Welcome to the Ivan Demidov show, Montreal Canadiens fans
BUFFALO – Heading into Game 5, 11 players at least one goal for the Montreal Canadiens. Jake Evans made it 12 early in the second.
Ivan Demidov, though? Nowhere to be found.
But Thursday was a near-perfect outing for the rookie of the year finalist, who, finally, on what felt like his 93,000th opportunity of the playoffs, made it 6-3 to put the Canadiens just one win away from a spot in the Eastern Conference final.
Demidov had an assist on Evans’ second-period goal before tallying his own on the power play early in the third. His smile skating back to the bench was of pure joy – finally, the hotshot freshman finally broke through after weeks of fans questioning what was going on.
Ivan Demidov with the PERFECT celly after his first career #StanleyCup Playoff goal!!! 😜 🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT 🇨🇦: @Sportsnet & @TVASports
Demidov is now up to six points through 12 games, and he’s playing some excellent hockey as of late. He led all Habs with five shots in this one in what felt like his best game of the postseason so far. He also drew the penalty that led to his own goal, too.
Demidov was involved in all areas of the game – something Habs fans have been waiting for all series long.
”I don’t know how to describe it, it was cool to score,” Demidov said post game. “I’m feeling good right now. I had many chances in other games and didn’t score. Just relieving the pressure from my back right now.”
The 20-year-old Russian winger had 19 goals and 62 points in 82 games this season. He has never been known as a high-end shooter, but he still nearly had 20 goals as a rookie – that’s nothing to sneeze at. He then started the playoffs with an assist on one of Juraj Slafkovsky’s goals in Game 1 of the opening round beffore failing to register a point over the next six games. Demidov finally got back on the board in Game 1 against the Sabres, and outside of a quiet Game 2 showing, he has a point in every game since.
Everything but a goal – until the stars aligned on Thursday night.
”This game, hockey god’s decided I had to score,” Demidov said, with a laugh.
According to HockeyStatCards, Demidov boasts a game score of 7.93 throughout the series. In plain English, he has been one of the most impactful forwards all series long, even if the on-ice results haven’t always shown that. Many fans have been praising Demidov for his two-way game overall in the playoffs, with his puck retrievals and defensive awareness being quite noticeable.
”You can tell he was all over (the game),” coach Martin St. Louis said. “He is kind of building his game and it was only a matter of time. I’ve been really pleased with Demi. It’s not just the offensive stuff that comes out, the flashy stuff. He actually plays the game defensively. He values that.”
And, of course, there’s the dangles that he’s known for. Part of Demidov’s stout defensive play is the sole fact that he’s difficult to take the puck off of.
“He has some of the best skill I’ve seen,” Juraj Slafkovsky said during a post-game scrum. “He’s great. He can make all the plays. He showed it today and showed it all year.”
Demidov is one of the most skilled players on the Canadiens roster. Few players can move the puck like he can, especially in tight spaces. That’s what made him so lethal in the KHL from a young age – and exactly what he’d be a favorite to win the Calder Trophy in most other years, had it not been for Matthew Schaefer.
Demidov is extremely creative, has quick hands, is good on his feet and makes smart decisions with the puck. He utilizes a stutter-step move that confuses defensemen, making it hard for them to predict his next move. His shot is notably deceptive in several ways; he often lulls defenders into thinking he’s aiming high before unexpectedly shooting between the goaltender’s legs. We’ve also seen him learn to play a bit more physical while playing with more confidence. He’s never afraid to to rush the puck in the zone and do things himself when it’s the best thing for a play.
”He’s such a gifted offensive player,” Lane Hutson said. “I try to tell him to keep playing the same way. He was getting his chances, creating a lot for other guys. It was only a matter of time.”
The Canadiens will head back home with a chance to clinch the series on Saturday night. The team seems to be in full control, especially given they’ve shut down the likes of Alex Tuch and Tage Thompson throughout most of the series. Montreal’s depth has played a huge role in their success, but they were just waiting on No. 93 to get the monkey off his back.
Mission accomplished. For now, at least.
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