About Last Night: Anderson, Monahan, Pearson end their droughts

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Posted By: jasabacklink December 5, 2023

Josh Anderson scored an empty netter for his first of the season in a 4-2 win over the Kraken.

Author of the article:

Erik Leijon  •  Special to Montreal Gazette

Published Dec 05, 2023  •  Last updated 43 minutes ago  •  2 minute read

Montreal Canadiens’ Sean Monahan (91) celebrates his power play goal against the Seattle Kraken, with teammates Cole Caufield (22) and Nick Suzuki (14) during second period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

Three long-suffering Montreal Canadiens forwards ended their goalless droughts in a 4-2 win for the Habs over the Seattle Kraken at the Bell Centre on Monday.

Josh Anderson’s empty netter was his first in 25 games this season. Sean Monahan scored twice to end a 15-game slump, while Tanner Pearson scored for the first time in 19 games.

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Brendan Gallagher had an assist playing in his 700th career game. All with the Canadiens, of course.

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Sam Montembeault started in goal and made 31 saves.

  1. Canadiens' Mike Matheson and a Kraken goaltender are nearly horizontal in the air beside the net

    Montreal Canadiens’ Mike Matheson (8) goes over Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  2. The puck flies into the net behind a Kraken goaltender

    Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer and Will Borgen (3), watch Montreal Canadiens’ Sean Monahan (91) put the puck into the net as during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  3. The puck is loose next to the Canadiens' crease

    Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault stops a shot by Seattle Kraken’s Yanni Gourde (37) during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  4. The puck sits below the Kraken goaltender's pad in the crease as a Canadiens player tries to play it from behind the net

    Montreal Canadiens’ Tanner Pearson (70) tries for the wraparound on Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  5. Juraj Slafkovsky has the puck on his stick just outside the Kraken crease

    Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky (20) gets in close on Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer, while Seattle Kraken’s Will Borgen (3) comes in on the play, during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  6. The puck is visible beside the crease next to the Canadiens goaltender

    Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault stops a shot by Seattle Kraken left wing Tye Kartye (52) during first-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  7. Three Canadiens players skate toward each other for a hug

    Montreal Canadiens’ Sean Monahan (91) celebrates his goal with teammates Josh Anderson (17) and Montreal Canadiens’ Jake Evans (71) during first-period NHL action against the Seattle Kraken in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  8. The puck enters the corner of the net while the Kraken goaltender is on the far side

    Montreal Canadiens’ Tanner Pearson (70) scores on Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer during second period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  9. Tanner Pearson yells while facing Johnathan Kovacevic

    Montreal Canadiens’ Tanner Pearson (70) celebrates his goal with Johnathan Kovacevic (26) after scoring on Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer during second period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  10. Three Canadiens players embrace while smiling on the ice

    Montreal Canadiens’ Sean Monahan (91) celebrates his power play goal against the Seattle Kraken, with teammates Cole Caufield (22) and Nick Suzuki (14) during second period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  11. Brendan Gallagher with the puck on his stick as a Kraken player falls behind him

    Montreal Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher (11) gets away from Seattle Kraken’s Will Borgen (3) who falls to the ice, during second period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  12. Juraj Slafkovsky at the Seattle net with three Kraken players

    Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky (20) goes for a flying puck in front of Seattle Kraken goaltender Philipp Grubauer, Vince Dunn (29) and Adam Larsson (6) during third-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  13. The puck is just in front of the Canadiens goaltender as a Kraken player skates in

    Seattle Kraken’s Jared McCann (19) goes in on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault during third-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  14. Juraj Slafkovsky is pushed back into the boards by Seattle Kraken's Jamie Oleksiak

    Montreal Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky (20) is put into the boards by Seattle Kraken’s Jamie Oleksiak (24) during third-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  15. Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault reaches back from the side of the net

    Montreal Canadiens goaltender Sam Montembeault looks for the flying puck with Kaiden Guhle (21) and Seattle Kraken’s Brandon Tanev (13) in third-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  16. Josh Anderson and Justin Barron skate toward each other while fans behind the glass cheer

    Montreal Canadiens’ Josh Anderson (17) celebrates his empty-net goal with teammate Justin Barron (52) during third-period NHL action in Montreal on Monday Dec. 4, 2023.Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

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All the talk early on was about Juraj Slafkovsky moving to the top line with Nick Suzuki and November Molson Cup winner Cole Caufield. Although they were held off the scoresheet at even-strength, they showed enough chemistry to warrant another audition.

Monahan scored the lone goal in the first period, after Anderson passed up a scoring chance for Monahan’s surer bet in the open net.

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In the second, it was Pearson’s turn. Gallagher deflected the puck in front and Pearson was in the right place in front to pounce. 2-0 Habs.

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The Habs then made it 3-0 with a power play goal. Suzuki and Caufield had a nice give-and-go before Suzuki found the bumper Monahan for the one-timer. 3-0 Habs.

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The Kraken got on the board in the second after a three-minute shift for the Christian Dvorak line. A desperation icing by Gallagher didn’t work, and Jared McCann finally put the tired Habs line out of its misery. It was 3-1 Habs after 40 minutes.

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All Seattle in the late second and early third. With Mike Matheson in the box for a second time, Vince Dunn blasted one from the point past Montembeault to pull the Kraken to within one.

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Montreal hung on, barely, and Anderson was rewarded with a shot from his own end into the empty net on the other side for his first of the season.

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Coach Martin St. Louis switched up the lines for last night’s game, and the four trios had their moments. All 10 of the points given to the Habs were awarded to forwards, which is a change of pace from the usual with the defencemen making an outsized contribution on offence.

It should be said these are not the Seattle Kraken of a year ago, who surprised the league en route to their first playoff run as a franchise. They’re now losers of five straight, and it was the Canadiens who early won the types of puck battles the tenacious Kraken forwards excelled at a year ago. Montreal didn’t play a clean 60 minutes, but they built up enough of a lead and Montembeault handled the rest.

The liveblog commenters were happy to see Anderson finally get the monkey off his back. Here’s hoping for his sake the goal will open the floodgates and get him back to a 20-goal pace.

3. “A well played game by the Canadiens, and I think we can call Montembeault our No. 1 goalie. Great for Anderson, and this was a team effort all around.” — Ryan Katz

2. “We started great, let them back in it but hung on and we are back at .500.” — Bob Taylor

1. “Sammy earning his contract.” — Tom Xenn

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