The Bell Centre finally hosted some hockey again today, and the curtain drew on the Prospect Showdown pitting the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs. It wasn’t a full house, but it was still quite noisy for the rookies’ first test. Rearguard Logan Mailloux wore the C for the occasion, and Owen Beck and Sean Farrell sported As. Coaches decided for themselves and didn’t tell the players in advance, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.
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Due to Quentin Miller’s injury, Samuel Richard tended net with Matteo Drobac acting as his backup, meaning both goaltenders now serving for the Habs are at camp on a tryout basis.
It didn’t take long for trouble to start brewing. Tyler Thorpe, the 130th overall pick at the last draft, snowed in Toronto’s goaltender, and the Leafs took exception. Enter Florian Xhekaj, who dropped the mitts and won his first fight in the Canadiens’ uniform, reminding everyone that he is indeed Arber’s brother. The Sheriff has a deputy in town.
Related: Canadiens: Rookie Camp Day 3
As expected, Mailloux showed how physical he can be, landing a big hit in the defensive zone early on, while Lane Hutson showed just how shifty he is. He fakes out defenders with disconcerting ease and dances along the blueline with moves we’ve not seen in Montreal since P.K. Subban was traded. The youngster also made a few breathtaking passes, including one cross-ice pass in the offensive zone, a thing of beauty.
Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent had this to say about Hutson’s performance:
We know his talent, I don’t know him, I’ve seen him in two practices and one game, we see what he does on the ice, the fans see what he does on the ice, but the energy he brings on the bench? I think that might well be his best quality. He wants to play hockey; he’s passionate about the game. He wants to make a difference, in important moments, we saw it in OT. He has that swagger to want to play the game and he wants impressive today.
David Reinbacher did look nervous at times, whiffing on a pass when he took his eyes off the puck for a split second, but the early nerves settled eventually. He also had a role to play in the first frame, diving to poke the puck and neutralize a breakaway, but he was sent to the box for tripping, and Toronto buried the power play goal through Braeden Kressler.
Montreal jumped right back into the game, however, as Charles Savoie and Justin Larose’s hard work deep into Leafs territory led to defenseman Adam Engstrom getting a golden opportunity alone in the slot, one he didn’t miss.
Larose was responsible for the Leafs’ second goal, though. He was in the box when Frasen Minten scored, with assists from Topi Niemela and Easton Cowan, to give the visitors a 2-1 lead.
While the Canadiens had a 10-5 edge in shots after the first period, the Leafs led 2-1 thanks to a pair of power play markers when both sides retreated to the dressing room.
The Leafs increased their lead in the middle frame thanks to yet another power play goal as Cowan found twine with helpers from Minten and Niemela, making it 3-2. It’s quite reminiscent of Toronto’s second goal, really, and a glimpse at their future. Those three players were impressive all afternoon, and if Montreal has the edge in talent on the blue line, the Leafs do upfront.
Mailloux looked at ease under the Bell Centre lights for a second period in a row, making a great long pass to Heineman, who failed to convert on it. The Blueliner also had a few chances of his own, being set up by Hutson on the power play, but he missed the net with a hard shot.
However, Tyler Thorpe didn’t miss his opportunity when he hit a slapper from the side that beat Dennis Hildeby. Kidney and Hutson picked up the helpers on the play. Before the end of the period, Beck tied the game with a buzzer-beater when his shot trickled through the goaltender. Farrell and Reinbacher picked up the helpers, even though the latter had already left the ice, having been clipped by a stick, a missed call from the referees.
The teams battled hard in the third, but no one could break the deadlock. It was the Canadiens’ best period; they looked confident and dialed in. Hutson and Mailloux worked like a well-oiled machine, covering each other when one jumped in with the attack. Their communication was great.
The Canadiens played most of the overtime with a pair of blueliners and an attacker, a testament to just how talented that blueline is. Richard made a couple of great saves to take the game to a shootout. Farrell, Filip Mesar, and Hutson were the Canadiens’ three shooters, but only the latter found the back of the net. Both Cowan and Minten scored to give Toronto the edge.
In the defeat, Beck also had a great game, proving to be a handful for the Maple Leafs’ defense. So far, he’s got the inside lane amongst the forwards hoping to start the season in Montreal.
As for Hutson, he truly stood out, and when asked if he believed Hutson would be able to play like he did today in the NHL, the coach looked confident and said:
He will learn. Those defensemen who have those skills, they have that quality to be able to learn to adjust with what comes at them the pressure. The NHL is faster players comes at you faster, but your teammates get open faster as well. Today he took what the Leafs were giving him, but he will adjust in the NHL.
This was a homecoming of sorts for Vincent, a native of Laval. He spent years in the Winnipeg organization before moving to Columbus, and he called today’s game magical. In his opinion, you wouldn’t get 20,000 fans watching a rookie game in that weather anywhere else.
After falling 4-3 in the shootout, the Canadiens will no doubt want to win tomorrow’s duel, and now that the jitters have gone, it should be an even better game.
Related
The Canadiens’ Next Crop of Defensemen Is Here
How the Montreal Canadiens Landed Lane Hutson
The Prospects Marinaro and McCagg See Making the Canadiens This Season
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