Vancouver was stop three on the five-game road trip for the Montreal Canadiens. Vancouver is a high-flying team, and Thursday night the Canucks showed it, posting an easy 4-1 win.
If this team is going to come together overall, it has to improve on special teams. The power play has been stronger this year than last season, but the penalty kill has lagged.
Against the Oilers on Tuesday night, the penalty killers did well against some of the most potent snipers in hockey. Joel Armia took a four minute high-sticking penalty late, and it looked like it was going to cost the Canadiens a result, but they got the game to overtime.
Against Vancouver, early in the contest, Montreal took a penalty for too many men on the ice to give the Canucks a two-man advantage power play for one minute and six seconds. The Canadiens killed it off effectively.
The Canadiens posted some strong individual performances as well. Cole Caufield had more terrific chances, but he continues to find this to be a frustrating season. On one power play, Caufield produced three quality chances. In the first, he wired a shot off the post. Only five seconds later, he got a pass in the slot and ripped another shot. Twenty seconds after that, Caufield made a terrific set-up to Alex Newhook for another possible goal.
Caufield did get an assist as the Canadiens got on the board late in the second. He fired a shot from the blue line that was deflected by Juraj Slafkovsky. The teenager continues to impress with his 15th goal of the season. He’s had points in six straight games, and 20 points in his last 22 games. The club seems to have made the right pick at number one overall.
