Kotkaniemi came to play

MONTREAL -- I have an easy job.
Well, relatively speaking, anyhow.
That's not to say I don't work hard. I spend endless hours reviewing footage, poring over pertinent data, and analyzing results in an attempt to figure what the team and players in question should do to improve their odds going forward.

But it's one thing to point out an issue. It's another, entirely, to actually go out there against the best athletes in the world and get the job done.
For example, I can explain the Canadiens should take advantage of their scoring opportunities. It sounds nice, it's factual, and it's simple...to write. But to achieve such goals (get it?), it takes much more than just pretty words from an analyst that almost fainted getting up too quickly from the couch last week.
It takes effort, skill, patience, chemistry, motivation, and yes, sometimes it even takes a little luck.
If you somehow manage to gather all those elements within 60 minutes, you'll be well on your way to winning a hockey game.
And once in a blue moon, you may even put together a perfect game, such as the one we saw on Friday afternoon as the Canadiens trounced the Philadelphia Flyers 5-0 to even the series at one win apiece.
First off, the underlying numbers, which aren't as important as the final score, but are very important nonetheless.
The Canadiens dominated all aspects of the game, particularly in the high-danger scoring chance department, to the tune of 16-7 at 5-on-5.

Predictably, Brendan Gallagher led all players with four individual chances. On that note, he's yet to score, and yes that's a cause for concern...for the Flyers. He's creating a steady stream of chances, and eventually, they'll start to go in.
Just ask Tomas Tatar, who broke out of his scoring funk with two goals, including the game-winner. Note Gallagher's hard work to free up time and space for his linemate. Even when Gallagher isn't scoring goals, which is quite rare, he's generating chances.
He's the MSG of the hockey world. Some, mostly goaltenders, will claim they're allergic to his presence, but the truth is the minute you add him to the mix everything immediately improves.

With Nick Suzuki down the middle, the newly-formed lined controlled over 65 percent of the shots, 100 percent of the high-danger chances, and 100 percent of the goals.
I have to admit, I did raise an eyebrow when Claude Julien put them together, but I suppose that's why he's the professional hockey coach with a Stanley Cup ring and I'm the guy who needed seven hours to replace my faucet's o-ring.
Busting onto the scene
I'm not going to ramble on endlessly about Suzuki's offensive prowess, because, frankly, I do that a little too often.
Instead, I'm going to ramble on endlessly about Kotakniemi's offensive prowess, because frankly, it's well deserved.
In terms of shot control, Kotkaniemi is 10th in the NHL among all forwards, and is keeping pace with the best in the league in most important offensive categories.
But let's forget the numbers, just for a moment.
Wait. Let's focus on a different number, really quick.
Four goals.
Ok, now let's forget the numbers for just a moment.
When I see Kotkaniemi on the ice, I see a player that's overflowing with confidence, with patience, and with skill.

And I see a player who is no longer smiling all the time. There's a certain aggressive edge to his game that we hadn't seen in previous stretches.
I'm not going to lie to you, Angry Kotkaniemi is a development I didn't see coming, but I will absolutely pull out a chair to welcome him at the table.
He might break that chair over my head and then lead his team in scoring in the playoffs at the tender age of 20, but that's a risk I'm willing to take.
Forward-thinking
The Canadiens scored five times, which is always a good sign, but even more so when the forwards lead the charge, as opposed to the defencemen, which had been the case for the Canadiens in previous games.
Of course, Shea Weber, Jeff Petry, Shea Weber's beard and others will still need to generate offence from the back end, but they already have their plates full when it comes to defensive assignments. The forwards must continue to carry the offensive load, and that extends well beyond the first line; secondary and tertiary scoring is a must, and leads to a much easier workload for everyone in the defensive end, as we saw in game two of the series.
But make no mistake about it; that was a massive win.
The type of win can keep opposing coaches at night, and hopefully, lead to long nights for those involved on the winning side of things.
In fact, I'd go as far as calling it one of the best, most impressive wins in Canadiens history, but I wouldn't want to exaggerate.
That's not my style.
Just like it's not my style to talk about the 71" muskie I caught on the Ottawa river a few summers ago.
No, wait, it was 75", I think.
Either way, just like when I caught that 82" muskie, the Canadiens put together the ideal performance, from a team looking to find its identity in these unlikely playoffs.
It was a reminder that despite the in-season struggles, the Canadiens have a very strong lineup, as long as it functions as one cohesive unit.
It'll take more of these complete team-efforts to secure a series win three more to be exact, but this was the perfect way to take the first step.