New Jersey Devils' Johnathan Kovacevic (8) is checked by Montreal Canadiens' Florian Xhekaj (60) during first period NHL pre-season hockey action Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
MONTREAL – Michael Pezzetta scored twice as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-0 on Tuesday, earning back-to-back shutouts to open the NHL pre-season.
Nick Suzuki also scored and defenceman William Trudeau added two assists for Montreal, which opened the exhibition season with a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
Samuel Montembeault – the Canadiens’ No. 1 goalie entering the season – stopped all 11 shots he faced through 31:28. Backup Connor Hughes saved 13 the rest of the way.
Montreal’s first line of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky made its pre-season debut but showed rust despite a late goal from the captain.
Jake Allen, who the Canadiens traded to the Devils at last season’s trade deadline, stopped 12 of 13 shots for New Jersey, which travelled to the Bell Centre without most of its regulars.
Nico Daws allowed one goal on 11 shots after entering the game with 12 minutes remaining in the second period.
Devils defenceman Johnathan Kovacevic returned to the Bell Centre for the first time since the Canadiens traded him for a fourth-round pick this off-season.
The Devils lost 4-2 to the New York Islanders in their only other pre-season matchup on Sunday.
Neither team converted on the power play despite earning several opportunities. Montreal went 0-for-8, while New Jersey was 0-for-6.
The goalies ruled in a sloppy first period for both teams.
Allen prevented Owen Beck from scoring on a slot shot two minutes into the game. Four minutes later, Montembeault thwarted quality chances from Brian Halonen and Xavier Parent during a New Jersey power play.
Pezzetta opened the scoring at 2:42 of the second period, finishing off a tick-tack-toe play with a shot that beat a screened Allen. Xavier Simoneau and Trudeau earned assists on the play.
After the Canadiens failed to score on a four-minute power play, Reinbacher appeared to make it 2-0 with a pass from the point that slid between Allen’s pads. The goal, however, was waived off for goalie interference because Simoneau bumped into Allen in the crease.
The Devils earned a brief power play but couldn’t later in the second but couldn’t convert. Otherwise, the Canadiens continued to drive the play.
Slafkovsky missed the net on a wide-open shot from the slot midway through the period, while Daws denied Caufield on a breakaway in the dying seconds as Montreal’s top line remained scoreless to that point.
Beck, who had three shots on goal, couldn’t beat Daws with a one-timer from the low circle early in the third.
Florian Xhekaj, the brother of Canadiens defenceman Arber Xhekaj, found himself open in front of the net minutes later but his deke to the backhand went wide as Montreal failed to build on its lead.
The Canadiens had two full minutes with a 5-on-3 advantage with eight minutes remaining, but still couldn’t make it 2-0. Filip Mesar came close, hitting the post just after the penalties expired.
Suzuki finally broke through with 4:53 remaining, deflecting a hard pass from Trudeau into the back of the net.
Pezzetta added an empty-net goal with 22 seconds left.
NOTES
Slovakian skaters Slafkovsky, Mesar and Devils defenceman Simon Nemec posed for a photo at centre ice before puck drop. The three players made history for their country by all going in the first round of the 2022 NHL draft. Slafkovsky and Nemec were first and second overall, while Mesar was 26th.
UP NEXT
Montreal: Visits the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
New Jersey: Hosts the Washington Capitals on Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2024.
