Canadiens’ St. Louis should ponder modifications to spark high six

BROSSARD, Que. — No matter what number of episodes of Seinfeld Martin St. Louis watched over the past 24 hours, it’s onerous to think about he ever actually fell into REM cycle.

Following a fourth of 4 video games on this collection that ended together with his high line shut out at five-on-five — a 3-2 loss to the Lightning that despatched this collection again to Tampa tied 2-2 — the coach of the Montreal Canadiens needed to be feeling not less than a bit stressed about methods to navigate his hardest resolution of the season.

While it could look like a straightforward one to separate Juraj Slakfovsky from Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield for Game 5, it’s not. Not once they dominated their matchups in over 500 minutes collectively at five-on-five from mid-October to mid-April, not once they is likely to be on the verge of breaking out, and definitely not when the collection is even and there’s no cause to panic.

And St. Louis appeared something however panicked when he was requested in a number of methods what he intends to do to spark Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky.

“I feel like after I watch (a replay of Game 4), I’m gonna get steered,” St. Louis stated throughout a Zoom availability Monday. “To me, it’s just the process. That’s what we’re doing today; we’re not emotionally making decisions. We’re going through our process, and we’re gonna get steered. And whatever it is, whatever it is — we’ll move forward with that with confidence based on our process. I would say we’re in the middle of that right now.”

What he and his coaches conclude is anybody’s guess.

They might go for a number of modifications, however there was barely a sign of any at Tuesday’s observe. And even when Slafkovsky (who briefly left the second interval of Sunday’s sport after taking the most important hit of the playoffs solely to return for the third), or Josh Anderson (who additionally left briefly earlier than returning) had participated, we doubt St. Louis would’ve revealed all his playing cards.

What we did see needs to be taken with a grain of salt, contemplating Brendan Gallagher (who’s been scratched from all 4 video games of this collection) lined up with Suzuki and Caufield, whereas Patrik Laine (who’s been scratched for months) swapped in for Oliver Kapanen to take reps with Ivan Demidov and Alex Newhook.

We additionally noticed Joe Veleno take some with Phillip Danault and Jake Evans, however we’re undecided St. Louis will carry him in for Game 5, both.

St. Louis did not less than tweak his traces following Montreal’s loss in Game 2, and if he’s contemplating doing it once more to spark some five-on-five offence from not solely his high line but in addition his second one (at present consisting of Newhook, Demidov and Kapanen), he does have good choices to show to.

One may very well be so simple as flipping Slafkovsky and Newhook.

Slafkovsky spent over 350 minutes at five-on-five with Demidov and Kapanen this season, and it was an experiment that gave the Canadiens much more versatility and, in consequence, made them that rather more difficult to close down.

That line was additionally Montreal’s second-most productive mixture this season, notching 25 targets whereas permitting solely 18.

Meanwhile, Suzuki and Caufield performed slightly below 470 minutes at five-on-five with out Slafkovsky and nonetheless outscored the opposition 34-20 whereas dominating shot makes an attempt (489-432) and the anticipated targets (63 per cent).

“We know it works,” St. Louis stated previous to the beginning of the collection.

Whether he turns to it now, although, is something however assured.

Suzuki seemed after Tuesday’s observe that he’d want to stay with Slafkovsky and Caufield.

“Whatever Marty wants, but I love playing with those two guys,” the captain stated. “We’ve had a lot of success and we kind of have everything that you want in a line. So, I think it’s just on us to step up a little bit.”

Suzuki had 101 factors this season, Caufield had 51 targets, and Slafkovsky emerged as a dominant energy ahead with 10 extra targets (30) and 10 extra assists (43) than he’d produced in any of his three different seasons. They did most of it collectively, proving to be Montreal’s finest mixture at five-on-five, proudly owning optimistic shares in shot makes an attempt and anticipated targets whereas outscoring their opposition 33-14.

But Suzuki (4 assists), Caufield (one purpose, three assists) and Slafkovsky (three targets) have solely come via on the ability play towards the Lightning, and the underlying numbers have solely confirmed what the attention take a look at has revealed — they’re not getting sufficient possibilities.

It’s the Lightning who’ve saved these three to proudly owning simply 43 per cent of the shot-attempt share. It’s the Lightning who’ve decreased them to simply 35 per cent of the anticipated targets. It’s the Lightning who’ve out-scored them 4-0 at five-on-five. And if these tendencies proceed, it’s the Lightning who’ll more likely to return to Montreal with an opportunity to shut out the collection in Game 6.

Should St. Louis choose to maintain his high line intact for Game 5, he’ll should do extra to assist them. Even if he doesn’t have final change in Tampa.

Being guests to the Bell Centre didn’t forestall Lightning coach Jon Cooper from getting forwards Anthony Cirelli and Brandon Hagel and defencemen Darren Raddysh and Ryan McDonagh out on the ice towards Suzuki greater than any of their different gamers in Game 3. And in Game 4, Cooper was nonetheless in a position to get them out a ton towards Suzuki regardless of separating Cirelli and Hagel.

St. Louis may need been comfy with all that, however it’s unimaginable he desires to proceed enabling that matchup as a lot as he has so far.

Surely the coach would additionally wish to see his second line produce one thing that might power the Lightning to pay nearer consideration to it.

Again, placing Slafkovsky there could be a technique of doing it.

“He’s a big, skilled guy,” stated Demidov, who benefited drastically from taking part in with Slafkovsky earlier this season. “Probably just find each other, and that’s how it works, I think. He’s a good puck carrier and obviously has good vision.”

Slafkovsky additionally has elite puck possession abilities to increase offensive zone time, which is what Demidov must get extra puck touches.

With extra puck touches, the gifted Russian can really feel that rather more comfy executing the way in which he’s accustomed to.

Demidov hasn’t been getting sufficient of them, which is not less than partly as a result of Newhook and Kapanen not managing the puck in addition to they’ve at different factors this yr.

The different half is what St. Louis talked about on Tuesday.

“I find they’re lacking balance on the ice,” he stated, “and that’s making it harder for them to play in space.”

Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky aren’t getting sufficient area, and you’ll see the way it’s disrupting them.

“I think the first couple games, there wasn’t a lot of space early, and as the game goes on, once you get space, you feel like you don’t have that time,” stated Suzuki, “so then you rush plays a little bit.”

Suzuki, Caufield and Slafkovsky have all completed that all through the collection, though they did it barely much less in Game 4.

Perhaps St. Louis noticed sufficient proper there to maintain them collectively and belief that they’re going to interrupt out in Game 5.

Even if he’s leaning that means, you must suppose Plan B, C and D have been operating via his thoughts nonstop since Sunday’s sport ended.

We’ll see what Wednesday’s sport at Benchmark International Arena brings, realizing that it higher be one thing completely different at five-on-five if the Canadiens are going to win it.