Josh Anderson lastly scores one as Canadiens outlast Kraken

Article content material

On an evening when Tanner Pearson scored his first aim in 20 video games and Sean Monahan notched his first in 15 contests — after which added a second for good measure — it appeared solely becoming Josh Anderson would lastly get off the schneid.

Anderson, the Canadiens’ hard-luck energy ahead, scored his first aim this season in his twenty fifth sport — 27 going again to the top of final season — as Montreal outlasted the pesky Seattle Kraken, 4-2, Monday night time on the Bell Centre.

Article content material

Article content material

That the insurance coverage aim was scored into an empty web from roughly 180 toes, with 32 seconds remaining in regulation time, mattered little to Anderson or his jubilant teammates — those that had been leaping up and down on the bench or these on the ice who mobbed him.

Even goaltender Samuel Montembeault, good on this night time as typical, left his crease to congratulate Anderson, the winger’s look of aid obvious when he returned to the bench.

“That is just about life or demise for me proper now,” Anderson stated when he lastly emerged to deal with the media following a prolonged delay. “You will have different guys arising. Clearly you need to preserve taking part in effectively, attempting to assist your workforce win. In addition to scoring, I’m attempting to do all the pieces else … whether or not it’s drawing penalties or being bodily on the forecheck. I’m simply attempting to do something to assist the workforce win.”

Toggle full display modeEarlier Gallery Picture

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

12. 

13. 

14. 

15. 

16. 

Subsequent Gallery PictureToggle gallery captions

All 16 Photographs for Gallery

Perform Not Obtainable

Full Display just isn’t supported on this browser model.

You might use a special browser or system to view this in full display.

OK

Article content material

Article content material

However life or demise?

“As a participant, you may’t actually really feel comfy on this league, to be sincere with you. I’ve by no means felt that manner. I believe it’s essential to be your self, go on the market and provides 100 per cent. That’s what I’ve been attempting to do that complete yr, give it my all it doesn’t matter what. Typically you need to remind your self that you simply’re right here for a motive. You’re attempting to do all the pieces you may to assist the workforce win and never fear about factors. That was the primary focus for me.”

Anderson, 6-foot-3 and 230 kilos, had 21 targets in 69 video games final season earlier than his marketing campaign ended on March 21 resulting from a excessive ankle sprain towards Tampa Bay. And he seemingly would have rivalled the career-high 27 targets he scored in 82 video games with Columbus in 2018-19 had he buried a few of his quite a few alternatives, particularly these on breakaways.

He by no means may have imagined he would go almost two months this season with out scoring, nor that the primary one would come into an empty web.

“That’s proper,” he stated. “It doesn’t matter how.”

Nonetheless, he has contributed in different methods and performed like a person possessed final week, towards Florida, making his presence felt with 5 hits whereas pummelling Jonah Gadjovich late within the third interval.

Article content material

Anderson had three pictures towards the Kraken, including an help on Monahan’s first aim, barely greater than 4 minutes following the opening faceoff. Though Anderson was in good place to shoot, he despatched a brief cross to an open Monahan, who merely needed to tip the puck into the open aspect of the web.

Pearson made it 2-0 early within the second interval, changing a rebound previous Philipp Grubauer, earlier than Monahan offered Montreal with a three-goal lead seven minutes into the body, finishing a three-way play with the Canadiens on the facility play. Monahan now has the workforce lead in scoring, with eight targets, yet another than captain Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield.

Certainly a three-goal benefit towards the slumping Kraken, who misplaced their fifth consecutive sport — together with a fourth straight on this highway journey — appeared protected towards a workforce that’s offensively challenged and, just like the Canadiens, has been ravaged by accidents. However nothing comes straightforward for Montreal.

Article content material

Jared McCann, along with his team-leading twelfth aim, took benefit of some drained Canadiens gamers on an extended shift for the guests’ first aim, 14 minutes into the second interval, earlier than defenceman Vince Dunn made issues fascinating with a power-play blast at 4:49 of the third.

However that’s the place Montembeault took over.

Contemporary on the heels of his three-year, US$9.45-million contract extension introduced final Friday, Montembeault was his typical stellar self, stopping 12 pictures within the third interval and 31 within the sport for a .939 save share. He improved his season report to 6-3-1, with a 2.66 common and .913 save share.

“We all know that’s a workforce that’s actually intense,” Montembeault stated. “They arrive in waves and all the time work. I believe for probably the most half we did job and let me see the puck and cleared rebounds. It was actually intense on each side. I’m pleased we got here up with the win.”

The Canadiens ended a two-game dropping streak and reached .500 once more (11-11-3). Montreal hosts Los Angeles Thursday night time.

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

twitter.com/HerbZurkowsky1

Article content material

Article content material