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“We’d seem like we don’t have the solutions proper now, however I’m assured that we’ll grind and discover them,” coach Martin St. Louis says.
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WASHINGTON — The Canadiens’ moms might do nothing to assist them Saturday afternoon towards the Capitals.
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With the mothers watching from a non-public loge on the Capital One Enviornment, the Canadiens acquired pounded 9-2 by the Capitals. Alex Ovechkin led the Washington assault together with his thirtieth profession hat-trick, whereas Cole Caufield scored each targets for the Canadiens.
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The Montreal mothers arrived in Washington on Friday and can journey with the workforce to Nashville to look at them play once more Tuesday towards the Predators (8 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM) as a part of a New Yr’s journey organized by the workforce. It should have been painful for the moms to look at Saturday’s efficiency.
“These girls sitting up there imply a lot to us and you’d have favored to provide them one thing to cheer about,” the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher stated after the sport. “However the constructive factor for us is that they’ll love us the identical once we go away this rink and we go take pleasure in New Yr’s with them. I’m trying ahead to seeing my mother.”
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The Canadiens end the month of December with a 4-9-2 document and so they sit in final place within the Atlantic Division at 15-19-3, bringing again flashbacks to final season once they had the worst document within the NHL.
The shine is beginning to put on off head coach Martin St. Louis — who changed Dominique Ducharme final February — as the truth of this rebuild sinks in. The Canadiens have been outscored 16-4 of their final two video games, together with a 7-2 loss to the Panthers on Thursday night time in Florida. They’re winless of their final 5 video games (0-4-1) and have been outscored 26-8 throughout that span.
“I believe we’ve got group of men and proud guys and hard-working coaches,” St. Louis stated when requested what makes him assured he can get the workforce again on observe — one thing Ducharme was unable to do final season. “We’d seem like we don’t have the solutions proper now, however I’m assured that we’ll grind and discover them. We’ll preserve at it.”
The rebuilding course of goes to incorporate rising pains each on the ice and behind the bench since St. Louis has solely 74 video games of teaching expertise within the NHL. Goalie Jake Allen was left in internet for all 9 targets Saturday because the Capitals fired 40 pictures at him.
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“I in all probability might have helped him out,” St. Louis stated concerning the veteran Allen, who noticed his document fall to 9-15-1 with a 3.52 goals-against common and a .894 save share. “Circumstances right here with the mom’s journey … might I’ve pulled him after six, seven? In all probability. I believe when it acquired to eight, 9 with 4 minutes to go at that time I believe I used to be previous the purpose of no return in that division. However I believe as a younger coach this can be a studying expertise for me. It’s not straightforward to drag the goalie. I’ll be taught from this.”
Gallagher stated the Canadiens — as a workforce — can be taught from what they went via final season to verify they don’t fall into the same rut within the new 12 months.
“You even have to grasp the sensation on this group — there’s a togetherness,” Gallagher stated. “Marty’s in it with us. He’s going via it. He feels the identical factor that we do and dealing for options. As a gaggle we’re going to search out it.
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“I’ve been on this league lengthy sufficient that stuff occurs,” Gallagher added. “It’s irritating. We perceive followers are feeling the identical feelings we’re. It’s simply on us to isolate a few areas of our recreation that we have to enhance and make these corrections and never let it boil over. I hope everybody understands that we’re not having fun with this, it’s not enjoyable to undergo. However we’ve got to search out options and that’s our problem and that’s what we’re tasked with proper now. I believe as a gaggle we’re going to search out out who we will rely on. You hope that’s everybody, you imagine that’s everybody, and we’re going to need to discover a solution to get via this collectively.”
St. Louis was requested what probably the most disappointing a part of his workforce’s efficiency was Saturday.
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“I don’t know if I can pinpoint one,” he stated. “Giving up 9 is fairly humbling and once they’re chanting: ‘We would like 10!’ that’s robust. The end result might be probably the most disappointing factor.
“We’re going to Nashville,” St. Louis added. “Hopefully that helps the boys’ morale. It’s a severe league, it’s a tough league. As a lot as you wish to keep on process and grind, generally that you must simply get away from the sport for just a few days and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The sport in Nashville would be the final of seven straight on the street for the Canadiens.
“We’re right here with our mothers,” the Canadiens’ Josh Anderson stated. “We’re going to have time tonight and regroup and prepare for Nashville and get them a win. That’s the place it’s going to begin.”
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