Senators and Shane Pinto added a single.
The Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky was 13 years outdated the final time the Senators made the playoffs in 2016-17.
Purpose Caufield: Caufield now has seven objectives within the final seven video games and a career-high 27 objectives for the season, beating the 26 he scored in 46 video games final season earlier than requiring shoulder surgical procedure.
Magic Mike: Matheson opened the scoring at 9:11 of the primary interval with a phenomenal breakaway aim whereas the Canadiens had been short-handed. It was the eleventh aim of the season for Matheson, matching his profession excessive set with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2021-22.
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Matheson additionally added his 51st help of the season. His 62 factors are essentially the most by a Canadiens defenceman since Andrei Markov had 12-52-64 totals in 2008-09.
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May have been a Hab: Tkachuk’s two objectives give him a career-high 37 this season, two greater than he had final season with the Senators.
Tkachuk, chosen fourth total by the Senators on the 2018 NHL Draft, now has 162 profession objectives. Jesperi Kotkaniemi, chosen by the Canadiens one choose earlier than the Senators took Tkachuk, has 63 profession objectives.
Kotkaniemi, now in his third season with the Carolina Hurricanes, does have an enormous benefit on Tkachuk in one other class. Kotkaniemi has performed in 58 playoff video games, together with 29 with the Canadiens, whereas Tkachuk has but to play a single playoff recreation after taking part in 438 regular-season video games.
Buffalo Sabres defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, taken with the No. 1 total choose on the 2018 draft, has additionally by no means performed in a playoff recreation. The Sabres will miss the playoffs for the thirteenth straight season. The Sabres’ Jeff Skinner holds the NHL document for many regular-season video games performed (1,005) with out ever taking part in within the playoffs. Skinner spent the primary eight seasons of his profession with the Carolina Hurricanes, earlier than becoming a member of the Sabres for the 2018-19 season.
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May have been linemates: Tkachuk leads all NHL gamers underneath age 24 in objectives this season with 37. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki ranks second with 33.
Suzuki has performed in 32 playoff video games with the Canadiens.
Newhook on a roll: With a aim and an help towards the Senators, Newhook has 2-6-8 totals within the final seven video games. Regardless of lacking 27 video games with a excessive ankle damage suffered on the finish of November, Newhook has matched his profession excessive in objectives and factors with 14-19-33 totals in 53 video games. Final season, he scored 14 objectives in 82 video games with the Avalanche.
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Anderson not on a roll: Josh Anderson was held off the scoresheet for the sixtieth time within the 76 video games he has performed this season.
Anderson has 9-10-19 totals on the season and has just one level (a aim) in his final 18 video games.
Lastly a shot: For the primary time in 12 video games the Canadiens’ Rafaël Harvey-Pinard acquired a shot on aim, however he did not register some extent.
Harvey-Pinard has 1-8-9 totals in 43 video games this season after posting 14-6-20 totals in 34 video games final season.
Taking pictures gallery: It was a busy night time for goalie Cayden Primeau because the Canadiens had been outshot 44-25. Three of the Senators objectives got here on the facility play.
It marked the fifth time in 20 begins this season — and the second straight — that Primeau has confronted at the least 40 pictures. His document is now 8-9-2 with a 2.95 goals-against common and a .910 save share.
Ylönen again in lineup: Ylönen returned to the Canadiens’ lineup after being a wholesome scratch for the earlier 4 video games, taking Tanner Pearson’s spot. Ylönen did not get a shot on aim throughout his 9:29 of ice time. Ylönen has one level (a aim) in his final 26 video games and has 4-4-8 totals in 58 video games this season.
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They stated it: “I assumed we performed a fairly good recreation,” Caufield stated. “We gave ourselves a few leads. Only a robust six-on-five aim. Battle to the top, I assumed. Only a robust end result.”
“It was a very good recreation,” Primeau stated. “They acquired 4 (objectives) with a person down. Your goalie’s acquired to be your greatest penalty-killer. It doesn’t really feel good.”
Some stats: As common, Matheson led the Canadiens in ice time with 26:21. Defenceman David Savard had two assists. Caufield led the Canadiens with six pictures, whereas Anderson had a team-leading eight hits. It was a uncommon recreation when Michael Pezzetta didn’t register successful in his team-low 7:48 of ice time. Suzuki went 9-3 within the faceoff circle (75 per cent).
What’s subsequent? The Canadiens will play the Crimson Wings on Monday night time in Detroit, earlier than ending the season Tuesday night time towards the Crimson Wings on the Bell Centre.
scowan@postmedia.com
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