Photo credit: NHL
The Canadiens have just entered their true Christmas marathon, and it won’t be giving out any gifts.
Sunday night’s 4-3 loss to the St. Louis Blues set the tone for what’s coming. The Habs pushed late in the game, but they left the Bell Centre empty-handed.
Tonight, the Tampa Bay Lightning arrive at the Bell Centre. A few days before Christmas, it will then be the Boston Bruins’ turn – two teams that have sat near the top of the Atlantic Division since the start of the season.
“Martin St-Louis’ men still have nine games remaining on their schedule in 16 days, courtesy of this season’s condensed calendar due to the Olympic Games. Among them are two more back-to-back sequences, next Saturday and Sunday, as well as Saturday, December 20, and Sunday, December 21.”
– TVA Sports
Between those games, the Canadiens will face the surprising Pittsburgh Penguins three times in less than three weeks, including a first visit Thursday in Pittsburgh. Three duels against Sidney Crosby and company in an already tight points race. The other matchups are no easier, with the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, and Chicago Blackhawks on the menu. On paper, there is practically no night where the margin for error is large.
Martin St-Louis facing a real test
In addition to the volume of games, the star power across the ice won’t be lacking. In Edmonton, Connor McDavid, 28, carries his $12.5-million-per-season contract, supported by Leon Draisaitl, 30, still among the NHL’s top scorers.
Chicago arrives with Connor Bedard, 20, already scoring at a point-per-game pace and still on an entry-level contract that costs only $950,000 against the cap. For a scorer of that caliber, it’s practically a steal.
We know players hate back-to-back games – they’ve said it for years. This time, the Canadiens will go through two such stretches before Christmas, with travel, fatigue, and video preparation compressed to the maximum.
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