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Flames @ Canadiens: Habs Home Opener | PREVIEW

Sam Gerber
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Flames @ Canadiens: Habs Home Opener | PREVIEW

GAME DAY | Montreal Canadiens vs Calgary Flames: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview

A Look Back

It’s the Habs home opener after a fantastic start on the road capped off by another great game against the Canucks. Corey Perry and Joel Edmundson scored their first goals in a Habs jersey while Carey Price was great once again. The Bell Centre won’t be the same without the fans but make no mistake the fans are excited to watch the Habs again.

Last game: MTL 5  VAN 2

For a complete game recap: Canucks – Canadiens: Habs Closing Strong

Players to Watch

  • Jonathan Drouin
    Drouin can be a difference-maker contributing to the most offensive lines for the Habs. Drouin has benefited from Nick Suzuki’s blazing start to the season. If Drouin, Suzuki and Josh Anderson can continue their pace, the Habs should keep winning.
  • Carey Price
    Price has done his part to start the season. Claude Julien has said that he needs a much better defensive performance in front of both of his goaltenders. If that happens, Price will do the rest.
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    Kotkaniemi has continued his strong play from the bubble in the summer. Combined with Tyler Toffoli and now Corey Perry, the group is a very dangerous third line for the Canadiens.

Keys to Victory

  • Get a good start
    It’s predictable to come back a little sluggish after a long road trip. However, the Habs have had a few days off and should have a ton of energy in tonight’s game.
  • Create traffic
    The Habs have to create their own offence and that means getting bodies in front of David Rittich who will be making his first start of the season.
  • Win special teams
    The Habs have been decent on the power-play but have struggled at times on the penalty-kill so far this season. The Flames have an excellent power-play so the Habs have to stay out of the box tonight.
Statistical Matchup
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | January 28, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, SNW

2020-21 statistics
FLAMES CANADIENS
5 (26th) Points (rank) 10 (4th)
2-2-1 Record 4-0-2
0-0-1 Away/Home 0-0-0
2-2-1 Last 10 4-0-2
3.20 GF/G 4.83
2.60 GA/G 2.83
33.3 (6th) PP% (rank) 26.1 (12th)
83.3 (12th) PK% (rank) 78.6 (16th)
54.52  CF% 54.71
Pre-game Quotes
 Claude Julien

  • “[Calgary] is a good hockey team. They’re well-structured. But they’ve also lost two straight games. We have to realize that we’re playing a hungry team. They want to get back on track. We’ll likely face our toughest challenge since the start of the season.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Gaudreau – Monahan – Simon
Tkachuk – Lindholm – Leivo
Bennett- Backlund – Mangiapane
Lucic – Ryan – Nordstrom		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Suzuki – Anderson
Perry – Kotkaniemi – Toffoli
Lehkonen – Evans – Byron
Defensemen
Giordano – Andersson
Hanifin – Tanev
Valimaki – Nesterov		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Kulak – Romanov
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Rinaldo
Injured: Dube
 Scratched: Mete
Injured: Armia
Goalies
David Rittich Carey Price
Record: 0-0-0
GAA: – 0.00
Sv%: – .000
SO: 0
Alternate: Jacob Markstrom		 Record: 2-0-2
GAA: – 3.14
Sv%: – .893
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
In what should be a close checking game to start game one of the two game series the Habs will need to be ready. A few days off might have them a little sluggish to start. The Flames have lost two in a row and don’t plan to make it three.

Bottom Line

The Habs depth should help them greatly but the Flames won’t go down easy.
 Video Highlights

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