Call of the Wilde: Montreal Canadiens fall to Seattle Kraken in overtime – Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens had revenge on their minds when they played in Seattle on Wednesday night. When the Kraken visited the Bell Centre in late October, it was one of the most embarrassing nights of the season. The Kraken won 8-2 in what was perhaps the low point of the year.

The clubs have gone opposite directions since then with the Canadiens needing a win to be tied for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and Seattle out of the playoff mix.

The Canadiens didn’t get a win, but they did get a point for losing in overtime 5-4. Montreal is one point out of a playoff spot.

Wilde Horses 

Patrik Laine doesn’t excel in some areas as an NHL player, but he sure can shoot. Laine was back in the line-up after suffering from the flu, and he went straight to work in his office. Laine is practically unstoppable from the left side on the power play.

He usually gets the soft feed from Lane Hutson, but this time, it was Hutson to Nick Suzuki, and it was the captain who softly set-up Laine for the rocket of a shot. He ripped it into the top corner before Joey Daccord had even moved. That’s 15 goals on the season in just 35 games.

There are complaints about Laine’s five-on-five game due to his inability to get the puck up ice quickly defensively. However, if he could play with a strong 200-foot centre who could do that defensive work for him, Laine could be an extremely valuable player.

Laine needs to play in the offensive zone where he can let that shot rip. There are many ‘one trick ponies’ in sports, and if that trick is scoring, that is more than enough to be vital in a line-up.

Many fans have decided they don’t want to extend Laine beyond the end of his contract next season. Instead, let’s see what he looks like with Ivan Demidov and a strong centre, then decide. No player can show you his best without a strong centre, especially a player like Laine.

In fact, on the Canadiens tying goal, Laine showed what he can do with a puck-moving centre. Alex Newhook showed that tremendous speed right from his own zone as he flew up ice. He then fed Laine on the wing. He gave it back to a streaking Newhook who had a tap-in.

Nothing wrong with that from Laine. Let someone capable carry the defensive load, then watch his instincts take over in the offensive zone. Two points in his return to the line-up. Note too how Newhook continues to improve his game using his speed all the way down ice, instead of gliding when he gets into traffic.

The Canadiens then took the lead as Juraj Slafkovsky showed his improvement after the Four Nations break. The confidence is overflowing from Slafkovsky. He took a pass from Cole Caufield, then flew down the left side, and ripped a shot into the top corner.

Slafkovsky wasn’t done, though, on the night. In the third period, Slafkovsky was standing where he must for NHL success. Jayden Struble ripped a point shot. Slafkovsky was standing right in front of the net for the deflection. Eleven points in ten games for Slafkovsky.

Lane Hutson picked up his second assist of the night for 51 points on the season. Hutson is now two points behind Quinn Hughes for the highest scoring rookie season for a defenceman this century.

Hutson is the second favourite for the Calder Trophy behind Macklin Celebrini. The Sharks centre is a nice player, but his rookie season for forwards is mid-tier. Hutson’s season, for a defender, is one of the greatest in league history.  Oddsmakers are way off. Let’s hope the voters aren’t also off.

Wilde Goats 

After the crucial victory in Vancouver, a night later, the Canadiens had no energy to start their contest in Seattle. It’s remarkable how much energy plays into how an NHL game goes. The Kraken hadn’t played since Sunday, so they were rested and excited. The Canadiens played then travelled and showed up without any legs.

The shots on goal in the first period were 12-5 Seattle. The Canadiens were fortunate to get out of the period down by only one. Seattle continued to dominate peppering Jakub Dobes with shot after shot. It was 17-5 Kraken in shots early in the second period.

Dobes saved the game when the skaters were all goats for the first 25 minutes. After that, the Kraken’s surge settled, and the Canadiens found their legs, and we had an entertaining hockey game.

Wilde Cards 

After many stops and starts in the first three years of Slafkovsky’s career, it feels like the Slovak is now ready for a breakout season in year four as a 21 year old. Slafkovsky’s recent improved play has caused a revival in the Suzuki line.

The point totals in the eight games since the Four Nations break are outstanding. Suzuki is on the verge of his first point-per-game season with 15 points in his last eight games. Cole Caufield has nine points, and Slafkovsky has eight points in the last eight games. The line collectively is scoring almost two goals-per-game with 15 markers in their last eight contests.

Greatness as a line in the NHL is measured in terms of goals with the century mark the demarcation line. It’s a stunningly embarrassing stat for the Canadiens that the last 100-goal line for Montreal was in 1993 when Brian Bellows, Kirk Muller, and Vincent Damphousse scored 110 goals.

No one could have possibly seen how bad it would be offensively for the Canadiens for the next more than 30 years. However, the tide is finally coming in, and it’s coming in high. Suzuki is more than likely to key the end to that monumental drought.

Last season, in the second 41 games of the year, the Suzuki line had 53 goals. It was a remarkable total that, over the course of a year, would have been enough to hit triple digits. This season, though, Slafkovsky fell back dragging the line with him.

With the first overall pick finding his game again, making decisions at a much faster pace, seemingly with a plan for the puck before he gets the puck, it’s all coming together again. Obviously, almost two goals-per-game recently is unsustainable, but the hot streak has put the line in some lofty company.

The best line in the league this season is Connor-Scheifele-Vilardi in Winnipeg with Guentzel-Point-Kucherov in Tampa Bay close behind. The Canadiens top trio is now in the top-ten with their recent surge.

An interesting comparison is the Maple Leafs top line of Knies-Matthews-Marner has 68 goals while Suzuki’s line has 66 goals. It’s a good look at how competitive the Canadiens top line is with the best lines in all of hockey.

The best part of equation is Slafkovsky is only now just learning what he can do. His improvement keys the century mark being attained. Make a bold prediction to your friends that the 33 year drought for a 100-goal line in Montreal ends next season.

The prediction has even a better chance of being correct if the second line can also score taking away the defensive attention the first line gets. The Suzuki line this excellent when the head coach of the opposition has, essentially, no one else to worry about makes their numbers even more remarkable.

The excitement is mounting all over the organization.