Montreal Canadiens Quick Hits: Danault, Anderson & Dobes

Not the prettiest night for the Montreal Canadiens, but they never folded — even when Carolina turned up the pressure. Everything the Canes threw at them seemed to hit bodies, sticks, or a goalie who bailed them out until OT.

Montreal didn’t roll up a highlight reel, but they did exactly what you want from a playoff group learning how to hang in: block shots, win battles, and scratch out chances when they could. That loose, gritty identity has kept them alive, and guys like Danault, Anderson and Dobes were right in the thick of it.

Quick Hit One: Phillip Danault Provided the Canadiens’ Steady Hand

Phillip Danault did the dirty work again — two assists, a few hits, a couple blocks and a +2 in an OT loss. He’s not the flashy guy, but he wins the ugly battles, makes the simple plays, and those clean outlets he nails let everyone else play with less stress.

Seven points in five games for a 33-year-old whose game has always been about details? He’s playoff gold. When Danault’s making plays like that, the whole top-six can breathe easier.

Quick Hit Two: Josh Anderson Is the Equalizer

Josh Anderson scoring twice in a losing effort tells you everything about his role. His job is to show up physically, get to the crease, and bury the garbage when it counts. He tied the game twice and played like a man possessed in front of the net. That kind of presence flips momentum and forces opponents to respect the dirty areas.

The rest of the team wasn’t creating a ton, but when your bottom-six guy is scoring clutch goals and throwing 42 hits in 16 games, that’s a huge slice of playoff value. He might not run the power play, but he makes life miserable for defenders and keeps games within reach.

Quick Hit Three: Jakub Dobes Was Steady, But He’s Still Learning the Ropes

Jakub Dobes saw a ton more traffic than Frederik Andersen and handled it pretty well — 23 saves on 26 shots, and he basically kept them alive until OT. He’s had a few bumpy moments lately (seven goals on 93 shots over three starts), but that’s part of being a young goalie in the playoffs.

This was a bounce-back outing where he looked composed when it counted. Expect him to get the nod every game. The team trusts him to weather the learning curve. If Dobes tightens his rebound control and keeps making timely saves, Montreal’s chance in this series stays very real.

The Canadiens Lost, But They Hung in There

The bottom line is the loss, which makes it less than the perfect night the Habs would have liked. But a useful thing is that this team is on a learning journey. Montreal didn’t dominate, but they showed resilience. And in playoffs, that’s half the battle.

Related: Why the Canadiens’ Love for Their Fans Hurts Their Game