Without Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov, two forwards from the top-six, the Montreal Canadiens have done well so far.
asserted
Canadiens → do → six
They’d prefer to have their stars, but learning how to win without them has its value as well.
asserted
learning → prefer → value
The Canadiens looked to continue success in St. Louis against the Blues, and they did thanks to Jacob Fowler.
asserted
they → look → Fowler
He stopped 46 shots in a 2-0 shutout.
asserted
He → stop → shutout
It was a third straight start for Jacob Fowler, and you could hardly blame Head Coach Martin St. Louis for making the same choice again.
uncertain
you → blame → choice
Fowler started the night fourth in the league in Goals Saved Above Expected while Jakub Dobes is 68th of 70 goals in the league.
asserted
Dobes → start → league
Dobes will get a chance to figure out what ails him eventually, but, at the moment, the Canadiens need wins, and they know with key injuries on offence, they need to be at their very best on defence.
asserted
they → get → defence
Fowler is the choice to give them the best chance.
asserted
Fowler → give → chance
He stopped 34 of 35 shots in a masterful performance in Winnipeg.
asserted
He → stop → Winnipeg
He was awarded the third star for the week in the league on Monday, then on Tuesday, he was even better.
asserted
he → award → Tuesday
Fowler was showing off his technical skills again.
asserted
Fowler → show → skills
On one occasion, a rebound came so quickly, and from such a vastly different angle than the first shot that it seemed like a sure goal, but Fowler was perfectly in position and standing tall to make the difficult rebound look easy.
asserted
rebound → come → position
In the third period, there was a scramble situation that produced four shots.
asserted
that → be → shots
The puck went left.
asserted
puck → go → ?
It went right.
asserted
It → go → ?
It kept landing on Blues’ sticks, and despite all of that pressure Fowler was in perfect position to stop the next shot every shot.
asserted
Fowler → keep → shot
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Fowler with another outstanding GSAE to show he is among the elite in the NHL right now.
asserted
he → get → NHL
He now has a 9.9 for the season.
asserted
He → have → season
He passes Jake Oettinger at 9.4 to lead the entire league.
asserted
He → pass → league
Fowler stopped the first 20 shots he faced by the halfway mark of the game as the Blues dominated the game, but couldn’t find any solution for the rookie goalie.
asserted
Blues → stop → goalie
Fowler stopped 46 shots for the shutout as the Blues took over the game looking for a goal.
asserted
Blues → stop → goal
The Canadiens opened the scoring on a Zachary Bolduc shot to the top corner.
asserted
Canadiens → open → corner
Bolduc came from the St. Louis organization, so he was pleased to show his former mates his fifth goal of the season.
asserted
he → come → season
However, it was the second goal that excited the Canadiens players.
asserted
that → excite → players
Florian Xhekaj was doing exactly what the game requires of him to find success in the league.
asserted
game → do → league
He fronted his defender for the deflection, and that’s exactly what he did.
asserted
he → front → what
He tipped it on the Mike Matheson shot for his first NHL goal.
asserted
He → tip → goal
They are not the good choices as players who can handle pressure coming at them, then hold on to the puck successfully.
asserted
who → handle → puck
The Canadiens have the 28th ranked power play in the league.
asserted
Canadiens → have → league
It won’t be getting any better until they put some more ‘hands’ players on the ice.
asserted
they → get → ice
Alexandre Texier is a perfect example of an underused player on the power play.
asserted
Texier → underuse → play
Texier has a strong shot, and he doesn’t panic when pressured to hold on to the puck.
asserted
he → have → puck
Other than Texier, there are no other real viable options for the power play, until the top players come back.
asserted
players → be → play
Mike Matheson has earned a look back on the first power play unit.
asserted
Matheson → earn → unit
It’s either that, or go only with one defender on the power play in Hutson, and have Alex Newhook on the first unit.
asserted
It → ’ → unit
The first unit doesn’t have a puck carrier to bring it into the zone successfully.
asserted
unit → have → zone
The Canadiens will have to win games five-on-five.
asserted
Canadiens → have → five
This isn’t going to get better on offence until two of their top-six return.
asserted
two → go → six
The minor-league system of the Canadiens is thinner than it has been since the rebuild started four years ago, yet they continue to have great success in Laval early this season.
asserted
they → start → Laval
They are benefiting from tight hockey, a good system, and some surprising individual performances that perhaps they weren’t expecting.
asserted
they → benefit → that
…and 8 more, not listed.
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