In the Sala dels Habs: “Winning heals a lot,” says St. Louis on the young team’s performance against the Leafs

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“You have to be careful not to over-coach mistakes,” the head coach says after the first home game.

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Pat Hickey • Sean Monahan (91) of the Montreal Gazette Canadiens celebrates his goal with teammate Josh Anderson (17) during third period NHL action against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal on Wednesday 12 October 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

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Martin St. Louis said the Canadiens’ start to the season wasn’t perfect, but he was happy to see his team play with desperation and find a way to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 on Wednesday at the Bell Centre.

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“Winning heals a lot,” said St. Louis, whose team was winless (0-6-2) in the preseason. “We haven’t had our group together much and we have injuries at the back, but our kids have played very well. There are no perfect games but it’s all about finding ways in this league and I thought the boys battled and that gives us a bit of confidence.”

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With Joel Edmundson and Mike Matheson out with injuries, St. Louis started four defensemen with a total of 14 games of NHL experience and they passed their first test against quality opposition.

“You learn in the trenches,” said St. Louis. “The young people made mistakes, but they did a lot of good things. If you start trying to train the bugs, you handcuff them a bit. Be careful not to overtrain errors. Is it a one-off or a trend? I’m going to train the trend, I’m not going to train the one-off every time it happens.”

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  1. Thirteen-month-old Edouard Francoeur gets into his first game with the Montreal Canadiens with mom Bianca Jette and dad Martin Francoeur before first period NHL action against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal on Wednesday 12 October 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

  2. Canadiens’ Juraj Slafkovsky (20) is fouled by Toronto Maple Leafs’ Rasmus Sandin (38) during NHL first period action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Sandin was called on the play . Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  3. Canadiens’ Nick Suzuki (14) is held by Toronto Maple Leafs’ Michael Bunting (58) during first period NHL action in Montreal, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Bunting was called on the play . Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  4. Maple Leafs’ Michael Bunting (58) celebrates his goal with teammates TJ Brodie (78) and Mitchell Marner (16) during NHL first period action against the Montreal Canadiens in Montreal on Wednesday, Feb. October 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  5. Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher (11) tries to get to the puck past Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray during first period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

  6. Canadiens’ Cole Caufield (22) celebrates his first of two goals on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray during second period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  7. Canadiens’ Cole Caufield (22) scores the first of two goals on Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray during second period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

  8. Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen deflects a penalty kick by Toronto Maple Leafs’ Alexander Kerfoot (15) away from the goal during the second period of NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  9. Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen saves the puck from Toronto Maple Leafs’ Alexander Kerfoot (15) during second period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

  10. Canadiens’ Kirby Dach (77) tries to put the puck behind Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Matt Murray during second period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

  11. Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nicolas Aube-Kubel (96) drives past Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen during NHL third period action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  12. Canadiens’ Sean Monahan (91) celebrates his goal with teammate Josh Anderson (17) during third period NHL action against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf /Montreal Gazette

  13. Toronto Maple Leafs’ Denis Malgin (62) drives past Montreal Canadiens’ Johnathan Kovacevic (26) during third period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

  14. Canadiens’ Josh Anderson (17) knocks down Toronto Maple Leafs’ Rasmus Sandin (38) during third period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

  15. Canadiens goaltender Jake Allen makes a save against Toronto Maple Leafs’ Alexander Kerfoot (15) during third period NHL action in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

  16. Canadiens’ Josh Anderson (17) celebrates his game-winning goal during the third period of NHL action against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Montreal on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

  17. Fans gather at the Bell Center before the home opener between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Center on October 12, 2022 in Montreal. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

  18. Canadiens player introductions end with the lighting of the flame before Game 1 at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Center on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Eric Bolte/USA TODAY Sports

  19. Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki #14 skates on the ice with the flame during the home opener ceremony before the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Bell Center on October 12, 2022 in Montreal. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

  20. Juraj Slafkovsky #20 of the Montreal Canadiens, in his first career NHL game, beats Auston Matthews #34 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at the Bell Center on October 12, 2022 in Montreal. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

  21. William Nylander #88 of the Toronto Maple Leafs scores goaltender Jake Allen #34 of the Montreal Canadiens during the third period at the Bell Center on October 12, 2022 in Montreal. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

  22. Montreal Canadiens forward Kirby Dach (77) tries a layup against Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray (30) during the second period at the Bell Center on Oct. 12, 2022. A lengthy review concluded that no there was a goal in the play. Photo by Eric Bolte /USA TODAY Sports

  23. Maple Leafs goaltender Matt Murray (30) follows the puck during the second period of the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Center on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Photo by Eric Bolte/USA TODAY Sports

  24. Chris Wideman #6 of the Montreal Canadiens drives down Jarnkrok #19 of the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at the Bell Center on October 12, 2022 in Montreal. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

  25. Canadiens forward Cole Caufield (22) celebrates a goal scored by teammate Josh Anderson (not pictured) against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at the Bell Center on Oct. 12, 2022. Photo Eric Bolte / USA TODAY Sports

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Kaiden Guhle, a first-rounder in 2020, was the first defensive pairing with David Savard and they were solid.

“I don’t know how many minutes David played, but he made my job easier,” said goaltender Jake Allen, who had 29 saves. Guhle and Savard each topped 22 minutes and Savard blocked nine shots.

St. Louis had some words of praise for Johnathan Kovacevic, who was pressed into action after just a few days of practice after being claimed off waivers by the Winnipeg Jets. The Canadiens are giving the 25-year-old a chance to play after he was lost in the Jets organization, and he logged 19:06 and gave up a game-high six hits.

The night started with the introduction of the players and…

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