Playoffs: The Canadiens are the team that allows the fewest dangerous scoring chances at 5-on-5

Raphael Simard
Playoffs: The Canadiens are the team that allows the fewest dangerous scoring chances at 5-on-5
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Early in the regular season, the Canadiens were winning games thanks to their offense. The goalies and defensemen simply weren't pulling their weight.

But during the final stretch of the regular season, Montreal began winning games by scores of 2-1 and 3-2 rather than 6-5 and 5-4.

Clearly, this defensive dominance has carried over into the playoffs. Martin St. Louis's squad is the team that allows the fewest high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five. Since the start of the playoffs, the Lightning have allowed 4.22 per 60 minutes.

By comparison, the Habs rank seventh (out of 16) at 10.85 chances per 60-minute period.

The Avalanche lead this ranking at 13.35.

Toward the end of the season, Montreal tightened up its defensive play. And we're seeing Tampa Bay struggle to get into dangerous areas. The six defensemen—Lane Hutson, Mike Matheson, Arber Xhekaj, Jayden Struble, Kaiden Guhle, and Alex Carrier—are doing a good job.

Not only are they better defensively, but they intimidate and inspire more fear. In fact, Xhekaj and St-Louis spoke about intimidation. Unlike in recent years, the Habs won't be intimidated. They're bigger and stronger than ever.

No matter how many scoring chances the Habs gave up to the Lightning in the first two games, the series remains tied 1-1, and Montreal has allowed six goals.

The rest of the series will come down to special teams.


In a nutshell

– No surprise.

– That's what I predicted.

– Will Cole Hutson convince his captain to come back?

– Oh, really.

– Great news.

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