I didn't do a big write-up for the Blues 2 @ Habs 3 game October 17th. It was a good fun game so I sat back and enjoyed it. On the flipside, the Blues were underperforming so it made the Habs look much better than they actually are.

Eventually I hope to get back writing for both teams from a game however for now, while I dip my toes back into writing again I'll stick to one team for the most part.

NHL

Tier1

Marchessault signs with the Capitals for one year.

AHL

Tier2

St. John's is readying for their first game against McNiven and his Albany Devils. DeSimone is still DTD with his injury and isn't slated to suit up against the IceCaps.

St. John's defeats Albany 6-1 on the road letting in a late PP goal. Albany dressed Nick DeSimone at the last minute despite warnings from their medical staff that he wasn't cleared to play.

Armia makes his Habs debut.

The lines were altered due to injuries and giving Armia a chance. It seems likely unless Armia thrives immediately that he'll be waived and sent to the IceCaps which will then bump Bowen to the Beast. Armia has some decent deking ability but it will be an uphill battle to prove his offense adds more to the team than Reaves physicality. Injuries could change everything.

[EHM 2018-10-16] Crunch 1 @ IceCaps 3

AHL

Tier 2

Danault(7)-Goldobin(7)-Reway(7)
Pezzetta(7)-Hudon(9)-D'Agostini(7)
Loiseau(6)-Athanasiou(7)-Hyman(7)
Paquette(9)-Coderre-Gagnon(7)-Bowen(7)
Kulak(8)-Juulsen(9)
Reilly(7)-Nygren(7)
Bindulis(6)-Hicketts(6)
Lindgren(8)
Haugen(-)

Scratches: McNiven, Ruck, DeSimone (IRL), Muller, Perry (PTO), Broll, Chaput, Koivu, Ranger

IceCaps were 0 for 9 on the power play.

Danault(8)-Tatar(9)-Gallagher(10)
Domi(5)-Drouin(6)-Lehkonen(7)
Kotkaniemi(2)-Byron(9)-Armia(7)
Plekanec(10)-Hudon(7)-Peca(9)
Mete(6)-Petry(5)
Reilly(5)-Juulsen(5)
Ouellet(7)-Benn(2)
Niemi(8)
Price(-)

Scratches: Shaw (flu), Scherbak (healthy), Alzner (healthy), De La Rose (waived)

Ouellet and Tatar take on their former team. Plekanec plays his thousandth game in the NHL. Current coach Claude Julien was also behind the bench for Plekanec's very first NHL game in 2003.

1st

AHL

Tier 2

Danault(7)-Goldobin(7)-Reway(7)
Pezzetta(7)-Hudon(9)-D'Agostini(7)
Loiseau(6)-Athanasiou(7)-Hyman(7)
Paquette(9)-Coderre-Gagnon(7)-Bowen(7)
Kulak(8)-Juulsen(9)
Reilly(7)-Nygren(7)
Bindulis(6)-Hicketts(6)
Lindgren(8)
Haugen(-)

Scratches: McNiven, Ruck, DeSimone (IRL), Muller, Perry (PTO), Broll, Chaput, Koivu, Ranger

IceCaps were 0 for 9 on the power play.

NHL

(Tier 1)

Third home game in a row and Zenko's first start of the year. Deslauriers is kept in considering how well he just played with Rychel but Little is taking injured Shipachyov's spot as centre of that line. Byron centre's Little's old line with Tatar and Reaves on either side. Tatar gets a chance to play against his old team and Pacioretty will be in the lineup for the Wings.

Rumoured negotiations are between the Jets and the Habs including forwards Joel Armia and Nikita Scherbak.

Bruins coming off a loss and the Habs a win for game 2 of the season.

Domi(7)-Ritchie(7)-Dadanov(8)
Shipachyov(8)-Rychel(9)-Deslauriers(9)
Thornton(8)-Dawes(10)-Gallagher(10)
Little(7)-Lehkonen(8)-Reaves(8)
Valiev(6)-Weber(9)
Alzner(9)-Green(8)
Sergachev(8)-Honka(7)
Price(8)
Zenko(-)

Scratches: Byron, Hischier, Tatar

Boston couldn't bear the onslaught in the first period which ended 5-0. Despite struggling at faceoffs, the Habs dominated on shots and boardplays.

Reality is setting in and Julien is already panicking. Recently against LA, Montreal’s strategy was nullified. The run and gun “speed” game doesn’t work on a solid teamwork based strategy like LA. LA’s system makes a team capable of beating even better teams but is a playoff style not always suited for long-term season play. It is a marvellous example of good hockey.

Anyhow, Montreal has tried this mickey mouse strategy before with Therien and it failed. Will it work now?