Canadiens offense falls in 6-3 win over Predators

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Sam Montembeault earned his first win of the season Saturday when he stopped 33 shots as the Canadiens defeated the Nashville Predators 6-3 at the Bell Center.

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The result was already decided when Matt Duchene made the score respectable with a natural hat-trick in the third period. He scored his tenth of the season at 6:36 to end the shutout offer, added another power play goal at 12:53 and scored an even-power goal at 4:27 p.m. Tyler Toffoli stopped the bleeding with an empty goal.

Montreal took control of the game when he scored two goals early in the second period to take a 3-0 lead.

Christian Dvorak scored his third goal of the season at 1:06 when he prepared with a pass from Josh Anderson. Jonathan Drouin, who received the second assist, was in front of the net to serve as a distraction for Nashville goalkeeper Juuse Saros.

The Canadiens’ power play needed just nine seconds to capitalize after Mathieu Olivier was sent off for tripping over Brendan Gallagher, who was in his office in front of the net to redirect a Drouin pass at 3:32.

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Ryan Poehling sprang into action when he scored twice in a 38-second span midway through the second period to give Montreal a five-goal cushion. He scored with a shot from the left side throw-in circle at 9:31 and was a little further when he scored at 10:08. It was Poehling’s first multi-goal game since he had a hat-trick in his NHL debut against Toronto on April 6, 2019.

Poehling’s double marked the end of the night for Saros, who was replaced by David Rittich, after he gave up five goals on 19 shots.

This was Montembeault’s best performance of the season. He blanked the Predators on 15 shots in the first period to allow the Canadiens to enter the locker room with a 1-0 lead.

Artturi Lehkonen scored his first goal of the season to put Montreal ahead early in the first period. Jake Evans won a head-to-head against Mikael Granlund in the defensive zone to start a clean break. David Savard fired a shot from the corner and Lehkonen was rewarded as he pushed his way into the net. He followed his own shot into the area and scored in the second effort against Saros.

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The Predators, who out-shot the Canadiens 15-9 in the first period, thought they had a goal in the middle of the period when a puck bounced off Luke Kunin, hit the crossbar and went up Montembeault’s back. But the referee ruled that Kuhin directed the puck with his forearm.

In the desperate times demanded by the desperate measures department, Ducharme decided to dress seven defenders and 11 forwards. Defender Chris Wideman stepped in and Michael Pezzetta turned into a healthy scratch. Wideman assisted in both of Poehling’s goals.

This game marked the Canadiens’ contribution to the Hockey Fights Cancer month. Players warmed up in lavender jerseys to be auctioned, with proceeds going to Leucan, which offers support to children with cancer and their families.

Dozens of young people fighting cancer and their parents attended the game as team guests. The starting bid for the Cole Caufield sweater is $ 750, but there are about a dozen sweaters starting at $ 250 and a few autographed practice jerseys starting at $ 150.

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