Here are my three takeaways from tonight's 4-3 Montreal Canadiens' win over the Ottawa Senators brought to you by Snap Bar Sportif in Rigaud.
1- Ottawa Is Currently Montreal’s Best Rival
The Ottawa Senators have become Montreal’s new arch-nemesis — and honestly, that’s a great thing. The only ingredient missing to take this rivalry to the next level is a playoff series. The players on both sides genuinely don’t like each other, and as a fan, it’s easy to find a few villains to root against. It’ll never be a rivalry rooted in city pride like Toronto, or in deep history like Boston, but right now both teams are at a similar stage in their development. They’re bound to be standing in each other’s way for the foreseeable future — and that’s exactly what you want in a rivalry.
2- Struble Destroyed Cousins
Public enemy number one for the Senators is former Hab Nick Cousins, and dating back to the preseason, Montreal definitely had a few scores to settle. The Sens’ pest delivered a nasty two-handed slash to rookie Ivan Demidov during an exhibition game in Quebec City, and the Habs didn’t forget it. Cousins spent most of the night chirping, but it wasn’t until the third period that someone decided to shut him up. When it happened, Jayden Struble showed just how strong he is — and how dangerous he can be pound for pound. It took only one punch to send Cousins to his knees and Habs fans to their feet.
3- Ivan Demidov Delivers Again
Exactly a week ago, I didn’t include Ivan Demidov in the takeaways — even after a three-point night that included the game-winning goal. I’m not sure what else there is to say about the Montreal star at this point. We’re not watching a budding talent; we’re watching a player who’s already arrived. Some guys just have “it,” that intangible quality you can’t quite explain but instantly recognize — and Demidov has it in spades. He keeps finding ways to deliver in big moments, exactly when the team needs him most. It’s shaping up to be a magical rookie season for the Montreal phenom. Last spring, he was just getting his feet wet in NHL action, but when the games start to matter most this year, there’s no question he’ll be ready to deliver again
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