Hidden Game: Canadiens toy with Predators to win fourth straight to begin crucial road trip

With Samuel Montembeault in the Witness Protection Program — perhaps never to be heard from again — the Canadiens clearly have established a No. 1 goaltender, along with a 1a.

Saturday night, for the first time in eight days, the Canadiens started 1a. And Jacob Fowler displayed no flashes of inactivity, all things considered.

While Fowler, it could be argued, wasn’t severely tested by Nashville, he stopped 23 shots before allowing a goal on the 24th, and final, shot he faced. Fowler came within 3:34 of recording his second — and the Canadiens’ second — shutout this season, as Montreal toyed with the overmatched Predators in this 4-1 victory at Bridgestone Arena.

To say Fowler deserved a better fate would be an understatement. The score he allowed bounced off the stanchion, and directly to Zachary L’Heureux, a Montreal native. Fowler looked to his right, expecting the puck to go there. Instead, it went to his left. L’Heureux had an empty net — and the easiest goal of his career. C’est la vie.

Goalie No. 1, Jakub Dobes, is expected to start Sunday, at Carolina, as the Canadiens’ five-game road trip continues.

News you need (Part I): This is the Canadiens’ second four-game winning streak this season. Following a season-opening loss at Toronto — one of the Maple Leafs’ rare wins — Montreal defeated Detroit, Chicago, Seattle and Nashville last October, outscoring their opponents 16-9. This latest winning streak has come against the New York Islanders, Carolina, Columbus and the Predators, with the Canadiens enjoying an 18-7 advantage in goals. Montreal hasn’t allowed four goals in a game since March 15, against Anaheim.

News you need (Part II): Cole Caufield’s 45th goal this season, scored in the second period, was his 20th score, and 33rd point, produced in 20 Saturday night games this season.

News you need (Part III): The Canadiens have won five straight against Nashville.

Strange, but true: In 24 previous games against Montreal, dating back to the 2009-10 season, Nashville had limited the Canadiens to an average of 2.13 goals per game — including 17 in which Montreal scored two or fewer.

Canadiens’ Alex Newhook (15) shoots the puck past Nashville Predators’ Tyson Jost (17) in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker Iv / The Associated Press

Great moments in scheduling (Part I): Carolina was at home Saturday, defeating New Jersey 5-2 in a game that started at 5 p.m. The Canadiens’ game against Nashville started at 7 p.m.

Great moments in scheduling (Part II): The Predators now embark on a six-game road trip. While that’s not unusual, two of the games are in Los Angeles on April 2 and the 6th. But Nashville has a game at San Jose in between.

It must have been the hot chicken: Josh Anderson departed after playing six shifts totalling 4:53 with what the organization called an illness. We’re not sure where Anderson dined Friday night, but Nashville is renowned for its signature hot chicken — a spicy, cayenne-infused fried chicken, served on white bread with pickles. Of course, it might also have been such Nashville delicacies as the whole-hog BBQ; Southern biscuits; country ham with red-eye gravy; fried catfish or Goo Goo Clusters. No, we have no idea what that is, either.

This doesn’t happen often: The Canadiens had a 7-1 advantage in shots halfway through the first period.

What game are you watching?: Late in the opening period analyst Garry Galley twice referred to Fowler as Dobes. He later apologized.

News you need (Part IV): Not only did the Canadiens limit Nashville to three shots in the first period, nine different Montreal players each had one shot.

This is why there’s no MLB team in Tennessee: Nashville goalie Juuse Saros had a shot from distance in his glove, bounce out of it and end up behind him after Oliver Kapanen pounced on the juicy rebound early in the second period. We’re guessing Saros didn’t play much baseball while growing up in Finland.

Sieve of the night: Saros allowed two second-period goals in a span of 1:38 on the 20th and 21st shots he faced. His save percentage was .875.

It’s a game of inches: In the second period alone, Erik Haula, Caufield and Ivan Demidov, who scored the Canadiens’ opening goal, all hit the post.

Best goal scored on one knee: Alex Newhook in the second period.

Best kick-pass of the night: Juraj Slafkovsky, without a stick in the second period, controlled the puck before kicking it directly to Nick Suzuki. Of course, it goes without saying former Alouettes’ field-goal “specialist” Terry Baker … you know it … would have missed.

Great moments in officiating: Kaiden Guhle broke Jonathan Marchessault’s stick with a slash in the third period. No penalty was assessed. This is what’s known in the game as getting away with one.

Canadiens centre Joe Veleno (90) chases the puck past Nashville Predators defenceman Roman Josi (59) in Nashville, Tenn. George Walker IV / The Associated Press

Next time, decline the penalty: Nashville went 0-for-3 on the power play. Not only that, but while the Predators had the man-advantage, the Canadiens twice had two-on-one breaks, had a breakaway and Joe Veleno almost scored a rare goal. Alas, Veleno remains stuck on two goals this season. He has played 53 games.

Grow up: Late in the game, 22-year-old L’Heureux used language that can’t be repeated against Noah Dobson after what appeared to be a legal shoulder check. L’Heureux believed it was an elbow, expressed his sentiments to Dobson, and was assessed a roughing minor and 10-minute misconduct. L’Heureux is 5-foot-11 and 197 pounds. Dobson is 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. This might have been a mismatch. But it’ll be interesting to see whether the wound festers into next season.

Quick stats: Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky each had four shots. Veleno had four hits — one more than Zachary Bolduc, whose goalless streak reached one game. Mike Matheson had five hits and played 20:47. Dobson blocked three shots while playing 21:34. Fowler’s save percentage was .958. Each team won 50 per cent of their faceoffs. The Canadiens were outhit 25-20.

They said it: “It was a good night for us,” Newhook told the media. “On winning teams, you need some scoring aside from your first line. I think we know we’re capable of providing a secondary scoring line. We hold ourselves to that standard. It’s nice to see some results tonight.”

“A lot of emotions tonight,” Fowler said. “My career got to change a few years ago, getting drafted in this building. My family made the drive up from Florida tonight. It was definitely a cool moment and it was nice to get a win. You feel like a little kid when your parents are watching you like that. I felt like I didn’t have too much to do tonight.”

“I think we played a really good game,” Kapanen said.

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