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

By
Sam Gerber
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Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game: MTL 0  TOR 4  

With only ten players from the Canadiens opening night roster playing against the Leafs, the Habs failed to put up much of a fight. Charlie Lindgren did everything he could and made the game a lot closer than the end result.

For a complete recap: Lindgren’s Career High in Saves Not Enough

Players to watch

  • Nikita Scherbak
    Scherbak should become a go-to option for the Habs offence and with added confidence will become a consistent threat to score for the rest of the season.
  • Karl Alzner
    Alzner’s first season for the Habs has been terrible. With the 10 games left, he needs to show he’s worth his contract or the Habs may try to move him in the off-season.
  • Jonathan Huberdeau
    Huberdeau has world class talent and continues to be a game changer down the stretch for the Panthers.

Keys to Victory

  • Change the PK
    The Canadiens must change something. While short-handed on the road, the Habs sit dead last in the league.
  • Improve shot selection
    Both teams average a lot of shots per game but the Habs shooting percentage is last in the league.
  • Maintain possession
    Over the last two games the Habs had too few touches in the offensive zone and need to focus on playing with the puck.
Matchup by All Habs staff
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | March 19, 7:30 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, FS-F

2017-18 statistics
PANTHERS CANADIENS
77 (20th) Points (rank) 64 (26th)
35-27-7 Record 26-34-12
13-16-4 Away/Home 17-11-8
7-2-1 Last 10 3-5-2
3.00 GF/G 2.50
3.09 GA/G 3.11
19.6 PP% 21.0
80.5 PK% 75.0
 48.97  CF%  50.73
eSAT Analytics by Mathieu Chagnon
 
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Dadonov – Barkov – Bjugstad
Huberdeau – Trocheck – Malgin
Mamin – McCann – Vatrano
McGinn – MacKenzie – Sceviour		 Byron – Drouin – Gallagher
Galchenyuk – De La Rose – Lehkonen
Scherbak – L. Shaw – Carr
Deslauriers – McCarron – Hudon
Defensemen
Yandle – Ekblad
Matheson – Pysyk
Petrovic – Weegar		 Reilly – Petry
Alzner – Juulsen
Benn – Lernout
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Brickley, Haley, Vrbata, McCoshen
Injured: 
 Scratched: Froese
Injured: Weber, Hemsky, Pacioretty, Mete, Schlemko, Valiev, Danault, A. Shaw
Goalies
Roberto Luongo Antti Niemi
Record: 14-9-2
GAA: 2.63
Sv%: .926
SO: 2
Alternate: James Reimer		 Record: 5-7-4
GAA: 3.26
Sv%: .907
SO: 0
Alternate: Carey Price
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
Prediction: Canadiens 2  Panthers 3 

With only 10 games left in the Habs season, expect to see younger players getting more ice time. With changes coming in the off-season, players are fighting for spots on next year’s roster. Seven games will likely be against playoff teams which does present an opportunity to move down in the standings.
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