The day after a poor 0-6 performance on the power play, the Montreal Canadiens organized a special meeting lasting about 30 minutes before heading to Calgary on Wednesday.

The goal? Make sure all players are on the same page when coming onto the rink in this situation.

“We have to find ways to create movement and find space when we’re playing against good shorthanded units,” said Kirby Dach. We must find a way to destabilize the enemy units. »

Dach said credit should also be given to the San Jose Sharks’ shorthanded unit, which ranks first in the NHL in this regard. His brilliance helped the team defeated the Canadiens 4-0 on Tuesday night at the Bell Center.

However, head coach Martin St-Louis conceded that the focus on power play work was warranted.

“There was a streak of seven or eight games where our powerplay worked well, but we were less good at five-a-side. Our five-a-side game is solid there, but our numerical lead is struggling,” he said.

The Habs have scored just one goal in 17 power play opportunities in their last four games.

This sequence coincides with Mike Hoffman’s fall from a lower body injury. Mike Matheson replaced him in the first unit.

” [Jonathan] Drouin was hurt, then Hoffman and there, matheson took his place. Every time there’s a new piece, it’s like we have to start over,” St-Louis said. It is crucial that all five actors work together. »

“If you look at the National League’s top powerplay units, they’re often groups of players that have been together for a long time,” he added.

St-Louis also noted that several players find themselves in new powerplay roles with the Canadiens, including Dach in the middle of the slot and Sean Monahan in the net.

“These are not excuses, they are facts,” said St-Louis. But we will continue with these players. Yes, we want results, but we will focus on the process because we want to build something that will give us results over the long term. »

Nick Suzuki has scored 4 of the Canadians’ 10 power play goals this season. Cole Caufield scored twice. The other four came from the hives of Monahan, Dach, Josh Anderson and Juraj Slafkovský.

Aware that opposing teams Suzuki and Caufield will stress, the 21-year-old American reiterated the cliche that another player will miss if he’s marked.

“You have to read well and find the openings on the ice, take what the opponent gives,” added Caufield.

A journey to 12 attackers?

The Canadian flew to Calgary on Wednesday afternoon. He will take on the Flames in the first of a four-game series in Western Canada and Seattle on Thursday night.

As of Wednesday morning, 12 attackers – the minimum – were “healthy” in the Canadian’s lineup and there are only 10 who have been training.

Monahan and Brendan Gallagher benefited from a day of treatment.

Monahan also missed Habs practice on Monday. However, he was in uniform against the Sharks.

Everything indicates that the two will also be in action against the Flames.

Hoffman (lower body) and Drouin (upper body) did not join the team and they will continue their fitness in Montreal.

If Hoffman’s name is on the injured list, the Canadians may recall an additional Laval Rocket forward as a backup during the trip.

To see in the video