This year’s biggest underdogs in the NHL Playoffs are the Montreal Canadiens. They are what you would call a “Cinderella” team. From the outside they don’t look like much but the more you watch them, you will see depth and a rock solid defense run by Jeff Petry and Shea Weber. They now lead the series 3 games to 2 and are on the verge of making it to the Final on home ice. At first, I gave them a 0 % chance of beating the Golden Knights but that number has moved up to 50-55 %. This series feels like a 7 games series which will stretch to the last whistle.
Their defense has been spectacular. Vegas is 0/13 on the power play and the kill has been perfect. They fight for the puck and are not afraid to block shots. They make it look so easy and shut down the offense as soon as Vegas gets in the zone. Their defensemen are so experienced and never make mistakes. The rest of the team is pretty young and these big guys lead the team. Each of their 7 defensemen are fantastic and can matchup vs some of Vegas’s top guys. They can shut down playmakers like Mark Stone who has been held to 0 points in this series. Vegas is a tough team and they make it look simple.
They have been great in every part of the ice. They forecheck and cause turnovers, can get the puck out of the zone, and most importantly, they play as a team. The coordination is marvelous and they know where to be at the right time. Vegas doesn’t have this good teamwork. The Habs transition game is so good. They stretch out the Vegas defense and it comes down to a footrace which Montreal usually wins. They are speedy and are not afraid to pay a price to make a play.
This team has surprised me and now are on the brink of defeating one of the best teams in the NHL. I believe they are going to win 4-2 on home ice and go to the Final and play the winner of the Bolts vs Isles. Can they win vs the Golden Knights and show they are stronger than they look like? We will find out if Montreal can close out the series or Vegas can force a game 7 from Centre Bell Arena in Montreal, Quebec on a Thursday night from Canada.
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