This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to NHL linesman Scott Cherrey.
The 49-year-old veteran, hired in 2007, took a Mike Matheson shot to his right cheek at 9:10 of the third period Saturday night — and would have remained in the game if he had his druthers. Instead, common sense prevailed. He went to the Bell Centre clinic and never returned to officiate the game between the Canadiens and New York Rangers.
Cherrey, for his troubles, had a black welt on his cheek from the shot, but no Canadiens or NHL logo for his troubles. Since Cherrey likely never gets his name in print, we’d like you to know he’s now in his 19th season and was drafted 41st overall by the Washington Capitals in 1994. But he never signed a contract, instead continuing his career at the University of New Brunswick before playing one pro season in the ECHL.
Did you really think they were going to go 81-1?: Following four consecutive victories, the Canadiens lost 4-3, squandering a two-goal lead in the process.
Strange, but true: The Rangers have gone 7-0-2 in their past nine visits to Montreal. New York has points in eight consecutive games (6-0-2) against the Canadiens dating back to the 2023-24 season.
And this is even stranger: The Rangers have had a Jekyll and Hyde season through the embryonic stages. Now 3-3-1, they’ve scored 14 goals in their victories. But in their four defeats, they were held to one goal in total. In three home games, they’ve yet to score. New York’s next two games are at Madison Square Garden.
Not bad for an old guy: The Rangers started 39-year-old Jonathan Quick in net. He was playing for the first time since last Sunday, but evened his season record at 1-1. He seems to like playing against Montreal, improving his career record to 10-4-2.
Milestone: New York forward Conor Sheary was playing the 600th game of his career. Sheary, 33, spent most of last season in the minors, appearing in only five games with Tampa Bay. The two-time Stanley Cup champion made the Rangers’ roster after going to training camp on a pro tryout.
Betting on himself: Artemi Panarin, in the final season of his seven-year, US$81.5-million contract, has reportedly declined an early contract offer from management and could become an unrestricted free agent next summer. While he has gotten off to a slow start, he paced the Rangers with a goal and two assists. It was his first goal this season and proved to be the winner.
This is how you want to start a game: Juraj Slafkovsky scored on the Canadiens’ first shot. Nick Suzuki scored on the Canadiens’ third shot. A 2-0 lead before four minutes had elapsed — and yet Montreal found a way to lose.
How to draw a penalty: Sheary had no choice but to slash the remarkable Ivan Demidov in the first period — perhaps out of frustration — after the Russian rookie’s solo effort.
We’re noticing a trend here: The Rangers are a big team that’s built for the playoffs. Their roster’s average is 6-foot-2 and 206 pounds. And they started the second period by hitting every Montreal player in sight. The glass shook after Urho Vaakanainen hit Oliver Kapanen. Josh Anderson lost his balance after being hit by Mika Zibanejad, before Braden Schneider knocked down Alex Newhook. The Canadiens might be talented and exciting, but they’re not built for the playoffs in our humble opinion.
You’ve been warned: In the 16th minute of the second period, Sam Carrick, who weighs 202 pounds, delivered a heavy hit on Lane Hutson — 40 pounds lighter. Arber Xhekaj, 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, dropped his gloves and taught his opponent a lesson.
Not on this night: Anyone hoping for a main event between Xhekaj and Matt Rempe — the 6-foot-9, 261-pound freak of nature — went home disappointed. They were mixing it up early in the third period, but the officials quickly intervened and both received minor penalties.
Another $400 down the drain: Early in the third period, the blade of Kapanen’s shattered stick travelled farther than the puck on his attempted shot.
Goalie controversy: With the score tied early in the period, the visitors took a two-goal lead on successive shots against Sam Montembeault. The goals came in a span of 1:40 — and Montembeault didn’t look good on either shot.
News you need: The Canadiens, who took a 2-1 lead into the third period, have now been outscored 9-6 in that frame this season.
Quick stats: Newhook and Noah Dobson, who scored his first goal as a Canadien, each had three shots. Slafkovsky and Joe Veleno, who made his regular-season debut, had three hits each. Matheson played 24:21. Montembeault’s save percentage was .818. The Canadiens won 51.7 per cent of their faceoffs, but were outhit 24-16. Will Cuylle led the Rangers with five hits — one more than Rempe.
They said it: “I thought we just kind of stopped managing the game properly,” Suzuki said. “They did a pretty good job of forechecking us and we couldn’t break it out. We put ourselves in a good spot going into the third, but quickly fell behind. We would have liked to hold that lead in the third for sure. We’ve got to clean up a lot of stuff.”
“Two nights in a row I feel like my first two periods were really good,” Montembeault said. “Obviously, it didn’t go my way in the third. I take the blame for that one, obviously. I need to make those saves to give us a chance.”
“Our second periods have got to get better,” Jake Evans said. “Sure, you’re playing with a lead, but you should just play the same way and we’d be in a good spot. I felt we got a little sloppy in the second period and it rolled into the third.”
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