Analyzing why Canadiens’ Cole Caufield is in a slump
If you had advised a Montreal Canadiens fan earlier than the playoffs that the group would make the second spherical with one purpose from ahead Cole Caufieldthey might have had a exhausting time believing it.
Caufield, in spite of everything, was one among two NHL gamers this season to attain 50 objectives and the primary Canadiens participant in nearly 40 years to take action. But eight video games into Montreal’s playoff run (Game 2 vs. Buffalo is Friday, Sportsnet, Sportsnet+, 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT), Caufield is caught on one purpose, which got here on the ability play in Game 4 in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning final spherical.
On Wednesday, Caufield fired two pictures on purpose in the Canadiens’ 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabers — the seventh time in eight playoff video games that he has recorded two or fewer pictures. (He averaged 3.19 pictures per sport in the course of the common season.)
“As a whole, (my game is) not where I want it to be,” Caufield told reporters Thursday. “Obviously, I expect more out of myself, and my teammates do, too.”
All of Caufield’s capturing metrics are down considerably from the common season. Most notably, Caufield has been unable to penetrate the interior slot, the place he scored 21 of his 51 objectives. Close to 22 per cent of Caufield’s whole shot makes an attempt in the common season have been from the interior slot. That charge has dropped to only 9.7 per cent in the playoffs because the Lightning and Sabers have stored Caufield to the skin. (Caufield’s slot-pass receptions per 60 minutes have additionally decreased from 6.56 in the common season to three.62 in the playoffs.)
It did not assist Caufield, in fact, that he had Selke Trophy finalist Anthony Cirelli chasing him for a lot of the primary spherical. Caufield went up in opposition to Cirelli for 56:07 at five-on-five over seven video games, and the Canadiens generated solely 11 scoring possibilities in these minutes, together with simply 4 rush possibilities. (Caufield was accountable for six of the 11 possibilities, 4 of which got here in Montreal’s 1-0 time beyond regulation loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6.)
Buffalo used Alex Tuch’s (4:42 of head-to-head ice time) and Josh Norris’s (3:48) traces in opposition to Montreal’s high line Wednesday. Overall, Caufield and linemates Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky generated one scoring probability at five-on-five in 12:05 of ice time.
“They’re a good team, they just beat a good team,” Sabers coach Lindy Ruff advised reporters. “That top line, Slafkovský is one hell of a player. And then you’ve got a 50-goal scorer on that line at the same time. Maybe they will generate a little bit more.”
Collectively, it has been a wrestle for Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky in these playoffs. The Canadiens’ No. 1 line has been outscored 5-0 and generated 34.4 per cent of the anticipated objectives over 67:12 at five-on-five. Slafkovsky, who opened the playoffs with a hat trick, has one help in his previous seven video games. Suzuki has a team-high seven factors however solely two at five-on-five.
The Canadiens are hoping that the extra wide-open nature of this collection will higher go well with their high forwards. The Sabers gained the push battle Wednesday, out-chasing the Canadiens 9-2 and scoring twice in that style, together with ahead Jordan Greenway’s game-winner.
Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky, nonetheless, generated 1:20 of offensive-zone possession time at five-on-five in Game 1, their second-highest output of the playoffs. They recorded 1:40 of offensive-zone possession time in Game 2 of the Lightning collection, though that sport required time beyond regulation.
“They haven’t had this kind of space for two weeks,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis told reporters. “We felt that it was going to be the case (Wednesday), that it was mostly a possibility. We did spend a good amount of time there, but we’re going to have to do a better job with the time that we spend there.”
To a man, Caufield’s teammates have expressed confidence in him regardless of his slump.
“He’s been playing hard,” Suzuki told reporters. “I don’t think he’s too frustrated. Obviously, there’s moments in the game you get frustrated with yourself, but I thought he’s done a good job of just continuing to play. He’s a really good player and he’ll find his moment to score for sure.”
But the Canadiens could have a troublesome time maintaining with the Sabers if Caufield doesn’t discover his shot. When requested what his message was for Caufield earlier than the collection, St. Louis provided two phrases.
“Keep playing,” he mentioned.
