NEWARK | During his midseason review, Kent Hughes emphasized the word “consistency” several times. Consistency in the overall look of the team, consistency in special teams effectiveness, consistency from an individual perspective.

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This Wednesday evening at the Prudential Center in Newark, the Montreal camp was missing. The Habs led 2-0 after two periods, but the Devils equalized in the first two minutes of the third period.

Nick Suzuki opened the door for the Devils by receiving a four-minute penalty for carrying his stick too high. Another punishment in the offensive area for number 14. That's consistency.

However, not necessarily the one we are looking for.

Cole Caufield saved the day and his captain thanks to a goal for the third game in a row.

He used the return shot to make the difference in this 3-2 win.

“It wasn't our best game, but we found a way to win,” said the hero of the game.

At the same time, Martin St-Louis and his team celebrated their second win in a row in regular time for the first time this season.

If the opponent had been Monday (the Avalanche), the Habs might not have fared as well. However, we cannot ignore the efforts that the Canadian players continued to put in despite the two quick goals.

“We took a deep breath. Nobody bowed their heads, argued Samuel Montembeault. The third third was our best »

Signed Montembeault

Speaking of Montembeault: he had another big evening.

Like St-Louis, Hughes was careful not to confirm Montembeault as the number one goalie during his press conference.

“I don’t want to give anyone a title because every day I want Sam to be the best goalkeeper possible,” he said.

To push, the Bécancour goalkeeper pressed. He was once again the focus of this victory for the Blue-White-Red. The lanky goalkeeper frustrated Nico Hischier and Dawson Mercer from close range and blocked the door for Erik Haula on a breakaway.

Montembeault doesn't have the official title, but he certainly has the workload. He has now played in six of the team's last nine games.

Slafkovsky in front of Nemec

Juraj Slafkovsky said in the morning that he had gone to dinner with his compatriot Simon Nemec the day before. And that it was the Devils' rookie who footed the bill.

The one the Devils selected right behind Slafkovsky in the 2022 draft was still generous. Nemec sat in the front row and saw Slafkovsky score the first goal. In fact, Caufield's pass bounced off his stick before landing on the Canadian forward's paddle.

Then he made a strange decision in a two-on-one that led to Joshua Roy's first career goal. Instead of stopping in front of his goalkeeper, he continued on his way, leaving Roy alone in the goal area.

While all of Beauce cheered, Lindy Ruff scratched her coconut while looking at the 19-year-old's bottom.

The development of a defender is not the same as that of an attacker. Nevertheless, Slafkovsky showed that he was one step ahead of his good friend.