GAME PREVIEW | Maple Leafs – Canadiens: Classic Saturday Matchup for Habs

By
Sam Gerber
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GAME DAY | Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs: Preview, TV,  Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 2  SJS 4  F   The Canadiens penalty-kill failed them once again putting them behind early. The Habs failed to beat the Sharks for the 9th straight game.

For a complete game recap: Penalty-kill Sinks Habs Again

Players to watch

  • Jeff Petry
    Petry needs to bounce back after being minus-2 against the Sharks. Weber will get the toughest assignments but Petry may finish the game with more minutes. 
  • Phillip Danault
    Danault has been fine offensively to start the season but dreadful defensively and on the penalty-kill. When he has a bad game it effects the entire roster making him a key to the Habs success.
  • Max Domi
    Domi lives for this type of rivalry and he’ll be right in the middle of it all night. Keeping his emotions in check will be key but he definitely will be in the spotlight tonight.

Keys to Victory

  • Win special teams
    The Habs have to win the special teams battle, rivalry games are always filled with penalties and the Habs penalty-kill has to start performing.
  • Be physical
    The Leafs are a high skilled team that lack physicality. The Habs have to throw their weight around causing the Leafs to make mistakes under pressure.
  • Play strong defensively
    The Canadiens defense will have to step up, the Leafs score at will and the Habs have struggled to keep the puck out so far this season..
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | October 26, 7:00 PM ET | TV: CBC, SN1, TVAS, CITY

2019-20 statistics
MAPLE LEAFS CANADIENS
14 (7th) Points (rank) 10 (20th)
6-4-2 Record 4-4-2
2-2-0 Away/Home 2-3-0
4-4-2 Last 10 4-4-2
3.67 GF/G 3.50
3.25 GA/G 3.30
21.6 PP% 25.0
79.5 PK% 67.6
53.50  CF% 52.58
Pre-game quotes
Jeff Petry

  • “It’s mistakes that we’re making within here. The system’s in place and we’ve seen that when we do it well, it works. And when we step away from that or we’re not in the right position is when we’re getting scored on. So, it’s just a matter of making sure that everyone’s in the correct position and we’re all on the same page.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Johnsson – Matthews – Nylander
Mikheyev –  Kerfoot – Marner
Moore – Spezza – Kapanen
Timashov – Shore – Gauthier		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Domi – Armia
Byron – Kotkaniemi – Lehkonen 
Cousins – Thompson – Suzuki
Defensemen
Reilly – Ceci
Muzzin – Barrie
Gravel – Holl		 Mete – Weber
Reilly – Petry
Chiarot – Fleury
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Petan, Marincin
Injured: Hyman, Dermott, Tavares
 Scratched: Kulak, Folin, Weal
Injured: 
Goalies
Michael Hutchinson Carey Price
Record: 0-2-1
GAA: – 4.02
Sv%: – .890
SO: 0
Alternate: Frederik Andersen		 Record: 4-3-1
GAA: – 2.85
Sv%: – .903
SO: 1
Alternate: Keith Kinkaid
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The Habs have continued their roller coaster season yet to find some consistency. The Leafs on the other hand haven’t met their expectations yet and are without their start center John Tavares. With the Leafs playing last night the Habs will get the Leafs back up Michael Hutchinson again. The Habs know they can beat him and should have more energy. This game has the potential for a four point swing in the standings which makes this game a must win for the Habs.
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