Canadiens’ Owen Beck an sudden standout in preseason competitors vs. Devils

MONTREAL — It’s late within the first preseason recreation of the 12 months when Owen Beck sees defenceman Jordan Harris step out to entrance his man alongside the boards.

The 33^rd-overall decide within the 2022 Draft can see Harris is a step late to the battle and as a substitute of turning up ice to go on offence, he steps into Harris’ spot on defence and stays together with his man in entrance of the Canadiens’ internet. He’s scanning, swiveling his head from the battle ensuing between Harris and New Jersey Devils ahead Jesper Boqvist to the one he’s personally engaged in, and he’s ready for his alternative to transition. 

Right as Harris pokes the puck off Boqvist’s stick, Beck jumps as much as help the play up-ice, which is being guided by linemates Cole Caufield and Mike Hoffman. 

As he catches up in entrance of New Jersey’s internet, the puck is shot from the purpose and he suggestions it to Devils goaltender Nico Daws, making a Grade-A scoring likelihood for Caufield on the rebound. 

Then Beck hustles off the ice for a line change.

These are the effective particulars, however the effective particulars are what Owen Beck’s recreation is made from. They carried him by means of a powerful displaying on the Canadiens’ rookie camp, they helped him set up a real presence within the first week of predominant camp, and so they propelled him to the workforce’s first line — in captain Nick Suzuki’s absence — for this preseason opener.

We seen all of them on Monday evening.

So did Martin St. Louis, who was requested which younger participant stood out most to him out of 2022 first-overall decide Juraj Slafkovsky, 2022 first-rounder Filip Mesar and younger defencemen Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Justin Barron. The Canadiens head coach stated it was Beck.

“I find Beck played a really good game for a youngster,” St. Louis began. “He was 59 per cent in faceoffs; it was spectacular, and it’s all the time good to begin with the puck.”

“He plays a very mature game,” the coach added. “Doesn’t play like an 18-year-old. He was in tonight with Cole and Hoff, with Suzy being hurt right now. It’s an opportunity for him, and he took advantage of it.”

Beck, who’s anticipated to return to Mississauga for his second season with the OHL’s Steelheads, performed 16 shifts and skated 17:22 in his first-ever NHL preseason recreation. He had three photographs on internet, rang a blistering one off the bar for what was one in all Montreal’s greatest scoring possibilities of this 2-1 loss and — sure, certainly — gained 10 of 17 faceoffs.

After the sport, the Port Hope, Ont. native was in a reasonably good temper.

“I think there was a bit of an adjustment period for me,” Beck stated, “but I don’t think it took too long for me to start playing my game again.”

When requested the place his confidence degree was at following the expertise, he stated “It’s up there,” earlier than spitting out, “You can’t get too high or too low.”

“It’s amazing having that kind of trust from an NHL coach and being on the ice with Caufield and Hoffman — two very good NHL players,” Beck continued. “Getting that opportunity raises the confidence a little bit.”

It ought to. 

The 6-foot, 185-pound centre is probably not in Montreal when camp breaks, but when he continues to maintain all these little particulars, he’ll be an NHLer earlier than lengthy.

Beck may not have to attend for much longer for an entry-level contract, both.

Slafkovsky extra comfy than he seemed

Before everybody rushes to judgment on the 6-foot-4, 238-pound Slovakian, remember that crucial factor that occurred for him on this evening was that he acquired this recreation underneath his belt. 

Yes, Slafkovsky was bizarre. His first shot on internet of the sport got here on his final shift, and there have been instances when he appeared out of his aspect. 

But, by his personal admission, the construct as much as this second was virtually an excessive amount of for him to search out the main target he would’ve appreciated to had.

“I was waiting on that (game) basically since the draft,” Slafkovsky stated. “Seeing the pace of the game and the compete level, now I know and I can (learn) from that and be better next game.”

He could have seemed barely uncomfortable from afar, however was much less so from up shut, in response to St. Louis.

“I thought he was fine,” the coach stated. “I thought he had good jump. Looked like he was having fun out there. He was asking questions. When we took the too-many-men (penalty in the second period), he looked at me and said, ‘Should I go serve it?’ And I’m like, ‘Why not?’”

Slafkovsky was within the penalty field as soon as extra for a goaltender interference penalty however performed 16:21 on the ice and recorded two shot makes an attempt, two hits and one takeaway. 

He was removed from the very best participant on the market — and even the very best rookie — and there have been most likely many individuals who have been dissatisfied by not seeing him hit the web or the scoresheet.

But now it’s about how Slafkovsky responds since he is aware of way more about what to anticipate. 

He stated issues moved a lot sooner than he thought they might, and he is aware of they’ll transfer exponentially sooner come common season. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see how he addresses the skilled tempo in his subsequent preseason recreation.

Preseason issues for the veterans

It not less than issues to Jake Allen, who can be Montreal’s beginning goaltender this season.

The 32-year-old requested to begin this recreation. He saved all 18 photographs he confronted, was the Canadiens’ greatest participant earlier than giving technique to Cayden Primeau with somewhat greater than half the sport remaining, and was very happy to have gotten within the work.

“I want to play as much as I can,” Allen stated. “As I’ve gotten older, I understand every minute is crucial. I want to get in the net as much as I can. So, hopefully coming into this weekend we’ll get full games in and get the rhythm back.”

We acquired the sense that if St. Louis may’ve, he’d have performed veteran defenceman Mike Matheson for the entire recreation. 

Instead, the coach settled for giving Matheson 25:35, taking part in him in all conditions and counting on him in all the important thing moments.

“His skating is just so elite, and he’s very engaged,” St. Louis stated of the 28-year-old who came to visit within the commerce that despatched Jeff Petry to the Pittsburgh Penguins this previous summer season.

“He directs traffic. He’s a leader on the ice. He’s great. I looked at the game sheet and thought, ‘Gosh, for a preseason game, maybe I played him too much. But (Damon) Severson on the other side played 25 minutes, too, so I’m like, ‘Alright, I’m not crazy.’”

Matheson doesn’t assume so both. 

Similar to how it’s for Allen, Matheson understands these are important reps for him to get in earlier than taking up an enormous function with the Canadiens this season.

“I think it does matter a lot, actually,” Matheson stated of the preseason.

“It’s your opportunity to really get into it so you hit the ground running when the season starts. I thought it was good start for me, personally. Still a lot of things that I could’ve done better and that’s going to be the case throughout the whole season. Good start, but definitely hope to keep building on it.”

If Matheson does, it’ll bode effectively for the Canadiens.

He was dominant on this recreation — in all three zones — and if he could be higher, that’s excellent news for this workforce.