Last week didn’t get off to a great start for the Habs but they bounced back well, earning five out of six points over their final three games, allowing them to stay near the top of the Atlantic Division.
For the second straight year, the Habs swung a trade before the holiday roster freeze. They’ve brought back a familiar face, acquiring Phillip Danault from Los Angeles for a second-round pick.
A lack of discipline certainly proved costly for Laval last week as an on-ice incident led to four suspensions. Still, they managed to hold onto first in the division after picking up three points in three games.
The week started ugly and the Habs blew a three-goal lead in another game. However, they still wound up with two wins and five points overall, a performance that keeps them right in the thick of the playoff race.
November was an interesting month for Montreal’s prospects. In Laval, the Rocket had a better showing to move up the standings while several of their lesser-known unsigned youngsters had some impressive performances to earn a spot in our three stars.
After a solid showing in November, Laval kicked off the month of December on a strong note as well, picking up a pair of victories in three games to continue to sit atop the North Division.
The start to December was a mixed bag for the Habs. They had a pair of strong games that led to wins but also had a rough one to start the week while some lapses cost them their last game as well.
The Habs looked to take both ends of the first of several back-to-back weekend sets as they hosted St. Louis on Sunday. However, an early second-period collapse proved costly, helping the Blues eventually pick up the 4-3 win.
After an extended break, Laval was back in action over the weekend with a pair of games on the road against the Atlantic Division. Both games were back-and-forth affairs but the Rocket came out victorious in both of them.
The Habs locked in another core defenceman for the long haul back on Friday when they signed Mike Matheson to a five-year, $30 million extension. Our writers offer up their thoughts on the signing.