When our position is at stake, we have to take every opportunity we get to improve. It’s a bit like the situation Michael Pezzetta is in. He may have played 175 games in the NHL, but he seems to be the forward who is easiest to move down to make room for young recruits.
Despite limited playing time at even strength due to the numerous penalties awarded by both sides, Pezzetta finished the night with two goals, leaving him once again without a man and without the first star, a nice way to remind you that he’s still in the race.
Photo credit: Ben Pelosse / JdeM
“You watch the kids play since the camp started and you know they’re coming. “It forces me to be at my best,” Pezzetta said. I couldn’t wait to play tonight. I wanted to prove what I could do. Like I’ve done throughout my career. »
When good old Mike is chosen as the first star of the game [ce qu’il ne lui était jamais arrivé auparavant]this is an indication of the lack of brilliance of the meeting.
“It wasn’t an exciting game,” admitted Martin St-Louis.
A wasted evening?
Furthermore, if you felt like you were wasting your time watching the Devils-Canadiens game? That is, if you were crazy enough to watch it all the way through. Tell yourself that you might not be the only one.
The team’s management and coaching staff certainly feel the same way. And not because of the score. After all, the Canadian has blanked his opponents twice in as many days.
However, in a game like yesterday, it is difficult to distribute Mr Sourire and Mr Baboune’s stamps.
First, because the Devils came to the Bell Centre with a more than modest roster. We were happy to see Jake Allen and Johnathan Kovacevic back, but we wouldn’t have hated to see Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt or Dougie Hamilton at work. They weren’t there. Neither one nor the other.
Let us assume that the comparison with the work of the formation used the previous day would have been easier.
And it doesn’t help when you have to rely on special teams for almost half the game.
“It will be difficult [pour l’évaluation] because there is no rhythm, said St-Louis. The preseason games, especially the first two or three, would be so much fun if we could play them in the full five-on-five system. »
Beck answers Kapanen
This doesn’t allow more scientific players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield or Juraj Slafkovsky to get their game going. Repetition is what’s needed in training.
At least they got some of the massive attack. And it was inconclusive. They had ten shots on goal in eight power plays.
“We will work on the numerical advantage. We haven’t worked on that yet,” stressed St-Louis.
We noticed a lot more those who defended the team’s territory without a man. Bravo to Samuel Montembeault who saved his teammates’ butts a few times. He was perfect on 11 shots.
Like Oliver Kapanen on Monday night, Owen Beck also scored points. On the scoresheet, just like William Trudeau, accomplice of the Canadian’s first two goals, and in the decision-makers’ notebook.
Not only was he effective on the penalty kill, but he also had three of the team’s most dangerous shots. Three shots from the middle of the slot.
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