Home Game Day Weekly forecast FORECAST | Valuable Points at Stake Ahead of Habs All-Star Break

FORECAST | Valuable Points at Stake Ahead of Habs All-Star Break

Ty Prater
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FORECAST | Valuable Points at Stake Ahead of Habs All-Star Break
(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

All Habs Weekly Forecast gives a first look of the week ahead for your Montreal Canadiens. Staff writer Ty Prater maps out the schedule, provides a statistical comparison of each matchup, identifies players to watch, as well as strengths and weaknesses of each team and provides links to our game reports for the season series. Bookmark this page and use it as your guide for each game in the Canadiens schedule this week. The Weekly Forecast combined with our popular Game Day feature provides you with the best information available as you prepare for puck drop.

by Tyler Prater, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine

(Photo by Francois Lacasse/NHLI via Getty Images)

MONTREAL, QC. — This week the Canadiens have home-and-home series against Columbus before the All-Star break. Last week the Habs went 1-1-0, ending their 5-game losing streak.

Calendar: January 25 – January 31
MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN
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AWAY HOME

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Montreal Canadiens
  • The Habs (24-20-4) are coming off a 3-2 shootout win over Toronto last Saturday and start their week Monday at Columbus before heading home to face Columbus again on Tuesday. Montreal is fifth in the Atlantic Division and 17th in the league with 52 points. They are 3-6-1 in their last ten games played.
Players to Watch
  • P.K. Subban. Subban has four points in his last five games and 30 assists so far this season (6th). He will also be playing in the All-Star game this weekend.
  • David Desharnais. Desharnais has two points in his last two games and 24 points this season.
Strengths (+) Weaknesses (-)
  • Montreal gets an abundance of offensive chances, averaging 31.8 shots per game (4th) and they have a strong penalty kill at 85.1 per cent (4th).
  • The Canadiens are struggling to keep the puck out of their net with an average of 2.56 goals against per game (13th), as the gap narrows between goals scored and goals against to just 0.13.

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Monday and Tuesday

Columbus Blue Jackets
  • The Blue Jackets (17-27-5) are coming off 3-2 shootout loss to Boston last Saturday and start their week Monday, hosting Montreal. Columbus is eighth in the Metropolitan Division and last in the league with 39 points. They are 3-5-2 in their last ten games played.
Players to Watch
  • Brandon Dubinsky. Dubinsky has three goals in his last five games and 25 points this season.
  • Nick Foligno. Foligno has six points in his last five games for a total of 25 points so far this season.
Strengths (+) Weaknesses (-)
  • The Blue Jackets are struggling all over, but they continue to have a strong penalty kill at 81.1 per cent.
  • Columbus is really struggling defensively, averaging 3.20 goals against per game (30th).
Matchup
Monday January 25 | Columbus, OH. and Tuesday January 26 | Montreal, QC.

CANADIENS  (statistics as of January 24, 2016) BLUE JACKETS
52 (17th) Points 39 (30th)
12-11-2 (away) Away/Home Record 8-11-4 (home)
12-9-2 (home) Home/Away Record 9-16-1 (away)
2.69 (11th) Goals per game 2.57 (20th)
2.56 (13th) Goals Against per game 3.20 (30th)
31.8 (4th) Shots per game 28.7 (24th)
27.5 (4th) Shots Against per game 30.7 (23rd)
17.2% (21st) Power-play 17.2% (20th)
85.1% (4th) Penalty-kill 81.1% (13th)

Season Series

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