For the second year in a row the Montreal Canadiens are storming out of the gate to open the season.
Thanks to their 3-2 win over the New York Islanders on Wednesday night the Canadiens are off to a 6-0-1 start and have the best record in the league through their first seven games.
Even though Wednesday’s game was only decided by a single goal, it was a particularly strong effort and perhaps one of their best of the young season. The biggest reason the game remained so close for so long was because of the play of Thomas Greiss in the Islanders crease during the second and third periods where Montreal had a commanding edge on the shot chart. This game could have easily shifted heavily in Montreal’s favor, and the fact it did not is a testament to the way Griess played.
But the star of the night was -- once again -- Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber as he continued his incredible start with his new team.
With less than three minutes to play in regulation, Weber broke a 2-2 tie with his third goal of the season on a shot that seems like it was probably close to breaking the sound barrier.
OK ... maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but just look at this thing.
How do you stop that? Why would you want to get in front of it?
Weber also assisted on Philip Danault’s goal earlier in the period. He now has nine points in his first seven games with the Canadiens.
As we saw a year ago with the Canadiens won their first nine games (and then missed the playoffs) a fast start doesn’t guarantee anything over the course of an 82-game season. But this year’s Canadiens should have something last year’s Canadiens didn’t have over the final five months of the season -- Carey Price. These guys might be pretty good.