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Jiri Sekac’s right foot appears to be burning a hole through the boot of his skate.

He’s standing atop the Canadiens defensive zone — anticipating an outlet pass, a battle for the puck, something, anything — and his right foot shakes compulsively.

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He can’t help it.

He is excited or nervous or both. Whatever causes it, this manic energy is his default setting on the ice.

In the first period of Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators, Sekac came barrelling into the offensive zone with the puck, deked his way past a defender and into the slot. With an Ottawa defenceman closing in on him, Sekac fired a low backhand shot at goalie Robin Lehner, hitting the outside of the goalpost.

The puck wound up atop the zone, where Canadiens rear guard Tom Gilbert passed it to Brandon Prust, who squeaked a wrist shot by the Ottawa goalie.

Photo by Richard Wolowicz / Getty Images

It was the first Canadiens goal in a 4-1 win against Ottawa at the Bell Centre.