GAME DAY | Canucks – Canadiens: Preview, Prediction, Lines, Goalies, TV

By
Sam Gerber
-
0
27
Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 3  DAL 2  (OT)   The calendar year 2018 came to an exciting finish with an overtime win on New Year’s eve. Phillip Danault continued his hot streak with another multi-goal performance. Jeff Petry scored the game winner after taking a nice pass from Paul Byron.   

For a complete game recap: Habs Head Home After Successful Road Trip

Players to watch

  • Joel Armia
    Armia returns to the line-up after a 25-game absence. He has a lot to give and has made a difference when on the roster even though he is not padding his stats sheet.  It may take a few games to get back to speed but Armia will be on a mission in his return and should create a jump to the line-up.
  • Carey Price
    Price will start tonight after missing the last three games to rest a lingering injury. It is little worrisome that yet again Price has a lower body injury that is effecting his play and could impact the future.    
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    Kotkaniemi has been playing great for the last several games and if posts weren’t his best-friend he would have scored about five goals during those games. Tonight with all eyes on Elias Petersson, Kotkaniemi may be the one to steal the spotlight.   

Keys to Victory

  • Limit the rookie
    Elias Petersson is fresh off his first hat-trick. He provides almost all the offense for the Canucks and will need to be stopped. 
  • Get physical
    The Canucks still like to play a physical brand of hockey and the Habs have to be ready. If Montreal gets pushed around early they’ll be in for a long game.
  • Use your speed
    The Canadiens have to use their speed, but Vancouver can match their footspeed up front. If the Habs can use their speed against the Canucks defense they’ll get a number of scoring chances. 
Matchup by All Habs staff
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | January 3, 7:30 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, SNP

2018-19 statistics
CANUCKS CANADIENS
44 (18th) Points (rank) 47 (13th)
20-19-4 Record 21-14-5
11-10-3 Away/Home 10-7-2
6-3-1 Last 10 6-4-0
2.95 GF/G 3.15
3.12 GA/G 3.20
18.6 PP% 13.4
77.5 PK% 76.6
47.07  CF%  54.28
 
 
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Eriksson – Horvat – Roussel
Leivo – Pettersson – Boeser
Baertschi – Granlund – Leivo Virtanen
Schaller – Beagle – Motte		 Drouin – Domi – Byron
Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Agostino – Chaput – Deslauriers
Defensemen
Edler – Tanev
Hutton – Gudbranson
Stecher – Pouliot 		 Mete – Weber
Reilly – Petry
   Kulak – Benn
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Del Zotto, Biega, Pyatt, Goldobin
Injured: Sutter
 Scratched: Peca, Hudon, Alzner
Injured: Shaw, Schlemko
Goalies
Jacob Markstrom Carey Price
Record: 17-10-3
GAA: – 2.81
Sv%: – .910
SO: 0
Alternate: Mike McKenna		 Record: 15-10-4
GAA: – 2.84
Sv%: – .904
SO: 1
Alternate: Antti Niemi
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The Canadiens start 2019 with a three-game home stretch starting with the Canucks. Vancouver is led by rookie Elias Petersson who the Habs will have to keep in check all night. For the Habs they get Armia and Price both coming back after dealing with injuries. Armia will slot in along side with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Artturi Lehkonen where Andrew Shaw was playing, Shaw is currently day-to-day with an upper body  injury he sustained against Dallas. Price’s return is really great news as Antti Niemi has had just one good start in Price’s absence. Let’s see if the Habs and Phillip Danault can continue their great play of late into 2019 and climb a bit in the standings. . 
Highlights from the NHL
Quick Links from Rocket Sports Media publications
[wp_rss_multi_importer category=”3″ thisfeed=”8″ showdate=”0″]
 
 
Habs360-sm-06 [wp_rss_multi_importer category=”6″ showdate=”0″]
 
Tickets
   
   
Get Habs Tickets  
  • Need tickets for an upcoming Canadiens game? Click the following link for the best prices on available tickets: Montreal Canadiens Tickets
 download

Follow @AllHabs on Twitter

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR