Canadian Teams Morning Review – Jan. 21: Habs, Sens, Jets & Oilers
From a Canadian perspective, Tuesday night’s games offered a familiar mix: late-game nerve, special-teams swings, and one reminder that momentum is fragile, even for teams with stars. Three Canadian clubs found ways to tilt the night in their favour, while one was left staring at the limits of its current formula.
The common thread wasn’t dominance. It was timing. When goals came, they arrived at moments that clarified where each team stands—who’s learning to close, who’s relying on habit, and who’s still searching for consistency beneath the surface.
Montreal Canadiens 4, Minnesota Wild 3
What this win meant for Montreal had less to do with the standings and more to do with validation. The Canadiens didn’t overpower Minnesota; they survived them, bent under pressure, and still found a way to close. That’s a meaningful step for a young team still learning which moments matter most.
The defining player was Cole Caufield, not because of volume, but because of precision. His winner with 15 seconds remaining wasn’t frantic or lucky—it was calm, quick, and ruthless. A clean pass from Nick Suzuki, a shot from the top of the circle, and the game tilted for good. That’s what trust between top players looks like when it works.
The key moment came earlier, though, when penalties to Lane Hutson and Mike Matheson handed Minnesota a lengthy 5-on-3. Vladimir Tarasenko converted, and suddenly the game felt like it might slip. Montreal didn’t panic. They absorbed it, leaned on structure, and waited for one more chance.
Rookie Ivan Demidov drove play with two assists, and Jakub Dobes didn’t have to steal the game—just keep it reachable. Montreal’s growth is incremental, but nights like this show a team learning to survive pressure rather than collapse under it.
Ottawa Senators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
For Ottawa, this was about restoring order. After two straight losses, the Senators needed a controlled win more than a dramatic one—and they got it by setting the tone early and never letting Columbus dictate pace.
The key player was Tim Stützle, whose first-period goal reasserted Ottawa’s edge after Columbus briefly tied the game. His influence wasn’t flashy, but it was stabilizing, especially for a team that can drift when games linger.
The defining moment came midway through the first, when Ottawa responded immediately to Sean Monahan’s equalizer. That response—quick, direct, and confident—told you which team was sharper. From there, Ottawa managed the game rather than chasing it.
Credit also belongs to James Reimer, who didn’t face overwhelming pressure but provided something Ottawa has needed: calm goaltending without drama. His first win as a Senator wasn’t spectacular, but it was functional—and sometimes that’s exactly the point.
Ottawa didn’t overwhelm Columbus. They simply removed uncertainty early and played the rest of the night on their terms.
Winnipeg Jets 3, St. Louis Blues 1
Winnipeg’s win was efficient, bordering on clinical. Three goals on 16 shots won’t grab headlines, but it reinforced something important: the Jets know how to punish mistakes.
The central figure was Mark Scheifele, whose two goals and assist came at the exact moments St. Louis lost discipline. The four-minute high-sticking penalty in the first period was the hinge point, and Winnipeg wasted no time exploiting it.
The defining moment wasn’t even a goal. It was Nino Niederreiter’s goal-line clearance midway through the first, a small play that preserved momentum before Winnipeg turned pressure into separation.
Josh Morrissey quietly drove everything from the back end, and Eric Comrie gave Winnipeg the saves they needed without needing heroics. The Jets are still inconsistent overall, but when structure and opportunism align, they remain difficult to beat.
New Jersey Devils 2, Edmonton Oilers 1
For Edmonton, this loss was less about effort than about limitations. The Oilers pushed late, but the game exposed how thin the margin becomes when transition chances dry up.
The key player was Cody Glass, whose goal after Edmonton tied the game came off a bad change—one lapse, one clean shot, and the difference was established. That moment encapsulated the night.
The defining absence was Connor McDavid on the scoresheet. Held pointless for the first time against New Jersey, his streak ended—and with it, Edmonton’s ability to force the game open. Jake Allen absorbed the third-period push, and New Jersey’s structure held.
Edmonton didn’t play poorly. They just didn’t find a second gear.
The Bottom Line for Canadian Teams
Across the night, Canadian teams that won did so by recognizing moments—not by chasing volume. Montreal closed. Ottawa controlled. Winnipeg punished. Edmonton hesitated on this night.
At this stage of the season, that difference matters more than the scoreline ever will.