Canadiens Edge Out in Nail-Biter Against Stars at Bell Centre
The Montreal Canadiens, with a record of 14-25-6, faced off against the Dallas Stars, who came into the game with a 30-18-4 record. In a closely contested match at the Bell Centre, the final score read 3-2 in favor of the visiting team.
The Canadiens showed resilience throughout the game. Despite trailing in shots with only 20 attempts compared to Dallas' 38, Montreal managed to convert these into two goals, showcasing an impressive shooting percentage of ten percent. The home team's goaltending was also noteworthy; their goalie saved 35 shots out of 38, reflecting a save percentage that rounded up to one hundred percent.
Montreal's physicality was on full display as they delivered a total of 24 hits during the game. However, this aggressive play did come at a cost as they gave away possession through giveaways on fourteen occasions and spent twelve minutes serving penalties due to five infractions.
On special teams play, both teams were unable to capitalize on powerplay opportunities. The Canadiens had four chances but failed to score despite taking four shots during these advantages. Their powerplay faceoff win percentage stood low at twenty-five percent which may have contributed to their inability to score during man advantages.
In contrast, Dallas had six powerplay opportunities but also didn't manage any goals from them despite nine shots taken and winning fifty-four percent of their faceoffs during those moments. However, it was their even-strength performance that made the difference; all three goals came from regular play where they maintained fifty-six percent faceoff wins and took twenty-six shots.
The pivotal moment for Dallas came when they scored what turned out to be the winning goal while playing at even strength – an achievement that underlines their efficiency in open play situations throughout this encounter.
As for individual performances from Montreal players – although not reflected directly by scoring – there were notable efforts contributing towards those two goals scored and four assists recorded by them collectively which kept them competitive until the very end.
Looking ahead for fans of The Montreal Canadiens: The next challenge will be against St. Louis Blues right here at Bell Centre on February 11th starting at 1 PM Eastern Time (ET). This upcoming contest can be followed live nationally via ESPN+ or locally on BSMW channel number 671 for those watching television broadcasts away from home.