Aaron Ward: Habs response to scoring 'a Shakespearean tragedy'

Hockey fans pile back into the Bell Centre The Montreal Canadiens host the New York Rangers for the first home game in front of a big crowd in a long while

Montreal — Former NHL defenceman Aaron Ward said the Montreal Canadiens' inability to keep pressure on and be solid after tying the game in their ultimately ill-fated home opener against the New York Rangers was akin to a tragedy from England's most famous bard.

Ward joined the TSN 690 team to discuss the Habs' early season woes as they look for win number one of the 2021-2022 season.

"I felt like all the plates and utensils fell right off the table," said Ward. "What happened was absolutely a Shakespearean tragedy."

Ward said the Habs was irresponsible and reckless when the Rangers put their top line on the ice following Jonthan Drouin's goal that tied the game. The Habs lost 3-1.

"These are moments that are unrecoverable," said Ward.

TSN 690 analyst Marc Denis said the Habs fourth game Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks is huge.

HOFFMAN, BROOKS MAKE DEBUTS, EVANS OUT

Forwards Mike Hoffman and Adam Brooks will make their Habs debuts against the Sharks.

They will replace Jake Evans and Mathieu Perreault in the Habs lineup.

Evans is dealing with an upper-body injury after taking a hard check late in the first period of the Rangers game on Saturday. Evans finished for the game.

He was back at practice Tuesday morning after enjoying a day of treatment the day before.

Hoffman missed the entire camp and the first three games of the regular season due to a lower-body injury. The 31-year-old Ontario native signed a three-season, $13.5-million USD contract with the Habs as a free agent this summer.

The former Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers and St. Louis Blues player has six seasons of at least 20 goals in the NHL, including a 36-goal campaign with the Panthers in 2018-19. He had 17 goals and 19 assists in 52 games with the Blues last season.

-- With files from The Canadian Press.