Montreal Canadiens struggle with shots in overtime loss to Utah

On November 26, 2024, the Montreal Canadiens faced the Utah Hockey Club in an overtime match at home. The Canadiens struggled significantly, managing to record only 13 shots on goal throughout the entire game, compared to Utah's 29 shots; Utah outshot Montreal 14-5 in the first period. This shocking lack of offensive production is the team’s lowest shot total in nearly 15 years. Head coach Martin St. Louis noted the importance of generating more shots to win games and emphasized a need for improvement. The Canadiens also encountered difficulties due to penalties, which likely limited their scoring opportunities, having played a man short on three occasions during the first period. Despite Alex Newhook scoring for Montreal, the team lost the match 3-2, marking their second consecutive defeat. The game was marked by Mikhail Sergavchev scoring the overtime winner for Utah. Notably, defenceman Mike Matheson and forward Patrik Laine are set to travel for an upcoming road trip; Laine is returning after recovering from a knee sprain he sustained earlier in the season in a collision during a pre-season game. This trip may present the Canadiens with an opportunity to regroup and change their fortunes as they focus on improving their performance for future games. Their ongoing struggle for shots emphasizes the need for a more strategic approach moving forward to garner better results in the league.