The Pittsburgh Penguins may not be predicted to excel this season, but on opening night, no one impressed more than the Penguins who won 7-0 in Philadelphia.
uncertain
who → predict → Philadelphia
The Montreal Canadiens also won opening night 3-2 in Toronto.
asserted
Canadiens → win → Toronto
The two undefeated clubs met in Pennsylvania on Saturday night.
asserted
clubs → meet → night
The Canadiens made it close, but fell 6-5 in overtime.
asserted
it → make → overtime
Head Coach Martin St. Louis considers good hockey when the Canadiens hold on to the puck in every zone, rather than give it away for any reason whatsoever.
asserted
Canadiens → consider → reason
It’s easy to talk about, but much harder to execute.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
Opponents are always trying to take away time and space.
asserted
Opponents → try → time
The team that wins that battle usually wins the game.
asserted
that → win → game
When watching the Canadiens, look for it all of the time especially in the defensive zone when forecheckers are trying to force mistakes.
asserted
forecheckers → watch → mistakes
On the first Montreal goal, an outstanding example of Montreal calmly keeping possession while they moved it up ice.
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they → keep → ice
Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki got the helpers as they moved it into the offensive zone for Cole Caufield to streak in on the right side.
asserted
Caufield → get → side
Caufield looked far side high, and as he does, he found his target perfectly.
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he → look → target
In game one, all three who counted points on the first goal, didn’t count points on night one.
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who → count → night
Hutson, Suzuki and Caufield also had horrible analytics, so it was an extremely positive moment for the Canadiens early in game two of 84.
asserted
it → have → 84
Also, it should be noted on the first goal that Chris Kreider went straight to the front of the net and created a great fly-by screen making it difficult for Pittsburgh goalie Arturs Silovs.
asserted
it → note → Silovs
Montreal could have added more in the first ten minutes as they dominated.
uncertain
they → add → minutes
It didn’t appear that the Penguins could keep up.
uncertain
Penguins → appear → ?
Josh Anderson and Jake Evans had breakaways that they couldn’t convert.
asserted
they → have → that
Montreal had an 8-1 shot advantage in the first 10 minutes.
asserted
Montreal → have → minutes
Suzuki scored a tremendous goal on an individual effort taking it all the way to the goal against four Penguins.
asserted
Suzuki → score → Penguins
He backhanded it in from three feet just under the cross bar.
asserted
He → backhand → bar
The top line kept it going in the third period as the architects of all of the team’s offence.
asserted
line → keep → offence
Caufield with his usual perfect shot as he counted his second of the night.
asserted
he → count → night
It should be noted that as much as Kreider was criticized on opening night, he should be praised in the second contest.
asserted
he → note → contest
He was doing exactly what he does well.
asserted
he → do → what
He won pucks, and he went to the net for screens and deflections.
asserted
he → win → screens
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Kreider can be effective on that line without carrying the puck.
asserted
Kreider → get → puck
If Kreider goes to the net and takes a defender with him, that opens up ice for Caufield to shoot as he did for two goals.
asserted
he → go → goals
Kreider went to the net on the 5-4 goal.
asserted
Kreider → go → goal
Suzuki was behind the net, and Kreider made himself a perfect target for a one-time shot from 10 feet.
asserted
himself → make → feet
Still, the Canadiens needed one more goal to pull off a remarkable four goal comeback in the final 21 minutes.
asserted
Canadiens → need → minutes
They got it with only 44 seconds left.
asserted
They → get → seconds
The Canadiens with a stunner of a comeback in a game they could have easily packed in late in the second period.
uncertain
they → pack → period
Montreal lost in overtime, but credit to them for a valuable point that will feel important in April.
asserted
that → lose → April
An example of what bothers Martin St. Louis as a head coach was the first goal against.
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what → bother → coach
However, what bothers the coach happened far before that breakdown.
asserted
bothers → bother → breakdown
The power play was created on a call against Mike Matheson defending Sidney Crosby.
asserted
Matheson → create → Crosby
Matheson wouldn’t have had to defend Crosby, if the Canadiens weren’t called for icing before it.
asserted
Canadiens → have → it
That’s where we finally arrive at the irritant for the head coach.
asserted
we → ’ → coach
He wants the club to hang on to the puck smartly.
asserted
club → want → puck
…and 42 more, not listed.
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