Lehkonen: 'I'm just focusing on doing the best I can'

BROSSARD - Things haven't gone as planned for Artturi Lehkonen so far this season, but his performance against Edmonton should do him some good.

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After assisting on Jesperi Kotkaniemi's tally only 18 seconds into the first period, the 25-year-old Finnish left-winger scored his third goal of the year just over three minutes later to put the Canadiens in complete control of the contest.

Those were Lehkonen's first points since February 1 when he registered a multi-point effort (1 goal, 1 assist) against the Vancouver Canucks, so his 13-game pointless streak is no more.
Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme was pleased to see the former second-round selection (55th overall) get on the board again and be rewarded for his efforts.
"We like his overall game. We like what he brings on the penalty kill. He has good speed and good habits. His stick is always on the puck. He has a good work ethic and he plays the right way," praised Ducharme, following Wednesday's practice at the Bell Sports Complex. "We always see some potential offensively. He's coming off a good game. At the same time, it's a question of confidence. I think that performance was positive for him."

Lehkonen's confidence has certainly been challenged during his fifth NHL campaign, having been a healthy scratch for nine of the Canadiens' last 16 encounters.
He missed two games, then four, then another three, which has taken its toll on the Piikkio native.
"You always want to play, be in the lineup and play as much as you can," insisted Lehkonen, who has six points (3 goals, 3 assists) in 23 games. "You spend a lot of time watching the game outside and it's not the easiest for your confidence, but of course if you get a goal or an assist, it helps."
Being the subject of trade rumors with the April 12 deadline approaching hasn't been an enjoyable experience either, but he's steering clear of social media and maintaining a positive mindset.
"It's part of the business. It's part of hockey. Every time I get on the ice, I'm just focusing on doing the best I can and trying to help the team," explained Lehkonen. "I'm just trying not to read anything. You can't really get into that stuff, otherwise it's going to be in your head. I'm just trying to focus on my playing."

Talking Toffoli
Unfortunately, the Canadiens will still be deprived of right-winger Tyler Toffoli's services when they open a two-game series against the Senators on Thursday night at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.
The 28-year-old Scarborough, ON native is sidelined with a lower-body injury that has forced him to miss the last two games.
But, it appears that Montreal's leading goalscorer will be good to go in the very near future.
"It won't be much longer. You aren't 100% when you get back on the ice. He's doing some strengthening work. It's part of the process," indicated Ducharme. "He'll need a few more days. We think he'll be coming back at some point in the next few games."

Toffoli has 27 points (18 goals, 9 assists) in 30 games this season, which has him tied for the team lead alongside defenseman Jeff Petry.
On the Senators
During his post-practice press conference, Ducharme didn't confirm who would get the start in goal versus Ottawa in the nation's capital.
Jake Allen did respond to questions via Zoom, though, and commented on the Senators.
"They're a good team. They play us hard. They're one of our biggest rivals. They have a lot of good, young players that bring it every single night. If we don't bring it, they bring it to us. We've seen that a couple of times this year already. We're going to have our hands full," said Allen. "We started well last night after that mini-break, and I thought we had good execution at practice today. We can't take any points for granted, especially right now with the situation we're in. Every point, every game is crucial."

This will be the sixth meeting of the season between the North Division rivals.
The Canadiens have compiled a 2-1-2 record against head coach D.J. Smith's group this year.