In a critical Game 2 matchup, Montreal Canadiens' coach Martin St. Louis made bold decisions by benching Patrik Laine for the entire third period. Despite the Canadiens’ efforts, they lost 3-1 against the Washington Capitals after a last-minute goal. The decision to shorten the bench and double-shift key players Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, and Juraj Slafkovsky reflected St. Louis' strategy to boost performance, although Laine's lackluster five-on-five performance contributed to the team's struggles. His line generated minimal scoring opportunities, significantly affecting the game’s outcome.
The guys that I leaned on in the third, I thought they did a great job. As a coach, you make those decisions. You have this gut feeling.
Laine finished with 10:10 time on ice due to 3:07 of power-play action, highlighting his limited impact during even-strength play, which was detrimental.
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