WASHINGTON, D.C. — It took simply seconds for the Washington Capitals to capitalize on their bodily benefit over the Montreal Canadiens on this sequence, nevertheless it seems as if it’ll take at the very least yet another recreation for Martin St. Louis to make a change that might assist neutralize that issue.
Arber Xhekaj is a six-foot-four, 240-pound deterrent, and there’s a powerful case to be made St. Louis shouldn’t hesitate to deploy him in Recreation 2.
The coach doesn’t must make sweeping adjustments to his lineup after solely dropping the primary recreation 3-2 in additional time, however that is one he could make to regain one edge that was clearly misplaced to the Capitals on Monday.
It doesn’t look as if St. Louis is popping to it proper now, based mostly on strains and defence pairings remaining intact within the observe Montreal held at Capital One Area.
However he wouldn’t verify that Tuesday.
“I’ve Xhekaj,” mentioned St. Louis. “It’s a card. I would play him. I don’t know but. However it’s (a) good (card) to have.”
The Canadiens might’ve used it because the Capitals bombarded them early and infrequently in Recreation 1, throwing eight of their 42 hits earlier than 4 minutes of the sequence had even been performed.
In between, Brendan Gallagher took a crosscheck within the enamel at one finish, Kaiden Guhle and Lane Hutson received run over on the different, and Xhekaj watched helplessly from the press field as Jayden Struble was being short-shifted in his place.
The 24-year-old was sitting up there as a result of he tends to go on the lookout for hassle when it’s not there. The press field is the place he’s been for all however one of many final 11 video games as a result of his resolution to depart his place for a success, which led to a two-on-one aim towards in a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 28, highlighted the pointless threat he takes at instances.
A coach shouldn’t tolerate any pointless threat in video games of this magnitude, but when St. Louis can belief that Xhekaj has realized his lesson, Xhekaj gained’t must go on the lookout for hassle in Recreation 2.
It’ll discover him, and he’ll forestall it discovering as a lot of his teammates because it did in Recreation 1.
St. Louis won’t see it that approach.
“I don’t assume it’ll change the model of (Capitals agitator Tom) Wilson,” he mentioned, and he proper about that.
However Xhekaj can probably put a scare into a number of the different Capitals who performed like Wilson in Recreation 1 however don’t usually play that approach.
Xhekaj might additionally assist the Canadiens get up somewhat taller to the bodily problem they’ve been introduced with.
“I believe he simply offers that additional motivation for guys possibly being somewhat bit extra comfy with him being out on the ice, figuring out that he’s going to stay up for you and produce that toughness and that physicality,” mentioned Josh Anderson. “And I’m certain our ability guys like having him within the lineup.”
They’ll possible have to attend at the very least yet another recreation to see it.
“You watch the sport and attempt to see the place we will enhance,” mentioned St. Louis. “For those who assume it’s a person, then you definately certainly make a change. However the recreation’s tomorrow. At this time, we’ll soak up all the information after which we’ll make our choices.”
Sitting Struble for Xhekaj doesn’t look like certainly one of them
We requested St. Louis how he felt about Struble’s efficiency in Recreation 1, and he mentioned, “I used to be advantageous with it.”
The coach didn’t take problem with anybody else’s, both.
“General, I can’t say that we had a participant that was approach off,” St. Louis mentioned. “I assumed all people type of felt the pace of the sport early, the physicality, and that’s one thing… you’ll be able to’t practise that. You go within the main leagues and the primary time you see a 98-mile-an-hour fastball, you’re in all probability not going to the touch it. However ultimately you begin possibly fouling it off, and the aim is for us to have the ability to hit singles and doubles ultimately. I assumed we did that within the third, however I do know it’s going to be very tough to maintain doing that constantly. You want all 5 guys concerned to have the ability to do this.”
Those on defence had been efficiently concerned to various levels.
No Canadiens participant was more practical in Recreation 1 than Alex Provider, and that was from a pairing with Mike Matheson, who appeared something however comfy in his first playoff look since 2022.
Via practically 500 minutes at five-on-five collectively through the common season, this pairing confronted the perfect gamers on the planet night time after night time and dealt with it about in addition to they might in beginning solely 21 per cent of their shifts within the offensive zone.
However Provider and Guhle ran higher numbers throughout the board as a pairing that began solely 31 per cent of its shifts within the offensive zone over its 292 minutes earlier this season.
St. Louis won’t need to swap Xhekaj in for somebody at this level, and he might not need to shuffle his defensive deck both. However there are a few different playing cards he can play, and reuniting Provider and Guhle appears like one that will have fast advantages.
It will put Guhle in additional of a defensive position, and it might expose Matheson rather less by thrusting him in a extra offensive position.
That would additionally profit Lane Hutson, who helped the Canadiens outscore their opponents 28-20 at five-on-five when paired with Matheson.
They performed 483 minutes collectively this season and solely actually bumped into hassle when Matheson struggled on the appropriate facet.
However Hutson has been taking part in the appropriate facet with Guhle and displaying only a few indicators of struggling from that place — even when he blamed himself for 2 of the three objectives the Capitals scored in Recreation 1 — and from there, with Matheson, he may help the Canadiens keep additional away from their defensive zone.
Gallagher ought to play Recreation 2
He wasn’t on the ice Tuesday however is anticipated to play in Recreation 2 Wednesday.
“He’ll be advantageous,” mentioned St. Louis.
Gallagher was higher than advantageous over his 19 shifts in Monday’s recreation.
He had 4 photographs on internet, 9 shot makes an attempt, three hits, and he introduced that veteran presence this younger Canadiens staff wants.
Traces and pairings from observe
Caufield-Suzuki-Slafkovsky
Kapanen*-Dvorak-Anderson
Laine-Newhook-Demidov
Heineman-Evans-Armia
Matheson-Provider
Guhle-Hutson
Struble-Savard
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