Kotkaniemi: 'I think the coach knows what's best for me'

SAN JOSE - Jesperi Kotkaniemi has always been a true pro since joining the Canadiens' fold in June.

That was the case again as the 18-year-old rookie sensation reacted to being a healthy scratch for Tuesday night's victory over the Kings in Los Angeles.
"I think it's fine. The guys played pretty well last night," said Kotkaniemi, following Wednesday afternoon's on-ice session at the SAP Center. "I think the coach knows what's best for me. He told me that he had done this before with the young guys. I trust him and I think he knows what's best for me."
Head coach Claude Julien's decision to sit the Finnish pivot was intended to give him some well-deserved rest heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
While Kotkaniemi indicated that he "[doesn't] feel too tired" right now, he's just going with the flow and taking Julien's choice to have him watch from afar in stride.
"Like I've said many times, it's my year when I have time to learn new things. It's my first year here, so I just try and get things going my way," explained Kotkaniemi. "I think they have been pretty smart with me."

The Pori native's numbers certainly support that contention.
Kotkaniemi boasts 11 goals, 32 points and a plus-7 differential through 66 games, which isn't too shabby for a youngster who only began plying his trade on this side of the pond last fall.
It remains to be seen if the Canadiens' No. 15 will return to the lineup on Thursday night for another big tilt against the Sharks.
During his post-practice press conference, Julien wasn't prepared to confirm whether Kotkaniemi would be in or out come puck drop in Northern California.
He was among the extras during the forward line drills as Jordan Weal maintained his spot at center, flanked by Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia.
Piling up the goals
Assistant captain Brendan Gallagher has been outstanding again this year.
Entering Thursday night's contest, the 26-year-old right-winger is riding a four-game scoring streak.
His most recent tally against Los Angeles was his team-leading 30th goal of the 2018-19 campaign, marking the second straight year that he reached the impressive plateau.

Most notably, 26 of those goals have been scored at even-strength.
How does Gallagher explain his success? It's more than just his efforts alone that makes everything click.
"You obviously gain a little bit of experience and you understand things a little bit more, you're probably a little bit more relaxed. But, like anything, you work hard at it," described Gallagher. "You're put in some pretty good spots and I feel pretty fortunate to be around some pretty good hockey minds all the way growing up. You just continue to learn from everyone around you. I've played with good players and had good coaches. You just surround yourself with people that can help you improve and get better, and hopefully you haven't peaked, hopefully you continue to get better and continue to follow that path."
Those "good players" Gallagher was referencing include current linemates Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault, of course.
"I think a lot of that success is who I'm playing with. For the most part, I've been with Tuna and Phil all year. Those two guys are very intelligent hockey players," praised the seven-year NHL veteran. "They do a lot of things to create open space for their linemates. I enjoy playing with them, and hopefully it continues."

As for Gallagher's bench boss, Julien couldn't be happier to have Gallagher on his roster.
"Since I've been here, I know that he's a guy that I can count on every game. He comes ready to play. His effort is always there. Like I've always said, as a coach, it makes your job easier because when you know what to expect from your players and from individuals, a guy like him becomes extremely important. It's important not just for the coaching staff, but his teammates who know they can depend on him," said Julien. "You depend on him every game because you know that he shows up. It's just as simple as that."
Righting the ship in San Jose
Will the Canadiens earn a victory in San Jose for the first time since November 1999 on Thursday night?
If they're going to achieve that objective, they can't afford to give their Western Conference opponents any momentum early.
"I think the key is the start of the game," stressed Gallagher. "The games where we've been in it, where we've had a shot, we've been able to survive the first 10 minutes. The games where it's kind of gotten out of hand, the first 10 minutes pucks are in our net, we're taking penalties and we're allowing their power play to go to work. They really do feed off that in this building."
Nevertheless, Gallagher is at somewhat of a loss to explain why the Habs have dropped 11 straight games in Silicon Valley.
"I couldn't tell you. I've had some tough games in this building. For whatever reason, it's just been tough. We'd like to end that," stressed Gallagher. "They're a good hockey team. That's part of it. They have been for a long time. It's another reason to come in here and play a good game. It's loud. They create a lot of energy."
Like Gallagher, Julien believes another tough matchup is on the horizon.
"You watch them play, they're big, they're strong, they have experience. They have a lot of talent," said Julien, who hasn't yet decided if Carey Price will be between the pipes versus the Sharks or whether Antti Niemi will get the call. "They have a team that goes to the net a lot and they're extremely strong around the net. It's been a long time that they've had success. They also have defensemen that support the rush and skate well. It's a well-balanced team."