“I need to present that I am there for my teammates,” mentioned Arber Xhekaj. For Juraj Slafkovsky, “scoring my first objective on this constructing, it is a dream come true.”
Article content material
Two kids made very completely different statements Thursday as they helped the Canadiens to a 6-2 victory over the Arizona Coyotes and received the hearts of the Bell Centre crowd within the course of.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Zach Kassian, who’s an authorized heavyweight, determined to problem rookie Arber Xhekaj in a type of fights that’s designed to awaken his teammates after they fell behind 3-0. It’s a doubtful technique and it has no probability of success when the man you problem sends you to the dressing room for medical remedy.
Article content material
“I need to present that I’m there for my teammates,” mentioned Xhekaj. “(Kassian) was taking a look at me off the faceoff and he cross-checked me and I requested him if he needed to go.”
It was Xhekaj’s first NHL combat and he mentioned he hoped that it despatched a message.
“I had loads of combat in junior the place I used to be older and greater however I’m not afraid of anybody,” mentioned the 6-foot-4, 238-pounder who obtained a loud ovation as he headed to the penalty field.
Commercial 3
Article content material
Xhehaj’s willingness to stay up for his teammates was on show within the second interval when Juraj Slafkovsky introduced the gang to its toes along with his first NHL objective.
Moments earlier than he scored, Slafkovsky took successful from Josh Brown alongside the boards and Xhekaj tracked down the Arizona defenceman and obtained in a lick of his personal.
And Slafkovsky rubbed it in by grabbing a free puck, wheeling away from Brown and beating Connor Ingram to place Montreal up 4-0.
“Scoring my first objective on this constructing, it’s a dream come true,” mentioned the 18-year-old Slafkovsky, who was the primary general alternative on this yr’s draft. “I feel that is the perfect crowd there may be. I don’t suppose something higher might have occurred after the primary NHL objective than what occurred on the market.
“I don’t bear in mind how I scored the objective,” mentioned Slafkovsky. “I simply went to have a good time as a result of that’s the perfect a part of the objective. It was good that I scored and good that we received.”
Brown wasn’t joyful in regards to the objective and Slafkovsky mentioned: “Me and Arber chirped him a little bit bit nevertheless it was simply feelings.”
Slafkovsky mentioned he was glad Arber’s “on our facet” and coach Martin St. Louis mentioned the Canadiens are creating a pack mentality through which gamers arise for one another.
Commercial 4
Article content material
-
Canadiens’ Cole Caufield celebrates his first-period objective towards the Arizona Coyotes in a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky tosses a puck into the stands after being named the primary star of the Habs’ victory over the Arizona Coyotes on the Bell Centre in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Slafkovsky scored his first profession objective within the recreation. (John Mahoney / MONTREAL GAZETTE)/ Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky will get a hug from teammate Chris Wideman following the workforce’s victory over the Arizona Coyotes in a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky, proper, celebrates with teammates Arber Xhekaj and Jake Evans after scoring his first profession objective towards the Arizona Coyotes throughout the second interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens, from left, Jordan Harris, Kirby Dach, Jonathan Drouin and Chris Wideman, proper, have a good time with Josh Anderson after his first-period objective in a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky will get excessive fives from team-mates after scoring his first profession objective towards the Arizona Coyotes throughout second interval of Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj punches Arizona Coyotes Zack Kassian throughout first interval of Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens, from left, Jordan Harris, Kirby Dach, Jonathan Drouin and Chris Wideman, proper, have a good time with Josh Anderson after his first-period objective in a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Arber Xhekaj punches Arizona Coyotes Zack Kassian throughout the first interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ David Savard will get grabbed across the neck by Arizona Coyotes’ Nick Bjugstad throughout the second interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Cole Caufield controls the puck towards Arizona Coyotes’ Shayne Gostisbehere throughout the third interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Habs’ Sean Monahan trails the play. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki appears to be like to make a play from one knee throughout the third interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation towards the Arizona Coyotes in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens defenceman Chris Wideman shoots the puck from the purpose throughout the first interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation towards the Arizona Coyotes in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki shoots the puck previous Arizona Coyotes’ Connor Ingram on a penalty shot throughout the second interval of their Nationwide Hockey League recreation in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
-
Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki will get excessive fives from teammates on the bench after scoring a penalty shot objective throughout the second interval of a Nationwide Hockey League recreation towards the Arizona Coyotes in Montreal Thursday Oct. 20, 2022. Photograph by John Mahoney /Montreal Gazette
All 15 Photographs for Gallery
Perform Not Accessible
Full Display screen will not be supported on this browser model.
Chances are you’ll use a special browser or system to view this in full display screen.
The Canadiens took an early lead as they scored on three of their first 4 photographs with Josh Anderson, Cole Caufield and Brendan Gallagher beating Ingram. Nick Suzuki, with a penalty shot, and Sean Monahan, with an empty-netter, supplied the opposite Montreal objectives.
Jake Allen made 25 saves, giving up third-period objectives to J.J. Moser and Travis Boyd.
The Canadiens have been coming off a 3-2 time beyond regulation win over Pittsburgh Monday and St. Louis mentioned he was happy that his workforce picked up the place it left off.
Really useful from Editorial
-
Juraj Slafkovsky scores his first NHL objective as Canadiens rout lowly Coyotes 6-2
-
Liveblog replay: Habs win battle of final season’s worst groups
