Canadiens prospect Gleb Pugachyov breaks out with Gordie Howe hat trick

Gleb Pugachyov has given Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis a reason to pay attention after a wild Gordie Howe hat trick in Russia.

The Canadiens' first-round prospect scored, set up a teammate and dropped the gloves Thursday against Molot Perm, delivering his most complete outing of a difficult MHL season.

That response was badly needed. Pugachyov's early form had raised questions about his confidence and whether he was progressing the way Montreal hoped.

He posted 24 points in 33 games last season but opened this campaign with just one assist in his first seven appearances. The drop was hard to ignore.

Reports of an early-season concussion complicated the picture. So did talk that he was disappointed about remaining in Russia's junior league rather than earning a KHL opportunity.

Thursday offered a different picture. Late in the first period, Pugachyov found room in the slot, took a sharp pass and finished the chance to get himself going.

Gleb Pugachyov delivers the response Montreal needed

In the third period, he showed the explosive skating that makes him intriguing. He jumped on a turnover, beat defenders with speed and slid a pass to a teammate for a clean scoring chance.

It was the type of transition play missing from the discussion around his slow start. The puck moved quickly, and Pugachyov made the right decision under pressure.

Then came the fight. Pugachyov dropped the gloves later in the period, completing a Gordie Howe hat trick and putting a physical stamp on an already productive game.

But the performance needs context. Molot Perm sat last in the MHL standings, and Pugachyov was facing an opponent he should be able to challenge with his skill set.

For the Canadiens, the more important development was his involvement across different situations. Finishing in tight, attacking space and creating for a linemate gave scouts more to evaluate than points alone.

A single outing won't settle questions about his consistency or his route to the KHL. It does give him a performance to build from after a frustrating opening stretch.

Now comes the follow-up. Montreal will want to see that same pace, engagement and decisive puck movement when the opposition is stronger and the opportunities aren't as inviting.

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