TORONTO — Jake Allen had already made 13 saves when he stretched to get to No. 14 on a shot he knew he had little probability of preventing — a rebound for the NHL’s best possible function scorer, Auston Matthews, who potted his 57th of the season, his fiftieth in his final 50 video games, and left Allen face down in his crease, wincing in ache.
I may really feel the 31-year-old goaltender’s sadness from all of the means up within the press field at Scotiabank Area, and I may sense his frustration from shut by way of after the sport.
As Allen walked out of the Canadiens dressing room, just about two hours after permitting that function to Matthews and leaving what became out to be a 3-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, we ran into each and every different.
“Didn’t glance excellent,” I stated.
“Season from hell,” he answered.
It began with the Canadiens leaping out to their worst begin to a marketing campaign of their 113-year historical past, with Allen maintaining the fortress in Carey Value’s long-term absence — and enjoying in the back of a workforce redefining defence, and no longer in an effective way.
He battled as laborious as he may till struggling a groin damage in Boston on Jan. 12, after which he put himself via a grueling rehabilitation to go back on March 17.
Since then, Allen has made 11 appearances in entrance of Montreal’s web and confronted down 414 photographs sooner than the only from Matthews pressured him out.
It will really well be the final one in every of Allen’s season.
If it used to be, he has nonetheless left a substantial mark in this rising Canadiens workforce.
“Simply the best way he’s a professional,” stated trainer Martin St. Louis, “his on a regular basis behavior, his preparation, he’s an excellent instance for our younger guys.”
They’re a workforce that hasn’t given up in this depressing season that’s necessarily noticed them skate wire-to-wire in one of the most final positions within the NHL standings.
They didn’t surrender in this recreation, both, regardless of getting ruled during the first two sessions. And a large number of this is because of the few like Allen, who’ve put within the paintings day-in and day-out with out grievance and fought on each and every unmarried play to end up their price.
He’s held himself and the workforce responsible each within the dressing room and within the media room, and he’s helped those avid gamers identify the behavior they want to push their careers ahead.
Samuel Montembeault, the 25-year-old who entered Saturday’s recreation having no longer noticed any motion since March 27 and instantly surrendered Matthews’ 58th function of the season, has no doubt taken courses from Allen.
“He’s nice,” Montembeault stated. “He’s an excellent teammate. He’s been very supportive of me. I believe his mentality, even in apply or all over the video games, he fights for each and every shot and he by no means provides up. So, that’s an excellent instance to carry into my recreation.”
That’s what Montembeault did after Matthews beat him blank simply 27 seconds after Allen left the sport. He settled in and gave the Canadiens a possibility to stick inside of placing distance, surrendering just one extra function he couldn’t be faulted on and making two key saves on a third-period 5-on-3 in opposition to.
Allen watched from the sidelines, the place he used to be already more likely to spend extra of his time, regardless, with Value edging nearer and nearer to his long-anticipated go back to play.
Nonetheless, he merits to be there in tandem with Value as soon as that day after all comes, supporting him from the bench — as he had so obviously via Montreal’s run to the 2021 Stanley Cup Ultimate — and protecting himself able to play.
“Anytime you notice a teammate pass down, it’s truly tricky,” stated ahead Josh Anderson. “He’s been via so much this yr — getting back from an damage and the method of him getting wholesome — and he’s seemed incredible since he’s been again. It’s a tricky jump for him, evidently.”
It’s a tricky jump for the Canadiens, too, who’ve devoted greater than $13 million in their wage cap to what many would believe to be one of the most best possible goaltending duos within the league and not benefited from having each avid gamers wholesome on the identical time.
It’s laborious to mention what the long run holds for both participant regardless of each being underneath contract via subsequent yr, however Allen has a minimum of finished the entirety that’s been requested of him.
“He’s been out of the ordinary,” stated Anderson. “He’s been on this league a very long time, performed with a large number of nice avid gamers, goaltenders. He’s nice within the dressing room with all of the younger guys. And clearly, this yr’s been tricky on everybody, however he’s been a large chief in our room evidently.”
