The Canadiens start their season with a loss (despite a good performance)

On the Maple Leafs side, it was the club’s first game following Mitch Marner’s departure for Vegas.

Here’s what it looked like for the locals:

It only took a minute to see the first goal of the game. The CH started the game a little slow… and the Leafs took advantage. Bobby McMann deflected William Nylander’s shot to open the scoring.

That said, the CH answered back a few minutes later… on the shorthanded advantage: Oliver Kapanen scored his team’s first goal of the season.We’re also talking about his first career goal.

These were the only two goals scored in the first period. After 20 minutes, the score was 1-1.In the second, it was another player’s turn to score his first goal in a Habs uniform: Zachary Bolduc. He took advantage of a return on Brendan Gallagher’s shot to give his team the lead.

That said, the CH’s lead lasted only a few short minutes: the Maple Leafs provided the answer.

After 40 minutes, thescorewas 2-2.

In the third, we were treated to some spirited play for several minutes… until Morgan Rielly restored the Maple Leafs’ lead. Both Habs defenders broke their sticks on the sequence. It’s pretty hard to defend in those circumstances, we agree.

The CH tried to tie the game late, but couldn’t get it done. Auston Matthews completed the scoring in an empty net… on a sequence that won’t go down in history for Ivan Demidov.

William Nylander added a fifth goal for his team, again in an empty net.The final score doesn’t quite reflect how well the CH played, but it doesn’t matter: the Tricolore start the year with a loss.Final score: 5-2 Toronto The Habs return to action tomorrow night, when they travel to Detroit to take on the Red Wings. Jakub Dobes is expected to play his first game of the season. spacer title=’Prolongation’]- The Habs really, really held their own against a team that amassed 108 points in last year’s standings (even if Mitch Marner has since left, of course). Despite the loss, it’s a pretty encouraging performance for the Tricolore. If they keep playing like this, the points will inevitably follow– The crowd in Toronto was really, really not loud tonight. Actually, that’s not entirely true: it was… but for the Blue Jays

– Zachary Bolduc really had a good game tonight. We knew he was capable of scoring and having a dog on the ice, and he really showed the extent of his toolbox tonight. Watching him play, it’s easy to see why Kent Hughes was willing to part with Logan Mailloux to go get him – Before the game, Geoff Molson wished the club’s fans a great season.