Weird game. Lots of strange bounces and the game was frustrating with cheap shots and no calls.
Criticism of Monahan is really misguided. Last year he was given juicy offensive zone starts and sheltered minutes. This year, as part of his development, he's being asked to play more in the defensive zone and against the other team's top lines. That has been increased with Backlund and Stajan (who usually play the defensive center role) being out.
His goal in OT shows that he still has that offensive sense. This learning curve is important so he's not just an offensive center. Once Backlund and Stajan return, the game is going to seem a lot easier for Monahan.
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