Content: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson had a challenging night during Wednesday's 3-2 shootout victory against the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre. Matheson broke three sticks throughout the game, with the last one snapping during the final minute of overtime. He was set up by teammate Cole Caufield for a potential game-winning one-timer when his stick broke, leaving him frustrated as he tossed the remaining piece aside.

Fortunately for Matheson and the Canadiens, Caufield scored the decisive goal in the shootout, preventing Matheson’s broken stick from costing the team a point in the standings. Matheson uses a Warrior Covert QR6 Pro stick, which retails for approximately $400. NHL teams cover the cost of players' sticks, even if they have endorsement deals, like Matheson does with Warrior.

After practice on Friday in Brossard, Matheson chose not to dwell on his broken sticks. Instead, he emphasized the importance of the Canadiens' performance and their upcoming game against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. "It’s frustrating," Matheson said. "We’re playing important games and that’s where my head’s at." When asked if he had ever broken three sticks in a single game before, he replied, "Not that I remember, no," attributing the incident to bad luck.

Teammate Brendan Gallagher, who also uses a Warrior Covert QR6 Pro stick, shared a light-hearted moment about Matheson’s misfortune. "I was ready to make a call (to Warrior)," Gallagher joked after practice. "We can laugh about it today. But I felt his frustration. Maybe get him a new batch."

Matheson, who grew up on Montreal’s West Island, recalled using wooden sticks until he reached the bantam level. He and his siblings, Kelly and Kenny, participated in the hockey Sport-études program at John Rennie High School, where their parents invested significantly in hockey equipment. "I remember one time it happened where we kind of splurged for a couple of sticks that were the new one-piece sticks and my brother and I broke both of ours in our first game," Matheson said. "Three hundred dollars down the drain, or whatever it was."

Canadiens defenseman Noah Dobson related to Matheson’s experience. During the 2019 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship, Dobson had his stick snap in overtime while playing for Team Canada, leading to a missed opportunity that resulted in Canada’s elimination. "It was tough," Dobson recalled. "It was just more disappointing in the result of ending that way."

After the incident, a Finnish stick manufacturer, PAMA Hockey, sent Dobson a stick as a gesture of goodwill, acknowledging the unfortunate timing of his equipment failure. Dobson now uses a Bauer Vapor FLYLITE stick, which costs about $440.

Matheson’s stick-breaking incident is not unique. Dobson noted that such occurrences often seem to happen to the same players repeatedly. "I find it usually happens to the same guy over and over," he said. "It’s like an anomaly, honestly. It is what it is."

Matheson leads the Canadiens in ice time, averaging 24:46 per game, which ranks ninth in the NHL. He logged a season-high 29:25 in a recent game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned that while Matheson can handle significant ice time, the coaching staff is mindful of managing his workload during games.

Matheson recently signed a five-year, $30 million contract extension that will take effect next season. He has logged more ice time than any player in the NHL this season, totaling 4,745 minutes. When asked if he is aware of how much ice time he accumulates during games, Matheson said, "A little bit. I think you can kind of sense it a little bit."

In a lighter moment, Matheson shared how he got the nickname "Billy," inspired by the movie "Billy Madison." He explained that it started in Florida but gained traction in Montreal when teammate Mike Hoffman brought it up again. Gallagher chimed in, recalling other memorable nicknames from his time with the team.

As the Canadiens prepare for their next game, Matheson and his teammates remain focused on improving their performance on the ice, despite the occasional mishap with their equipment.