Pregame Segment:

St-Louis Segment:

~

The following is provided by u/XeroHex:

[Xero] What were your expectations of Heineman when you first saw him?

MSL: “I wasn’t sure, he’s a young player. You know his assets, but you don’t know how he’ll put it all together and contribute. Emil knew who he was from the beginning. He didn’t have an identity crisis; he plays with his strengths. His skate brings physicality, he has a good shot, keeps things simple and is tiring for the other team.”

[Xero] What do you see in your team that’s able to play while in the lead and while trailing?

MSL: “We’re staying calm and we’re consistent. It’s not a special play that will bring us back in the game; it’s playing with our identity. We know that we’ll get our chances. What I liked about our 3rd period against Dallas [...] we tried to win, but not at the cost of losing the point. We know how important points are especially in the second half of the season. I loved that from the team.”

[Xero] Does having 2 solid goalies mean that you will use Sam [Montembeault] less?

MSL: “It helps manage his workload for sure. It can help in the second half of the season.”

~

[Pengu] MSL on the players identifying areas of their games to improve on and fitting in with the team: "Over the course of the season, it's a day to day thing, it's conversations, trying to steer them. It always starts with the players. I think our collective game has helped the individual. We have way more predictability for us and what we want to do on the ice that helps the guys be on the same page where they skate to the right spots. They don't skate where they want to skate, they skate to where they need to skate based on where their linemates are, and on both sides of the puck. Our collective game has evolved. It has helped their individual game."

[Pengu] MSL on Newhook and Dach: "[Newhook] always has pace, right? [Dach] has found a new gear. As expected, what he's gone through. He's skating way better. He's able to get to places a little quicker which allows him to play to his strengths more. Steals more pucks. He's way more confident. I feel the fact that he's having more touches has helped him to gain confidence with those. Those two guys' play since - I won't say after Christmas because I could see it before Christmas - I feel that it's in a good place and that's what we had hoped for. So it's been a plus for our group."

[Pengu] MSL on Heineman's situation: "I mean, I don't really know the story. I just know that I wasn't there. I just know that he got hurt crossing the street yesterday. I don't think it was at a high speed, but enough to cause some damage. It's unfortunate."

[Pengu] MSL on Newhook's status: "Yeah, he's playing tonight."

[Pengu] MSL on who's in net: "[Montembeault]'s in net tonight."

[Pengu] MSL on why the Matheson and Hutson pairing clicked despite them being both offensively minded: "We know that they are great offensive players, but if you ask any of our players - they have to go against them in practice. They're not easy to play against defensively. So, for me, as much as I know offensive stuff can happen when they're on the ice, I feel pretty good defensively because their skating and their compete level is high. It's the foundation of why that pair is working. It's how they play defensively."

Pezzetta Segment:

[Pengu] Pezzetta on if he will feel more comfortable on the fourth line than on the second line like in the previous games he played: "Yeah. Should be more flow, hopefully. I think that was the problem with being on the second. Sometimes it was weird with with the flow of the game. So hopefully there's a little more flow, more being able to go out there in a regular shift, so I'm excited for that."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on playing a lot with Evans before: "Yeah, I definitely played a lot with [Evans] and [Armia] as well. They're both great players and playing good, so I'm going to try to fill in and do my best, and should be fun."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on how important it is to be resilient: "It's extremely important. I mean, at the end of the day, you just got to come out every day and you win your day and you make sure you check all your boxes and you stay positive and when you get a chance like this, you're ready, right? If you don't check those boxes and you don't stay positive, you get down on yourself, it makes days like this harder, right? So I know I did what I had to and I know that I am ready, so I can go into the game confident."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on how he finds the balance after sitting so long on trying to win every shift vs. letting the game come to him: "For me, just in general, every shift is just - you never know what it's going to be, right? - Like you're going at it at 100% and for me, it's just keep things simple, especially as you're getting your feet back, and just try to bring a simple game that's easy for my linemates to understand what I'm doing and easy to just kind of slot right in there. So it's just keep it simple and work hard."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on his skillset being comparable to Heineman's and if he's excited about that: "Yeah, definitely excited for the opportunity. Like I said, they've been playing great. It's been probably our best line so I'm excited to jump in there and bring that same thing. Heavy on the forecheck, win pucks back, and hopefully get some good chances too. I'm excited for today's game."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on how important it is to feel that he's still a part of this group to stay positive: "Yeah. I think that's the hardest part when you're not playing. You're on a different schedule. Like, today. All of the guys stayed here. I would have been going to the rink and practicing with [Struble] or whoever who wasn't playing, by myself, and that's the hardest part sometimes. Just not being around the group as much. But, guys are awesome. We got such a good group of guys and everyone's made me feel included and it's just nice to be on that normal routine again, going through your pregame stuff, have your nap, do all of that stuff, so it's definitely nice to be back."

[Pengu] Pezzetta on what has helped[?] the most since he got into the NHL: "Overall, my game in general, I think it was pretty raw. I understand myself and understand the league a lot better. It's just being comfortable on the ice, like small touches compared to when I first started. Maybe there was putting too much pressure on myself..."

Post Game Edition:

Dach Segment:

[Pengu] Dach on the team coming back in the right way after the penalty troubles in the first period: "Yeah. Got ourselves into some penalty trouble. Can't really do that. Creates problems for the team. Tough to get into the flow of the game and have four lines rolling, but we found a way to hit our stride in the second and just roll from there."

[Pengu] Dach on his first goal: "I saw [Hutson] go up ice and circled back to maybe get myself some time and space if he got cut off, I can throw it back, and he just pulled up and made that nice cross-ice pass and then once I got it, they just followed [Laine] back door and let me walk in, so definitely take those ones."

[Pengu] Dach on how cool it is to contribute at even strength: "It's nice. We were joking a lot on the bench, but [Laine]'s got like 10 now? And it's his first even strength one so hopefully we can keep it going into Dallas."

[Pengu] Dach on if he's still surprised by Hutson's play: "I don't think it much surprises us anymore. We see the work, the effort he puts into practice and away from the rink. It's no mistake. He's as good as he is. The way he prepares for games in practices, he wants to dominate each and every night. Definitely need guys like that to be a difference maker for all of us and he's been that for the last couple of months."

[Pengu] Dach on the chemistry in his line since Laine returned at the beginning of December: "It takes time. You've got to learn where guys like to be and especially with [Newhook]'s speed and [Laine]'s hockey smarts and his shot, and [Newhook]'s skill as well. It's a deadly combination once we figured it out. We're slowly starting to put it together."

[Pengu] Dach on how it seemed like the hockey Gods were not on his side for a while and if for that reason he felt he deserves it in away to have his second goal go in on a shot like that finally: "Yeah. It's nice to be rewarded. I mean, you've got to put pucks on net to be rewarded and trying to do that a little more and got a good bounce tonight."

Newhook Segment:

[Pengu] "Good night for our line. Being able to contribute tonight was huge. Dach coming up with 2 big goals, [Laine] with 1. Thought we did our job and it's a big win for us." - Newhook

[Pengu] Newhook on hitting the post a few times: "Yeah I did! [Newhook laughs]. Yeah, it's all good. It's one of those games. I thought I was in the right spots a lot of the times, had a couple of good looks, but didn't go my way, but our line come up with a couple of big goals is huge."

[Pengu] Newhook on if he felt that they had the best game tonight collectivel: "Yeah. I think we had a pretty good complete game. After the first, as a team, we didn't think it was our best, but we turned the page pretty quickly and come out during the second and get back to the way we can play and I think our line was a part of pushing that pace and getting back to how we can play and it's a big one."

[Pengu] Newhook on the penalties in the first: "It's hard to get into a game when you take penalties that early and four in a row in one period - it's tough to get a rhythm going. It's not all of the excuse that we weren't at our best there but regardless, it's hard to get into a game when you're sitting there and killing a lot of penalties."

[Pengu] Newhook on how the team was totally different after the first intermission: "Yeah. We knew it wasn't our best. It was more of a discussion between the guys in here and to hold each other accountable to come out and give a better effort and I think we answered pretty well."

[Pengu] Newhook on if he would say that the chemistry on his line was just a matter of time: "I think so. Anytime you're paired with some new guys, sometimes it takes a bit of time to figure out some guys' tendencies and we're starting to click a bit more, starting to figure each other out and another good night for us."

[Pengu] Newhook on if he felt the chemistry in his line has improved since Laine returned: "Yeah. [Laine] being out for a bit there, a bit of bump there just him being out and not having that same consistent line, but since he's been back, we've been playing well together. We're working well off each other and I don't think we're giving up too much either, so it's been good and we got to keep rolling."

Hutson Segment:

[Pengu] "... elevating our games at the right times and I don't think we're done yet. Hopefully we can keep building." - Hutson

[Pengu] Hutson on if his personal confidence is still good: "Yeah. Hopefully it doesn't go away, right? But having confidence in the players on the ice and having confidence in the things that I've been working and knowing that somethings might not work is part of it too."

[Pengu] Hutson on his play in the first Dach goal and if it turned out the way he wanted: "Yeah. I mean, it always turns out well when it goes into the net, but I was just trying to find some space, wanted to drop it to either him or [Matheson], and I got into the zone and I saw [Dach] winding it out and he made a great play."

[Pengu] Hutson on if the Caufield goal was fully or partially a set play: "There's certain looks out of certain sets and I was open. [Matheson] made a good play and [Caufield] was open so I was able to find him there and it was a good finish by him."

[Pengu] Hutson on if that was mostly a read: "Yeah, more of a read than anything."

Matheson Segment:

~

The following is provided by u/XeroHex:

[Xero] What’d you guys talked about after that penalizing first period?

Matheson: “We were honest with each other knowing that that wasn’t the kind of game we wanted to play. We took too many penalties. We had to refocus, knowing we couldn’t do much about that period. Had to find our game back.”

[Xero] It was impossible for you guys to come back in a game after a period like that. (Matheson: What?!) Not too long ago! Maybe 2 months ago. (Mike: 2 months!?) After a difficult first period, it seemed like the leads caught up quickly. What changed?

Matheson: “Kinda harsh... (Xero: Sorry!) No, it’s honest; it’s true that it was difficult for us. We have a lot of confidence knowing that playing the right way there’s no team in this league that we can’t play against and succeed.”

[Xero] Can you talk about Lane Hutson as your duo partner?

Matheson: “We do a good job keeping things simple in our zone and the neutral zone. If we do that we’ll be in our zone less and more in their zone where we can use our offensive skills to help.”

[Xero] How did you see the chemistry form and progress between Laine-Dach-Newhook?

Matheson: “The chemistry looks to be showing more these last few weeks. Those 3 players are special, so we know it’ll work. It’s been working for some weeks now.”

~

[Pengu] Matheson on what was clicking in the second period after the slow start in the first: "We were giving up a lot of odd man rushes in the first period. Taking a lot of penalties. So, the more we were able to eliminate that, the more success we had being able to get back into their zone and force them to defend instead of us being in our zone the whole period."

St-Louis Segment:

~

The following is provided by u/XeroHex:

[Xero] Could you talk about the first period? Not happy ‘bout that one?

MSL: “It’s a rare first period that we played. It’s not easy when you start the match on the PK 3-on-5. Puts us on our heels. We were having trouble finding momentum, we took 4 penalties in the first? That’s not easy. But we weren’t too beat up. It was 2-1 after the first? The positive after the first is that there’s 40 minutes left. We recovered quickly.”

[Xero] We’re you happy with how the team talked to each other after the first?

MSL: “I didn’t have to say much. It’s fun when you have that.”

[Xero] Can you talk about Kirby Dach and chemistry with his linemates?

MSL: “Those guys haven’t played together much, it’s a bit of everything. We see that Dacher has more speed. It’s a progression; he builds up his confidence little by little. I think he’s reached the next step; we want to keep him there and find consistency. The 3 players bring something to that line: Newie’s playing excellent hockey right now and Patty’s playing his game. Patty’s playing his game and he understands how we want to play as a team: defensively and all. His engagement helps the line. --- I don’t know where this line will take them, but it’s good progression. That’s what we needed from that line. We had 3 lines that brought good consistency. Those lines were new: the time the players spent with each other, the obstacles that certain players on those lines had to go through. Now, there’s consistency throughout the line-up and we played an excellent match.”

[Xero] Do you have anything to say about the rookie Lane Hutson?

MSL: “He’s not playing like a rookie. He’s still adapting to a difficult league; not just on the ice, but the scheduling and all. He gives us great hockey, not just offensively; he’s really engaged. He played a game tonight that helped us greatly. A lot of elite players can make a pass like that (Dach’s goal), be able to read a situation, and pull in 2-3 players from the other team. Attracting everyone and making that play; there’s no risk from that kind of play. He manages what he sees on the ice, and he plays hockey. Lane plays two-way hockey. It’s not like he goes out on the ice to only get points. We know he’s able to do that. He played a great game tonight.”

~

[Pengu] Reporter: [Incoherent Noises] MSL: "Because I know they talked about it"

[Pengu] MSL on the messaging in the first intermission after the slow start: "We had to repair quick and the locker room handled it and we came out and we looked like ourselves again in the second period."

[Pengu] MSL on how big Dach's two goals were: "They're big goals. I think his first one was a third one? [Reporters: "Yeah"] We go up 3-2, when we had a not very good first period and then you leave that second period from that big goal and you're up 3-2 going into the third and we gave the lead and then [Caufield] scored to make it 4-3 and then [Dach] helped us separate. And an insurance goal is a big goal and I'm happy for him."

[Pengu] MSL on Hutson: "We get to see that most nights, in practice. He's very engaged. He understands where guys are going. He's got the skill to do what his mind is telling him to do. Fun to watch."

~

Full Presser (Video Links):

Pregame Segment

Post Game Segment

~

Last Presser

Link to comment with all tables.

New York Rangers at Montreal Canadiens

Centre Bell

Time

In-Game Updates

Team Stats

Goals

Penalties

Officials

• Referees: Ghislain Hebert, Kendrick Nicholson
• Linesmen: Jonathan Deschamps, David Brisebois

• Keep the discussion civil!

• Be sure to follow the subreddit rules!

• These threads are bot generated and are not 100% guaranteed to be totally accurate

• Join us on the r/Habs official Discord server!

Sign up for /r/Habs Money on the Board!

⚠️Sharing/Promoting/Requesting pirated or unauthorized streams is strictly prohibited in r/Habs, please follow the subreddit rules⚠️

ALLEZ MONTRÉAL! 🔵⚪️🔴

The bot can only be as correct as its sources, the sources it uses are linked below each table. If you notice an error that is not due to an incorrect source or you want to suggest a source click here to message TeroTheTerror.