Canadiens Battle Hard But Fall Short Against Sharks in Thrilling Contest

The Montreal Canadiens began their Pacific coast road trip with a spirited matchup against the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night at the SAP Center. With the trade deadline looming, scouts from the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues were in attendance, although the Blues were set to face the Sharks later in the week, perhaps conducting some advance scouting.

Head coach Martin St-Louis opted to stick with the same lineup that secured a 6-2 victory over the Washington Capitals just days prior. This meant that Joe Veleno, Alexandre Texier, and Arber Xhekaj were healthy scratches, while Jakub Dobes was tasked with starting in goal for the second consecutive game.

St-Louis has consistently emphasized the significance of details in play, but the Canadiens showcased some glaring errors in the opening frame. Despite recent efforts during the Olympic break to limit odd-man rushes, the Habs struggled in the first twenty minutes. A turnover by Lane Hutson at the offensive blue line led to a dangerous opportunity for the Sharks, a situation exacerbated by Philip Danault’s ill-timed pass in a crowded area.

Two of Montreal’s key players also contributed to costly turnovers in their own zone. Cole Caufield lost possession behind his own net, and Jakub Dobes had to intervene with an active stick to prevent Kiefer Sherwood from capitalizing. Later, Juraj Slafkovsky attempted a no-look backhand pass that resulted in yet another turnover. This recurring mistake has crept back into Slafkovsky’s game, much to St-Louis’s dismay.

The second period began positively for the Canadiens, as they took a 2-1 lead courtesy of a goal from Danault. However, their focus wavered, allowing Michael Misa to tie the game midway through the period. Jayden Struble’s inability to clear the puck at the Sharks’ blue line contributed to the chaos in the Canadiens’ zone, which led to the equalizer.

As the Canadiens sought to bolster their defense ahead of the trade deadline, Struble’s performance raised concerns, especially with reports linking Xhekaj to the Calgary Flames. Late in the second period, the Habs found themselves in deeper trouble, conceding two goals in a mere 25 seconds. Macklin Celibrini capitalized on a soft shot that slipped past Dobes, followed by a turnover from Kirby Dach that allowed Alexander Wenneberg to score with ease.

Despite trailing 5-2 early in the third period after a power play goal from the Sharks, the Canadiens rallied. Ivan Demidov scored quickly on the power play, and Alex Newhook followed up with two goals, tying the game just five minutes later. Newhook’s impressive return from injury now sees him with four points in three games and a 66-point pace over a full season.

However, the Canadiens’ hopes were dashed when they were penalized for too many men on the ice with less than five minutes remaining. Sherwood capitalized on the ensuing power play to score the game-winner. Although Montreal attempted to mount a comeback with a 6-on-5 advantage after pulling Dobes, it was too late, and the Sharks sealed the game with an empty-net goal. Celibrini shone brightly throughout the contest, showcasing his talent with space. For Dobes, this marked his first regulation loss since December 9th, a disappointing start to the road trip for St-Louis and his squad.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.