Avalanche 7, Canadiens 2: Habs Chased Early, Can’t Recover

The Montreal Canadiens walked into Denver feeling good about themselves after three straight wins, but this one turned sour quickly. The Habs’ good start dissolved into a night where every small mistake became a big problem. Against a team as dialed-in as the Avalanche, those stumbles turn into a landslide in a hurry.

Montreal had its chances early—good pace, decent pressure, and some clean looks off the rush. But once Brock Nelson opened the scoring and then Gabriel Landeskog got the benefit of a deflection the Canadiens didn’t agree with, the momentum snapped sharply against them. From there, Montreal found itself chasing a game that only went downhill.

By the time the second period began, the Canadiens were already wrestling with scoreboard pressure and Colorado’s transition game, two opponents that don’t give much space. Brent Burns’ wrist shot 50 seconds in felt like the moment the hill turned into a mountain.

Key Point One: Early Canadiens’ Mistakes Turned Into Avalanche Goals

The Canadiens weren’t overwhelmed immediately; they made the kinds of small errors that elite teams punish. A missed coverage here, a failed clear there, and suddenly Colorado had a two-goal cushion they never surrendered. Those early cracks in detail forced Montreal to open up more than they wanted.

Key Point Two: Colorado’s Rush Offense Rolled Over Montreal

Montreal’s defensive gaps showed up most on the rush, where Colorado thrived. Mike Matheson pointed it out afterward: the Avalanche entered the zone too easily, with too much pace. Once they got moving downhill, the Canadiens couldn’t control the seams or keep up with their layers of support.

Key Point Three: Montreal’s Jakub Dobes Left Out to Dry

Jakub Dobes’ night looks bad on the scoreboard, but Montreal’s skaters didn’t give him much help. None of the early goals were on him, and he was often facing clean looks or lateral plays off breakdowns. The Avalanche had too much time and too many options.

Final Thoughts from the Canadiens’ Perspective

For Montreal, this loss is more about details than disaster. The Canadiens showed flashes, especially early, but when you lose structure against one of the NHL’s hottest teams, things spiral quickly. Ivan Demidov and Lane Hutson's scoring is a silver lining. These are two young players finding confidence in a tough building.

Montreal’s challenge now is to reset, tighten its coverage, and avoid letting one lopsided night bleed into the next. The Canadiens have been trending in the right direction; this one just reminded them how thin the margin can be.