It’s no coincidence that the Canadiens have started winning again

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
It’s no coincidence that the Canadiens have started winning again
Credit: YouTube

The Canadiens got off to a rough start this season. We know that.

Among the reasons cited was the performance of the special teams. The Canadiens' players were unable to do their jobs in those situations during the first four games of the season.

As of October 8, after four games, the Habs had a “success rate” of 7.7% on the power play and 70.6% while shorthanded.

But what about since then?

In four games, the Habs' power play is at 21.4%, while their penalty kill is at 94.1%. It's truly night and day compared to the start of the season.

(Credit: NHL.com)

Special teams had been identified as a problem area after a few games. The Habs lost three of their first four games but have won three of their last four.

Jakub Dobes played in three of the first four games, and Jacob Fowler played in three of the last four. There's no denying that this is a factor behind the turnaround.

But is it the only factor? No.

Defensively, the players are gaining a better and better understanding of Derek Lalonde's aggressive system. As a result, the Habs are more effective when playing shorthanded.

Kaiden Guhle's return from injury has also helped; he arrived at just the right time to replace Mike Matheson. Right now, his absence isn't being felt.

But let's be clear: if his absence drags on, watch closely as the Canadiens' defense struggles. A player like that can be replaced internally in the short term, but not in the long term.

On offense, the guys are finding their rhythm, too. It worked particularly well on Saturday during the five-on-five play, when Zachary Bolduc took Chris Kreider's spot on the first line.

That's interesting…

Over the course of the eight games since the start of the season, the Canadiens have often been successful at five-on-five. But since they've improved their special teams, they've been winning more hockey games—which is pretty significant.

That must be an incredible coincidence. #OrNot


In a Nutshell

– Phew.

– The Rays are one win away from the World Series.

– Must-read.

– What a great deal in Edmonton. But it's short-term…

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