Primeau has competed well tonight. I’ve liked him. He’s coming along.
Patience with goalies. He’s an NHL back-up. He’s arrived to at least that level now.
– Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) March 3, 2024
I know I’m tiresome with this, but it’s the sad reality of a rebuild, this kind of point hurts, especially when it’s guys like Joel Armia, Jake Evans and Josh Anderson who find the back of the net rather than Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield and/or Nick Suzuki.
Still, the season isn’t over yet, and the Tricolore still has plenty of time to lose games and get the best possible pick, especially considering the Habs have the toughest schedule to end the season.
Anyway, getting back to last night’s game, one of the major factors behind the Habs’ (useless and damaging) point was Cayden Primeau’s performance.
The 23-year-old goaltender was very solid in the face of the Lightning’s devastating attack, holding the fort and repelling 27 of the 30 shots he faced.
Indeed, the Habs’ No. 30 played like a goalie who belongs to the best league in the world, when he was in full control and in no way unstable or unsettled.
In the past, Primeau has been known to have moments in a game when he looks lost and out of sorts, but this season that’s hardly ever the case.
Despite the ménage à trois, Primeau finds a way to perform well on the rare occasions when he’s called upon.
He’s played just 14 games this season, including only six since the start of 2024, and has generally done well.
Primeau has a better save percentage than Vasilevskiy this season.
– Habs Chronicle (@HabsChronicle) March 3, 2024
For now, I’d say Primeau is a solid auxiliary, but with more performances like the one in yesterday’s game, he could certainly be a solid 1B.
A good high-danger save by Cayden Primeau to keep the game tied early in the third period. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/a7CiKIBatO
– Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) March 3, 2024
It’s easy to see why the Habs didn’t want to send him to the waivers at the start of the season and lose him for nothing.
14 games later, the sample is still small, but what we’ve seen of Primeau is solid.
Between now and the end of the season, it would be a very good idea for Martin St-Louis to play Primeau much more often, even if the ménage à trois remains in place.
The Habs will have some big decisions to make this summer when it comes to goaltending, as it’s clear that starting next season with three goalies is not ideal.
In a gust
– A first victory this season for CF Montréal.
+3⃣#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/TLS8rJWrDa
– CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) March 3, 2024
– A reaction that speaks volumes.
The reaction after the victory
Scenes after the final whistle! #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/6UHyb8Q1Bl
– CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) March 3, 2024
– Josef Martinez scored his first CF goal, which turned out to be the winning goal.
The first @JosefMartinez17
Martínez is off the mark #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/G41KAWsbby
– CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) March 3, 2024
– The first goal was scored by Quebecer Jules-Anthony Vilsaint.
A powerful shot from Vilsaint to give us the lead
Vilsaint Rocket #CFMTL pic.twitter.com/LTOyJPjrYd
– CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) March 3, 2024
– 56 shots on net, but a heavy defeat for the Rocket.
Final score
Final score pic.twitter.com/MlmFS0bPyb– Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) March 3, 2024