It’s been a long time since the Canadiens have played a competitive hockey game, and like we did at the Bell Center yesterday at the Red vs. White scrimmage, fans are excited to see the team play.

These games are all about seeing how the young players stack up against NHL competition (as is the case with games that mean nothing). The most interesting things to watch on the Habs side are Logan Mailloux in defense with the stabilizing presence of Jordan Harris to lean on, Alex Newhook and Juraj Slafkovský on one line and Joshua Roy, Owen Beck and Jesse Ylönen on another – two players who desperately want to show they’re ready to play in the NHL and another who has to.

First period

• Slafkovský gets a chance early, which is a good sign
• Now Montreal goes to the power play. It will also be good to see some improvement in this area as well, although the Canadiens are not at their best in this game.
• Guhle shoots through. Will we see more of him in this situation this season?
• Matt presses his record button to score the power play goal because it’s from Joshua Roy. Expect a lot of buzz in the BSM tomorrow.
• Roy had the entire right side of the ice to himself, which probably doesn’t impress Lindy Ruff, but we’re excited to see a lot more of it.
• After the goal comes the second biggest celebration because Arber
• The defensive play is still a bit too hectic and players only react to where the puck lands instead of predicting where it’s going. That will be the only real area where Martin St-Louis and his coaching staff need to make improvements this season.
• The Devils decided to tie the game when Samuel Montembeault dropped to his back and parried. Unlike a sumo wrestler, he is not as fat as he is tall, and the puck goes past him.
• Josh Anderson uses his speed and quick spin to put the puck in the net and Slafkovský follows with another chance.
• We see a bit of Montembeault here from the 2021-22 season, looking like he’s dealing with spilled oil in the goal crease.
• The penalty positioning is of course more disciplined than the typical five-on-five variant. You just have to apply more of it at full force to shorten those D-zone shifts. New Jersey’s healthy 13-6 lead at the end of the period was largely due to these extended exposures.

Second period

• Xavier Simoneau makes a good defensive play, some of which foreshadowed me regretting missing in the first period, but moments later he takes a penalty. Such is the life of a honey badger.
• Montembeault is deceived by a puck that bounces off the boards and New Jersey takes a 1-0 lead. At least he’ll only spend a third of his starts this season dealing with the boards.
• Harris doesn’t just want to be the safety valve in this pairing with Mailloux. He shoots the puck into the net and a Canadian power play ensues.
• Xhekaj gets a chance to lead a power play unit. Gets a little overconfident and tries to get through the neutral zone.
• Anderson is much better at these things and uses his speed to secure a minibreak.
• A good shot from Ylönen works up the middle, dumps the puck and then goes into the net looking for a tip or rebound. NHL teams aren’t as aware of his shooting ability as AHL clubs, and he could do damage on a power play if he continues to make plays.
• Mailoux is out of gas at the end of his power play shift and two Devils players get behind him and give him a chance.
• An entertaining game so far. At least the Laval rocket should be a lot of fun.
• Speaking of which, into the game comes Jakub Dobes – and his red pads – just in time for a Habs penalty kill.
• Another good play from Ylönen to thwart the Devils twice on the PK. He just has too much talent not to make it.
• Mailloux goes into the one-on-four duel outnumbered and therefore cannot come back to defend the front of his net. I don’t think that will earn him his spot and the coaches will no doubt send the same message, although they can’t be upset with his confidence.
• Dawson Mercer has the goal to make it 3-1
• But Anderson took advantage of some open space and a great pass from David Reinbacher to make it 3-2 and give the fans reason to celebrate.
• Anderson slides to the middle of the ice and shoots the puck onto the crossbar. He’s having a lot of fun playing with these young guys and it’s great to see him carry over the second half of last year into a new season.

Third period

• Former Hab player Keith Kinkaid comes into the Devils’ goal area for the third time.
• The Roy-Beck-Ylönen line continues to make sure something happens every time it’s on the ice. I think we will see this trio two or three more times this pre-season.
• You won’t see the ice here for a while because Ylönen goes into the penalty area for a hit.
• It’s a short PK, though, as New Jersey scored its third man-advantage goal of the night.
• Another Xhekaj goal causes huge celebrations in the audience. One person’s voice rises above the others. Must be the fan who ranked him #1 on our Top 25 Under 25.
• Slafkovský brings the puck around the net and Newhook shoots it off the post. It’s really the first time since the opening period that the Slovakian has done anything of note.
• Another great change from the Beck line, with Guhle and Reinbacher on the ice. A pretty good fiver.
• And there’s the first real Ylönen shot, as he nearly shatters Kinkaid’s collarbone in search of the top corner. Once again: just too much talent to fail.
• Dobes comes far out of his goal area and thwarts a Devils chance. We saw two big, athletic goalkeepers here.
• Joining the rush with equal strength, getting into position for a pass, waiting for an opportunity and then returning to position if the opportunity doesn’t arise is a much more sustainable strategy from Mailloux.
• A late flurry of shots, but the Canadiens can’t catch up and the game ends 4-2 for the guests.
• That’s enough for this game. We will see Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Mike Matheson and Co. on Wednesday night when the Ottawa Senators come to town.

EOTP 3 Stars return once the regular season begins