A big thank you to u/AlexaProulx for their help on this postgame presser!
Final Score
Habs win 4-1 against the Vegas Golden Knights!
Bolduc Segment
[Armoured_K] Bolduc: "[Missing portion] We managed the puck well, we played well as 5-man units, and the guys competed. I think that's what makes the difference."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc on whether he's happy for Monty
"Yeah, absolutely. Monty was excellent for us. I think in the first, they had a big PP and Monty made some big saves. No, it was a nice game. I think everyone played well, and it'll be up to us to be rested for tomorrow."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc on whether Monty's big saves on the VGK PP can give momentum for the following actions the team want to make
"Yeah, absolutely. Monty can bring a sort of leadership, even if he's in net, and it's by making these saves. No, we're really happy for him, and we're lucky to have him."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc on whether he was surprised by Caufield's shot on his goal
"Yeah, it was quick, it happened quickly, but Cole is a guy who can score goals from pretty much everywhere. As soon as he has the puck on his stick, he dangerous, so as soon as you can, you give it to him, and […] the majority of the times, he manages to either get a goal, or make a good play, so… No, it was a heck of a shot."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc on managing to find soft spots on the ice, which allows him to have good scoring chances
"Yeah, well that's what I'm trying to do. Listen, when you play with guys like Cole and Suzy, they're guys who have an incredible vision on plays, so… And even on my goal, Slaf made an incredible pass, so… For my part, I try to just, like I've said before, bring my game and adapt to whoever I'm playing with. I think we're doing that well in the last few games."
Montembeault Segment
[Armoured_K] Montembeault: "[Missing portion] Even in warmups, I felt really good. I think it's one of my best warmups this year. After that, in the room, just focus, and like I said, what we talked about all week [with the goalie coach], don't think, just push, and… That's what I tried to do today."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault on his two big saves on the PK in the first periods. Can those types of saves give him confidence?
"Yeah, for sure. It's a PP, you know, they came out strong in the first and had a quick PP. It's a PP that can move the puck. We know, we were doing video before the game, they have a good menace too, sending pucks in the slot with Hertl, making those plays. We were able to make it out of there, the guys worked hard. You know, they came out strong, they had momentum on that, but we managed to keep working, and we got a big goal at the end of the first."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault on not having starts in the last 8 days and working hard with the goalie coach. What were they working on in that time-frame?
"That's what we were saying; don't think, just push. We did a lot of just having to move before getting a shot. We just wanted to beat every pass. Once you're ready and you have your feet there, it's easier to make the saves."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault on how good it feels to have this win, not having to win 4-3 and having a dominant factor to their win
"Yeah, I would've liked [getting the shutout], there were what, like 4 minutes something left? Would've been fun, but you know, our goal in the third felt good, for sure, you know, with pressure, and it allowed us, since we're playing a back-to-back, to roll our lines a bit in the third. I felt good all game long, and you know, it's fun after working for a week to see the effect it has in a game. Now, it's about building on that and trying to find that consistency."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault on what he was looking for in his head specifically during that week of work with the goalie coach
"Well, you know, it comes back to what I was saying. We just wanted to do that, not think, just push. Even if I gave up goals, we don't care, just go all out. By doing the right things, working hard and pushing, the good things will come. In the first practice after the Washington game, we did 20 minutes without a puck at the start, it was just about pushing, beating pucks, and like I said, working hard. I'm happy it paid off today."
Matheson Segment
[AlexaP] Matheson on his new contract:
"It feels good. I'm really excited knowing I'm going to be a part of this team for at least 5 years. It was was goal, I'm excited that it's done."
[AlexaP] Matheson on if he sees this contract as ending his career as a Canadiens:
"In the moment, when you start thinking like that it becomes a bit closer. I see this contract as; I hope we'll continue to build and win some Cups with the years in this contract."
[AlexaP] Matheson on what he likes about Montréal that made him take a contract like this:
"I can be honest with myself and know that I could've gotten more money elsewhere, but that's not my priority. It's being a part of this group. I think the biggest thing for me is to win and I'm giving myself more chances to do that here. In saying that I think the next important thing is also having money for the team to keep the guys we have for the years to come. That's important too. A third reason would be on the family side."
[AlexaP] Matheson on the negotiation not being complicated and done quickly:
"I knew on my side that I didn't want to take all the money I could have; [it wasn't complicated] I knew there was enough for me."
[AlexaP] Matheson on the timeline of the contract process:
"It was pretty quick. It took 3-4 weeks."
St-Louis Segment
[Armoured_K] MSL on Sam looking like has a weight off his shoulders with the performance. What did he think of it?
"He played an excellent game, for sure. We did the job in front of him, we played a very mature game, and when you do that, it's a lot easier for the goalie. That's what we have to do for our goalers. When you lack maturity, you're playing with fire. No, I'm proud of the group, and I'm really happy for Monty."
[Armoured_K] MSL on having a tough start having to turn the tide
"Yeah, we still defended well, but I'd say that in the first half of the first period, we had trouble executing, we weren't able to win pucks back in the offensive zone. We had good pucks, good dumps, but we didn't finish the job on the forecheck, and it would always come back to our zone. In the second, it was better, we talked about it, and we played a very, very mature third period."
[Armoured_K] MSL on if he feels they are pretty much back to the identity they had to start the season
"Well, I'd say that for a big part of the game tonight, it's true that I felt like that. And I know we're able to do this, but it's not about what you can do. It's about what you're willing to do."
[Armoured_K] MSL on the confidence a goalie can give to the group, considering the tide really turned after Sam's big saves
"Yes, yes, I… Cause we had some good scoring chances too, but we weren't able to 'seperate'. Monty made some big saves. I think in the second, he made one where it just hit him on the shoulder, and… It gives confidence to the team when he makes those saves, that's for sure. We know he has that in him, and it's about continuing to play better, more mature in front of him."
[Armoured_K] MSL on if he's not too disappointed to get to coach Matheson for the next 5 years, with his extention
"Not at all, not at all. It's a really good job by the organization, to be able to finish that [the contract talks] right now. He's a big piece for our team, and to have him for the next 5 years, it helps the coach. [Reporter: "And no distraction, too"] That's it. That's why I'm happy that it's behind us."
[AlexaP] MSL on Matheson's reasons for signing that contract and what does that say on the team's culture:
"It's an honest reflection. The players have fun here, but we're coming to work. It's not a playground, but it's a nice ambiance and the guys like coming to the arena. I'm happy that we were able to build this more than what we we're trying to do on the ice."
[AlexaP] MSL on what he saw in Matheson when he first came into the organization and how he says it restarted up his carreer:
"Well, firstly; the human. Someone of quality, his character and all. It starts from there. For sure it's his skate; he's very efficient on the ice. As coaches we try to convince the guys and lead them to a direction, but it always starts with the player. Mike Matheson deserves what he gets, nothing is given to him. I'm really happy to have the opportunity to coach him for another 5 years."
[AlexaP] MSL on how he found Texier's first game:
"I liked it; I know the player–"
Section Française
Segment de Bolduc
[Armoured_K] Bolduc: "[Portion manquante] On a bien geré la rondelle, on a bien joué en unités de 5, pis les gars ont competitionnés, pis j'pense que c'est ça qui fait la différence."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc sur si il est content pour Monty
"Ouais, absolument. Monty a été excellent pour nous. J'pense en première, y'as eu un gros PP pis Monty à fait des gros arrêts. Non, c'était une belle game. J'pense que tout le monde a bien joué, pis ça va être à nous de [se] reposer [pour] demain."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc sur si les gros arrêts sur le PP des Knights donnent du momentum pour les actions qui suivent
"Ouais, absolument. Monty peut apporter une forme de leadership, même si y'est dans le filet, pis c'est en faisant des arrêts comme ça. Non, on est super content pour lui, pis on est chanceux de l'avoir."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc sur si il a été surpris par la vivacité du but de Caufield
"Ouais, c'était vite, ça c'est passé vite, mais Cole c'est un gars qui marque des buts d'à peu prêt partout. Aussi tôt que y'a la rondelle sur sa palette, c'est un gars qui est dangereux, donc dès que tu peux tu y donne, pis […] la grande majorité du temps, y réussi à sois reposer ça en but, ou en beau jeu, donc… Non, c'était tout un lancer."
[Armoured_K] Bolduc sur le fait qu'y réussi à trouver les "soft" spot en zone offensive, ce qui lui permet d'obtenir des bonnes chances
"Ouais, bin c'est ça j'essaye de faire. Écoute, quand tu joues avec des gars comme Cole pis Suzy, c'est des gars qui ont une vision de jeu incroyable, donc… Pis même sur mon but, Slaf à fait une passe incroyable, fak… Pour ma part, j'essaye juste de, comme j'ai déja dit, d'apporter ma game, pis un peu de m'adapter avec qui je joue. J'pense qu'on le fait bien depuis quelques matchs.
Segment de Montembeault
[Armoured_K] Montembeault: "Même dans le warmup, j'me sentais super bien. J'pense c'est un de mes meilleurs warmups de l'année. Après ça, c'est dans la chambre, de juste focus, pis comme j'dit, ce qu'on s'est dit tout la semaine, de rien penser, de juste pousser, puis… C'est ça j'ai essayé de faire aujourd'hui."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault sur ses deux gros arrêts sur le PK en première, est-ce que c'est des arrêts qui peuvent lui donner confiance?
"Ouais, c'est sûr. C'est un powerplay, tsé eux autres, sont bin sortit en première pis y'ont un PP rapide. C'est un PP qui est capable de bouger la rondelle. On sait, tsé, on faisait le vidéo avant, y'ont une bonne menace aussi, d'envoyer la rondelle dans l'enclave avec Hertl, de faire des jeux comme ça. On a été capable de s'en sortir. Les gars ont bien travaillé. Tsé eux, y'étaient sortis fort, y'ont eu du momentum là-dessus, mais on a été capable de continuer à travailler, pis on a été chercher un gros but en fin de première."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault sur le fait de pas avoir de départs dans les derniers jours. Sur quoi il s'est concentré pendant ce temps-là avec Éric Raymond (goalie coach)?
"Juste ça qu'on se disait, pas penser pis pousser. On faisait juste, même beaucoup de déplacements juste avant d'avoir un lancer. On voulait juste battre tout les passes, pis de juste pousser. Une fois que t'arrive prêt pis que t'as les pieds ici, c'est plus facile faire des arrêts."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault sur à quel point ça fait du bien, cette victoire-là, de pas avoir à gagner 4-3 et d'avoir un facteur dominant à leur victoire
"Ouais, j'aimerais ça, y restait quoi 4 minutes quelques choses. Ça aurait été le fun [d'avoir le jeu blanc], mais tsé, le but en troisième à fait du bien, c'est sûr, tsé, dans la pression, puis ça nous a permit surtout, vu qu'on joue un back-to-back, de pouvoir rouler nos lignes un peu plus en troisième. J'me suis bien sentis tout au long du matchs, pis tsé, c'est le fun après avoir travaillé pendant une semaine de pouvoir voir l'effet que ça fait dans un matchs, pis maintenant, c'est de bâtir là-dessus pis d'essayer de retrouver cette constance-là."
[Armoured_K] Montembeault sur son temps de travail dans la semaine dernière, qu'est-ce qu'il cherchait dans sa tête en faisant ça?
"Bin tsé, ça revient à ce que j'ai dit, c'est juste ça qu'on voulait faire, de pas penser, juste pousser. Pis tsé, même si je donnais des buts, on s'en fou, juste d'aller 'all out'. En faisant les bonnes choses, en travaillant fort pis en poussant, les bonnes choses vont venir. Même après la première pratique après le match contre Washington, on a fait 20 minutes quasiment pas de rondelle au début, c'était juste de pousser, battre les rondelles, pis comme j'ai dit, de travailler fort. J'suis content que ça a […] payé aujourd'hui."
2 comments
Matheson being very up front about the discount. Other guys kind of hint at it but it’s amazing to see another guy wearing a letter do this for us
Happy for the boys