Martin St-Louis told the Canadiens to go enjoy their families last night after Jacob Fowler backstopped a 2-1 win over the Jets.
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The setting was the Heritage Classic in Winnipeg. The message was simple, almost fatherly, and it landed in a room that had just ground out a one-goal road win.
“You earned this,” St-Louis told his players. “Enjoy your family tonight.”
Then came the practical part. “Tomorrow, we rest and we travel,” with the Blues waiting in St. Louis on Tuesday.
Coaches rarely hand out a night to celebrate in October. But this group had earned some air after opening the season 1-2-1 through four games.
Montreal now sits at 6-3-2 and has won two straight, both on the road, in Chicago and Winnipeg.
Before the family talk, the coach handed out credit. The penalty kill went 4-for-4, and he named it first: “PK, great job. Fowler, great job.”
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Canadiens keep winning with Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov sidelined
Suzuki missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. He isn't expected back until at least Nov. 18.
Ivan Demidov is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. Two of Montreal's most dangerous forwards watched from street clothes, and the room still found two points.
The goalie did the heavy lifting. He made 33 saves on 34 shots, pushing his season save percentage to .924.
The scoring came from the blue line. Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle both beat Stuart Skinner, with Guhle's goal holding up as the winner.
Cole Caufield assisted on both goals. Juraj Slafkovsky picked up the other helper on a top line that's carrying more weight without its captain.
That's what made the speech work. It sounded less like a postgame address and more like a parent at a weekend tournament sending the kids to the hotel pool after a big win.
“I know I'm going to enjoy it too,” St-Louis added. When was the last time an NHL coach admitted that out loud to his room?
Some will call it soft. Wrong. A team with a goal differential of exactly zero after 11 games needs to feel good about something, and a coach who reads that is doing his job.
The schedule won't stay this friendly. The Blues come in at 5-5-1, and Dallas follows Thursday riding five straight wins.
Samuel Montembeault, also on injured reserve, isn't expected back before Oct. 31. The goalie question will arrive long before the captain does.
One night with family is easy to give. Keeping this mood alive through Dallas, with Suzuki still weeks away, is the part St-Louis can't script.
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Is Martin St-Louis's player-first approach the reason the Canadiens keep winning without Nick Suzuki?
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