The Montreal Canadiens delivered a powerful response to their recent loss, securing a decisive 4-1 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. While the scoreboard told one story, the game's true narrative was written on the team's blue line, where unexpected defensive combinations emerged as a potential solution for the squad's future.
Bolduc's Breakout and a Defensive Reshuffle
Forward Zachary Bolduc seized the spotlight offensively, netting his first two home goals of the season. His performance was timely, coming when his position on the top line was under scrutiny. Bolduc first tied the game 1-1 in the opening period with a powerful shot from the slot, assisted by Cole Caufield. He then struck again just 20 seconds into the third period, deflecting a Lane Hutson point shot between his legs to extend the lead.
However, the game's strategic core was the absence of top defenseman Mike Matheson, who missed his second consecutive game with an upper-body injury. Head coach Martin St. Louis was forced to reconfigure his defensive pairs, and the experiment yielded surprisingly positive results.
New Pairings Impress, Struble Benched
Rookie Lane Hutson stepped into the void left by Matheson and excelled. He absorbed the lion's share of the minutes, logging 26:19 of ice time, and contributed three assists with a plus-3 rating, proving his capability on the top pairing.
The most intriguing development was the newly formed duo of Arber Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom. Both players saw their ice time increase to season highs, with Xhekaj playing 16:17 and Engstrom 16:13. Their composed and effective play did not go unnoticed by fans, with many on live blogs calling for them to remain in the lineup.
The casualty of this reshuffle was Jayden Struble. He was largely confined to the bench in the third period, seeing only 37 seconds of action, and finished with a minus-1 rating in just 10:26 of total ice time. This starkly indicated his falling position in Coach St. Louis's defensive hierarchy.
Implications for the Canadiens' Playoff Push
The victory improved Montreal's home record to 9-9-1 this season. More importantly, the team now sits just one point out of the Atlantic Division lead. The emergence of reliable depth on defense, particularly the Xhekaj-Engstrom pairing, provides St. Louis with valuable options.
Xhekaj has evidently moved ahead of Struble, offering his trademark physicality alongside improved puck decisions. Engstrom, called up from Laval, continues to showcase the skating and poise that made him a high draft pick.
The Canadiens face a immediate test, closing their home stand against Pittsburgh on Saturday before embarking on a challenging seven-game holiday road trip from December 21 to January 4. This grueling stretch will be the ultimate test of whether Montreal's newfound defensive combinations can sustain them as legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference.
