Canadiens’ Mistakes Cost Them Game vs. Sharks & First Regulation Loss in 7 Games
SAN JOSE, Calif. — The Montreal Canadiens felt a win slip through their grasp Wednesday night at SAP Center, falling to the San Jose Sharks 7-5 in a game that exposed critical flaws in their consistency and attention to detail. Despite a spirited comeback that briefly leveled the score, a late penalty and defensive miscues proved fatal, halting their six-game unbeaten streak.
The game’s unraveling began early, with a costly turnover by Juraj Slafkovsky late in the first period. Instead of protecting possession, Slafkovsky attempted a blind backhand pass across his own blue line to Macklin Celebrini, a play that, even as not directly resulting in a goal, set a concerning tone for the Canadiens’ evening.
“We played some good minutes, but not enough of them,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said after the game. “We shot ourselves in the foot too often and it cost us.”
The Sharks capitalized on the Canadiens’ errors throughout the night. After Oliver Kapanen had given Montreal a 2-1 lead, San Jose responded with four unanswered goals, including a pair from Celebrini and Alexander Wennberg just 25 seconds apart in the second period, pushing the score to 5-2. Celebrini, who added an assist, finished the night with a hat trick and three assists, bringing his season goal total to 30.
Montreal mounted a determined response, fueled by a power-play goal from Ivan Demidov and two goals from Alex Newhook, tying the game at 5-5. However, the comeback was short-lived. A too-many-men penalty, stemming from a mix-up between Jayden Struble and Lane Hutson, gifted the Sharks a power play with under five minutes remaining. San Jose’s Kiefer Sherwood converted, restoring their lead, and Adam Gaudette sealed the victory with an empty-net goal in the final seconds.
“It’s not the only mistake we did tonight,” said Phillip Danault, who had briefly position the Canadiens ahead. He pointed to earlier breakdowns, including a bobbled puck by Struble at the offensive blue line and a defensive lapse that allowed Michael Misa to score, as contributing factors to the loss.
Newhook echoed Danault’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for greater attention to detail. “We gave up too much quality stuff,” he said. “When you let in six goals, it’s hard to win a game. I thought we showed some character to come back there and gave ourselves a shot, but it was a game that we knew the details needed to be there…and unfortunately, I don’t believe we played up to our standards, and the results reflected that.”
The loss, while the Canadiens’ first in regulation in seven games, is particularly concerning given its impact on the Atlantic Division standings. Both Boston and Buffalo secured wins on Wednesday, further tightening the race for playoff positioning.
The Canadiens’ struggles weren’t limited to defensive lapses. St. Louis noted a broader issue of inconsistent effort and execution. “Everybody’s got to do their job,” he stated. “It’s to stack up shifts, stack up minutes way more. I think as of late we’ve played a lot of good minutes in games. I felt tonight was probably the lowest that we’ve played good moments comparing to the other games, and it cost us.”
Looking ahead, the Canadiens will need to address these issues quickly as they continue their West Coast road trip with games against the Anaheim Ducks on and the Los Angeles Kings. St. Louis anticipates a significant correction in their next outing, with a focus on puck management and neutral-zone coverage – areas where the team was particularly vulnerable against the Sharks.
Defenseman Kaiden Guhle identified the neutral zone as a key area for improvement. “I don’t think we had many d-zone shifts where we got really hemmed in,” he said. “A lot of their stuff was off the rush or just loose in the neutral zone, so it’s something we’ve got to clean up for sure.”
The Sharks, meanwhile, showcased their offensive firepower, with Will Smith, Macklin Celebrini, and Collin Graf each contributing multiple points. Yaroslav Askarov stopped 25 shots in net for the win. Pavol Regenda, the San Jose forward who recently competed in the Olympics, was a healthy scratch for the Sharks, while Gaudette entered the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the previous three games.
The final score – San Jose Sharks 7, Montreal Canadiens 5 – reflects a game of missed opportunities and costly errors for the Canadiens, a stark reminder that even a talented team needs unwavering focus and discipline to succeed in the competitive NHL landscape.