The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens (and their fan bases) continue to find ways to annoy each other this season. In the pre-season, there were incidents of late hits, high hits, fights, dogs and cats living together – mass hysteria.
On Saturday night, in their first regular season matchup, things were comparatively subdued, but one moment in the third period has had fans talking over the past couple of days.
Canadiens rookie defenceman Lane Hutson, who’s already giving off Calder vibes, apparently irritated the Senators with his non-stop head fakes. Both Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Greig seemed to have him in their sights in the lead-up to Montreal’s third goal. Hutson absorbed Tkachuk’s hit, then avoided Greig’s.
So with the game no longer in doubt, when Hutson had the puck behind Montreal’s net, dancing back and forth with it, Sens captain Brady Tkachuk did his best Hutson impression, openly mocking him for his excessive use of head fakes.
Naturally, fans on both sides had a few things to say on social media. Most Senator fans got a kick out of it, a moment of levity at the end of a bad game for the club. Habs fans were critical of Tkachuk, reminding him that the head fakes worked as Hutson had two points in a 4-1 victory. And Hutson’s puck possession time was off the charts.
It’s a shame and borderline ridiculous that we have to wait until late February for these two teams to play again.
