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

By
Sam Gerber
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Game Preview by Sam Gerber, Staff Writer
Last game: MTL 2  CGY  3 (OT) 

The Canadiens let a point get away from them allowing Calgary back into the game. In overtime, the Habs focused on defense and it back fired once again.

For a complete recap: Flames – Canadiens: Habs Take a Point in OT Loss to Calgary

Players to watch

  • Connor McDavid
    McDavid has the speed and skill to blows up defenses every night.
  • Leon Draisaitl
    Draisaitl is a big-bodied centre who is reliable at both ends of the ice. He is on pace points-wise to exceed his season high from last year.
  • Carey Price
    This is the eighth straight start for Price since returning from injury. Saturday night has always been Price’s night, so look for a big game.

Keys to Victory

  • Don’t get caught
    The Habs defense will have to be mindful of the Oilers speed so they won’t get caught flat-footed.
  • Counter with speed
    One way to defend against speed is to attack with it. The Habs have some of the fastest players in the league and will need to use it tonight to have a chance.
  • Sacrifice the body
    The Canadiens will need to sacrifice the body to make a play against a physical Edmonton team.
Matchup by All Habs staff
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | December 9, 7:00 PM ET | TV: SN, TVAS

2017-18 statistics
OILERS CANADIENS
24 (29th) Points (rank) 30 (22nd)
11-15-2 Record 13-13-4
6-6-2 Away/Home 8-6-3
4-6-0 Last 10 5-3-2
2.85 GF/G 2.73
3.39 GA/G 3.06
16.66 PP% 17.34
72.34 PK% 78.78
 53.60  CF%  51.51
 
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Lucic – McDavid – Puljujarvi
Maroon – Nugent-Hopkins – Cammalleri
Walker – Draisaitl – Slepyshev
Khaira – Letestu – Kassian		 Galchenyuk – Drouin – Shaw
Pacioretty – Danault – Byron
Hudon – Plekanec – Gallagher 
Deslauriers – Froese – Carr
Defensemen
Nurse – Russell
Klefbom – Benning
Auvitu – Davidson		 Benn – Weber
Alzner – Petry
Mete – Schlemko
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Gryba, Strome, Caggiula
Injured: Sekera, Talbot, Larsson		 Scratched: De La Rose, Jerabek, Morrow
Injured: Hemsky, Scherbak, Montoya, Lehkonen
Goalies
Laurent Brossoit Carey Price
Record: 1-5-1
GAA: 3.71
Sv%: .876
SO: 0
Alternate: Nick Ellis		 Record: 8-8-2
GAA: 2.99
Sv%: .904
SO: 1
Alternate: Antti Niemi
 What to Expect
Edmonton has had a very poor start to the season. They give up too many goals and have far too many defensive breakdowns. This is a great opportunity for the Habs to pounce. Edmonton will come out physically and will use their speed to exploit the Canadiens defense. The Habs need to own the puck and frustrate the Oilers to the point where they start taking bad penalties.

Prediction: Canadiens 5  Oilers 2 

With Jonathan Drouin back in the lineup the Habs power-play should be able to take over, if given the opportunity.
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