Steven Reinblatt

e-commerce director, husband and father of two, hockey fan and believer that baseball will one day return to Montreal.

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

Hey ⁦@CanadiensMTL⁩ do you like my son’s reaction to his freshly painted room? #gohabsgo

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@mndamico If this trade had gone through would the Habs cap situation been an issue given that they didn’t move any contracts at the deadline?

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@HFTVSports Planning for the draft

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@thesickpodcasts @TonyMarinaro Sick

[The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro @thesickpodcasts]

If Mr. Saturday Night scores in game 6 vs Buffalo, we are giving away an official jersey!

Follow @thesickpodcasts, retweet and comment "SICK" to enter!

#thesickpodcast
@TonyMarinaro

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@MOBeaudoin1 Won’t be him tomorrow night. Think Defenceman

[Mitch Gallo @MitchyGallo]

Here are my three takeaways from Montreal’s 6-3 Game 5 win over the Buffalo Sabres, brought to you by Snap Bar Sportif in Rigaud.

1- St. Louis sticks with his guy

Everyone immediately started thinking about a potential goalie change when Jakub Dobes allowed three goals on the first four shots of the game. But once again, Martin St. Louis showed he has a great feel for both his team and his goaltenders.

Dobes could be given a bit of a pass on the first couple goals, but the third one scored by Konsta Helenius is one you absolutely want your goalie to stop.

To Dobes’ credit, he bounced back. He weathered the storm for the rest of the first period and slammed the door shut the rest of the way. One of the best traits a goalie can have is the ability to immediately forget a bad goal, and Dobes did exactly that.

Sometimes goaltenders are remembered more for the big saves than the bad goals. The perfect example came with Buffalo leading 3-2 when Tage Thompson broke in alone. Dobes stayed patient, outwaited him on the forehand move, and made a huge save to keep the deficit at one. Moments later, Montreal tied the game.

Had Buffalo scored a fourth in the opening period, maybe Jacob Fowler makes his NHL playoff debut. Instead, Dobes reset himself and gave Montreal a chance to come back.

2- The top line fills the scoresheet

Montreal’s top line has been under the microscope all playoffs, especially their production at 5-on-5. But Game 5 was exactly what the Canadiens needed.

Cole Caufield stayed hot, scoring for a third straight game and finally getting his first even-strength goal of the postseason. Nick Suzuki once again showed tremendous patience with the puck before sliding another perfect setup onto Caufield’s tape, while Juraj Slafkovsky deserves credit for keeping the play alive to start the sequence.

After seven power-play opportunities in Game 4, whistles were much quieter in this one as Buffalo played a far more disciplined game. But the first penalty they did take was a brutal one by Tage Thompson, who continues to struggle.

Montreal made them pay quickly. Slafkovsky made a terrific play in tight to set up Suzuki for what turned into a massive goal and a real backbreaker for Buffalo. The Canadiens finished 2-for-2 on the power play.

Montreal is still waiting for Slafkovsky’s first goal of the series at even strength, but he was excellent again with a pair of assists and nearly scored himself after ringing one off the post early in the second period.

This season has been a constant example of Montreal fixing problems on the fly. Every time it feels like a player or part of the game needs correcting, they seem to find an answer.

3- Ivan Demidov finally breaks through

Ivan Demidov finally scored his first career playoff goal, and you could feel it coming for a while now.

While he’s been producing assists and helping the power play, he had gone 11 playoff games this postseason without scoring after also failing to score in five playoff games against Washington last year. That made it 16 straight playoff games without a goal.

The important thing is it was never for a lack of effort. Demidov was arguably Montreal’s most dangerous offensive player all night and was constantly generating chances. In fact, before finally scoring, he had recorded 32 scoring chances, the most of any player in the playoffs without a goal.

Earlier in the game, it looked like he might finally get one when a puck trickled behind Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, but Jake Evans gave it the final shove over the line.

In the third period, Demidov left no doubt. He got the puck in the high slot and ripped a perfect wrist shot past Alex Lyon, who had entered in relief of Luukkonen.

And if Demidov starts getting hot offensively, he could quickly become a nightmare matchup for opposing teams. There simply aren’t many players who can create offense the way he can.

Considering how disastrous the opening minutes looked for Montreal, it’s hard to imagine a better outcome than the one they got in Game 5.

@tsn690

[Pat McAfee @PatMcAfeeShow]

"The hot dog at the Bell Centre is fantastic..

The bread is perfectly toasted and it's unbelievable" ~ @6ErikJohnson #PMSLive

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@thesickpodcasts @TonyMarinaro Yes. He’s in for the Sherif.

[Aaron Ward @NHL_AaronWard]

Kuch?

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@Super70sSports Probably talking about how they don’t need Isaiah Thomas to conquer the world. Or anyone from the Pistons for that matter.

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@MitchyGallo Thanks Mitch. One point about the second power play unit. I would go to Matheson with Dobson and take off Gallagher. Safer and frankly more chance to score.

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@MitchyGallo To add to this Hutson didn’t look out of place killing penalties. Maybe better suited to it then Carrier.

[Mitch Gallo @MitchyGallo]

Here are my three takeaways from tonight’s 5-2 Montreal Canadiens win over the Carolina Hurricanes, brought to you by Snap Bar Sportif in Rigaud.

1 – Habs are resilient

The Montreal Canadiens looked like they were going to be run out of the building after the first period, but they managed to hang around and keep the score within one. In the second, they were a completely different team, dominating the Hurricanes for most of the period.

Nobody should be surprised, this has been their identity all season long. Once again, it was their best players getting the job done. Montreal has to be encouraged by this performance because Carolina played a playoff-style game, and the Canadiens adjusted on the fly and handled it.

2 – Caufield 50 is now realistic

Cole Caufield is catching fire at the perfect time. With the playoffs around the corner, he’s red hot, scoring in bunches, and now has 50 goals firmly in his sights.

He’s been automatic lately. It looked like he had his second of the game on a Noah Dobson point shot, but Juraj Slafkovsky may have gotten a piece of it. Either way, Caufield is right in the mix for the Rocket Richard Trophy and even chasing down Nathan MacKinnon in the scoring race.

What’s most impressive is how he’s scoring , from distance, around the net, on deflections, from bad angles… you name it. It’s been a season to remember and the kind of goal-scoring run a whole generation of Canadiens fans hasn’t seen before.

3 – Dobes solid again

Speaking of players trending in the right direction heading into the playoffs, Jakub Dobes turned in another strong performance. He’s looked much calmer in his crease lately, and when he’s not overplaying situations, he becomes a very tough goalie to beat.

Some of his biggest saves can get lost over the course of a game. Early on, with the Canadiens already down, Taylor Hall had a clean breakaway that could have changed everything, Dobes came up with a huge right pad save. He also stopped Logan Stankoven on a breakaway with just over a minute left to seal it. It was a career high 42-saves for Montreal rookie goalie.

With Montreal set to play four games a week over the next three weeks, Dobes should be getting plenty of starts. They need to find out if he can handle that kind of workload heading into the playoffs.

@tsn690

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@thesickpodcasts @betwaycanada Sick

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

Sick

[The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro @thesickpodcasts]

🚨HABS TICKET GIVEAWAY🚨

We are giving a pair of tickets to the Habs vs Senators game on March 11th in partnership with Betway Canada!

TO ENTER:
1. Follow @thesickpodcasts & @betwaycanada
2. RT this post
3. Comment SICK

Winner will be announced on March 9th.

#thesickpodcast

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@joeyalfieri @SimonTSN690 @BoulaySamus I believe they’ve tried Anderson in that role in the past and for whatever reason it hasn’t worked. Still I’d probably consider it until Kirby Dach is back in the line up

[Brian Wilde @BWildeMTL]

The Danault factor, the Slafkovsky explosion, the Suzuki line issue, and the Hage future watch…

That’s all in this packed Call Of The Wilde for @Global_Montreal of a frantic comeback in Tampa Bay.

https://t.co/3tpms1fSln

[Mitch Gallo @MitchyGallo]

Here are my three takeaways from tonight’s 4–0 Montreal Canadiens win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, brought to you by Snap Bar Sportif in Rigaud.

1 — Owen Beck finally gets his first

Owen Beck was teased last week when he thought he had scored his first NHL goal against Pittsburgh, only to have it overturned for offside. Tonight, there was no doubt about it — and it was a goal he’ll never forget. Beck picked up speed down the left side, blew past Parker Wotherspoon, and ripped a top-shelf shot past Stuart Skinner.

Beyond the goal, Beck looked noticeably more engaged. He had a little extra jump in his game, and the pace of this matchup clearly suited him. With Jake Evans sidelined due to injury, Beck was used a little bit more, and the cerebral side of his game really stood out. He read the play well, stayed responsible, and didn’t look out of place.

With the addition of Phil Danault, Beck will likely be the odd man out once the Canadiens are fully healthy. Still, performances like this show he’s knocking on the door of becoming a full-time NHL player.

2 — Fowler was excellent when he had to be

The Canadiens have done a better job protecting their goaltenders lately, but when Fowler was needed as the last line of defense, he delivered. His best save came in the second period, sliding from left to right to rob Connor Dewar, who was left completely unchecked in front of the net. He finished with 30-saves and his first career shutout.

Fowler continues to pass the eye test. He looks calm, composed, and plays a steady, confidence-inspiring style. With Jakub Dobes solid in his last two starts and Sam Montembeault just wrapping up his conditioning stint in Laval, Fowler’s perfect performance adds another wrinkle to an increasingly interesting goaltending situation. What happens next between the pipes will be worth watching.

3 — The Danault deal is a slam dunk

The Canadiens have lacked experience down the middle, and the defensive side of their game has often suffered because of it. They also never truly replaced Christian Dvorak after he departed in free agency last summer. So when Phil Danault’s name surfaced in trade rumours, it felt inevitable that Montreal would explore a deal.

Centers are always in demand, and the Canadiens managed to add one without subtracting from their roster. Even better, Danault is signed through next season, so this isn’t a short-term rental. His offensive numbers have dipped this year, but his role was reduced as well. Just last spring, he was one of the Kings’ best players in the playoffs and was tasked with shutting down Connor McDavid.

In Montreal, Danault will be leaned on heavily for tough defensive assignments and protecting leads late in games. And for those worried this move means the Canadiens are done shopping for a top-six forward — don’t be. The organization knows what it still needs, and this deal doesn’t change that.

@tsn690 *feel free to share and retweet*

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@StuCowan1 Everybody into the bunker.

[Steven Reinblatt @StevenReinblatt]

@ArponBasu Not surprised about the OB and AE but a bit shocked about Fowler