Canadiens Veteran Brendan Gallagher Maintains Team Optimism During Tough Stretch
Despite facing consecutive losses and a demanding schedule ahead, Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher has expressed unwavering confidence in his team's capabilities. The veteran winger emphasized that while minor adjustments are needed, the overall game remains solid.
Navigating Through Seasonal Challenges
Gallagher addressed concerns following Monday's practice in Brossard, acknowledging the natural fluctuations of an NHL season. "Obviously, you want to be on a roll," Gallagher stated. "Are we playing as good as we did for stretches? Probably not. But our game isn't in a bad place, either. We still feel confident about ourselves."
The forward highlighted that the difference between winning and losing currently hinges on small details rather than major systemic issues. "There are minor things that are making the difference between winning and losing. But it's not big things," he explained.
Critical Divisional Matchups Loom
Recent losses to Atlantic Division rivals Buffalo and Boston have amplified concerns, particularly as Montreal's divisional record stands at 9-8-1 this season compared to last year's impressive 18-7-1 mark. The Canadiens face another challenging week with upcoming games against:
- Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Bell Centre
- Colorado Avalanche, the NHL's top team, on Thursday
- Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night
Gallagher noted the competitive nature of these matchups: "We know we're playing good teams, teams that are in the same position — hungry for points. It's difficult to win every night, obviously, but you want to give yourself a chance and raise those percentages."
Addressing Late-Game Execution
A significant focus has been on the team's ability to protect leads, particularly after surrendering a third-period advantage against Boston. Gallagher stressed the need for increased urgency in these situations.
"When you have chances to put teams away, we need to take advantage of that a little bit more," Gallagher emphasized. "Throughout the course of an 82-game season, you're going to come back in games. You're going to give up leads. You have to get used to being comfortable in those positions."
The veteran forward believes the team possesses the necessary confidence but requires heightened pressure application in critical moments. "I think we do feel confident. There's just a little bit of an urgency level you can probably have in those situations, where you can just apply a bit more pressure and make it a little bit tougher on them," he added.
Goaltending Decisions and Special Teams Focus
Head coach Martin St. Louis has confirmed that Jakub Dobes will start in goal against Vegas, returning to action after last Tuesday's victory against Minnesota. Dobes carries a 5-0-1 record in his last six appearances.
Special teams received particular attention during Monday's practice. While Montreal scored two power-play goals against Boston, they also allowed three power-play goals on four opportunities. The team continues to address consistency in goaltending, with Samuel Montembeault reflecting on recent performances.
"Obviously, it sucks," Montembeault said regarding the back-to-back losses. "The tying goal ... maybe I should have stopped it. But after that, we took a penalty. They shoot a one-timer. It gets (Jake Evans's) hand, deflects the other way and goes in. It's tough losing back-to-back games against division rivals that are trying to catch up to us."
Looking Toward Olympic Break
The Canadiens have five games remaining before the NHL's three-week Winter Olympics break, with additional matchups against Minnesota and Winnipeg following the Buffalo game. Gallagher acknowledged the physical toll of the current schedule.
"The schedule's hard," he admitted. "This is probably the toughest schedule I've been a part of. It's a physically grueling season. I'm sure a lot of guys — minus the Olympic players — will be pretty recovered afterwards."
As Montreal prepares for this crucial stretch, Gallagher's message remains clear: maintain confidence while elevating execution in decisive moments against formidable opponents.
