One way you can tell the Montreal Canadiens are making progress in their rebuild efforts? Their most impressive games of 2023-24 exclusively comprise actual wins instead of including some character-building losses like last season.
Related: Most Impressive Canadiens Games of 2022-23 so Far
Indeed, the time for moral victories is over. And, while the Canadiens undeniably have a lot further to go before they can be considered a legitimately good team, they’ve impressively beaten quite a few on this list. Maybe next season it will exclusively comprise them.
5. Anaheim Ducks (5-0 Win on Feb. 13)
The Anaheim Ducks obviously aren’t what anyone would call elite, finishing lower than the Canadiens in the standings (by 17 points). So, the total domination the Habs displayed on Valentine’s Eve (if that’s a thing), should be taken with a grain of salt. It wasn’t far off from being a massacre though, in all forms.
The Canadiens beat the Ducks 5-0 at home in one of goalie Cayden Primeau’s two shutouts of the year (the only two the Habs put together). Unlike against the Columbus Blue Jackets almost a full month later, this was much more of a team effort. In fact, with just 13 shots against (a season low), the Habs tripled their offense (38 shots for), Nick Suzuki leading the way with two goals and one assist.
Also of note, this was the game in which recent-signee Brandon Gignac scored his first-ever NHL goal at Age 26. While unfortunately the Cinderella story wasn’t meant to last, as the last goal scored in the game it did wrap things up nicely, simultaneously adding insult to injury to the Ducks.
4. Boston Bruins (3-2 Overtime Win on Nov. 11)
Wins over the rival Boston Bruins are admittedly harder to come by these days. However, this 3-2 home overtime victory on Nov. 11 made the list on its own merits, taking everything into account:
- A closely played game against a Stanley Cup contender
- A dramatic third-period comeback
- Performance under pressure when it was tied late
- An unlikely overtime hero
Defenseman Kaiden Guhle supplied the heroics in overtime, albeit on a broken play. While the shots were kept close (27-28), the Canadiens don’t even get that far were it not for their two goals in 27 seconds to open the third (Suzuki, Brendan Gallagher). They erased a 1-0 deficit Pavel Zacha created in the game’s opening minute.
Brad Marchand tied it late, but credit to the Canadiens: They stuck it out against one of the league’s elite, putting aside the two teams’ long history with one another. This one may not have been one worth remembering 20 years from now or anything, but, in terms of highlights of 2023-24, it definitely ranks up there.
3. Nashville Predators (4-3 Overtime Win on March 5)
Another overtime game makes the list at No. 3, and for similar reasons too. Even though the standings say the Nashville Predators aren’t the same calibre team as the Bruins, at the time of the Canadiens’ 4-3 win over them on March 5, they had been playing like it.
The Preds had embarrassingly lost 9-2 to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 15, prompting head coach Andrew Brunette to cancel to a team outing to see U2 in Las Vegas. They then won eight in a row and 16 of their next 18, losing just two in overtime. Not only were the Canadiens one of the losses, but they were the ones to first break the streak, in Nashville no less.
They notably did so in impressive fashion. They first overcame a two-goal deficit to tie it 2-2. When Ryan O’Reilly put the Preds up again in the third, rookie Joshua Roy responded a few minutes later. He first stole it from star defenseman Roman Josi and then blasted a shot past star Juuse Saros, seemingly marking one of the few times an opponent played their starter against the Habs this season. In contrast, in what was more of a common occurrence this season, Suzuki played the hero, scoring in the extra frame.
2. Colorado Avalanche (2-1 Win on March 26)
Little-known or understandable fact: The Canadiens swept their season series with the recent-Stanley Cup champions Colorado Avalanche. So, in theory, either one of the two games could make this list, but their 2-1 win on March 21 gets the edge for the simple fact the Habs held the Avs to just one goal… which, based on recent evidence, isn’t very easy to do.
True, in their other win, a 4-3 victory in January, the Canadiens actually beat Avalanche “starter” Alexandar Georgiev. In this one they played Justus Annunen. However, context is king. It’s fair to say, in limited action, Annuen has been more effective this season. On top of that, this was head coach Martin St. Louis’ first game back after he took time away from the team for personal reasons, adding even more of an emotional element to the game. Finally, the Avs had been looking for their 10th win in a row here, meaning in principle they brought their A game (at home).
So, when Hart Memorial Trophy-candidate Nathan MacKinnon scored 43 seconds in, it was a sign of an impending avalanche. However, it never came. Instead, Suzuki tied it up literally nine seconds later. Joel Armia scored what amazingly turned out to be the game-winning goal late in the first. Holding the Avalanche to a decent 28-27 edge in shots, the Canadiens simply, but impressively held on, just never seemingly having to for dear life, which was a nice change of pace.
1. Philadelphia Flyers (9-3 Win on April 9)
If you can remember back a few seasons, the Canadiens ended 2021-22 by routing the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Florida Panthers 10-2 (in Carey Price’s last-ever win). This one certainly had that kind of feel, but there was simply more at stake for the opposition. It was readily apparent the Panthers didn’t care and were just trying to escape uninjured to start the playoffs. The Philadelphia Flyers were clinging to their playoff hopes instead when they stunk up the Bell Centre on April 9, losing 9-3.
Now, it was the Flyers’ eighth loss in a row. So, it’s not like the Canadiens were playing a team at the top of their game or anything. However, whenever a team loses like the Flyers did, they’re obviously not playing well. That shouldn’t take away from the effort the Habs put forth, with Juraj Slafkovsky scoring his first-ever hat trick (just like Cole Caufield against the Panthers in 2022).
Also getting in on the action? Brendan Gallagher and Christian Dvorak, in his first game back from injury, each got two goals. No offense to Josh Anderson, but, if he’s scoring too, it’s a sign thing are going about as right as possible. Sliding it under Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson on a rush to the net on which defenseman Nick Seeler seemed to overpower him to the ice, even Anderson looked surprised to have scored, his first in 17 games to end only his second-longest drought of the season.
It’s just funny Flyers coach John Tortorella chose that exact moment to replace Ersson, as if to say, “Giving up a goal to Anderson is too much. That’s the last straw.” Joel Armia meanwhile rounded out the scoring from the Canadiens’ perspective. Ending the season with four straight loser points from there on out, the Habs fought quasi-valiantly to close out the season, but this is the game fans should choose to remember as the beginning of the end, maybe regarding the rebuild as a whole too.