The name of this post is probably a bit misleading. I don’t want to give the impression that the Montreal Canadiens merely got away with a win. They didn’t. They dominated. However, it wasn’t until the last twenty minutes of regulation that their incredible effort was rewarded.
Their defense, aside from a slow start for Jeff Petry, was pretty solid. And I am not yet convinced that Jordie Benn has earned a permanent spot on the third pairing. He seems sluggish on the back-check and struggles to get the puck out of the zone cleanly.