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

By
Sam Gerber
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Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game: MTL 1  CAR  3  

Another bad start for the Habs was too much to overcome. Carey Price shone once again but the offense lacked chances and finish. Alex Galchenyuk showed is true potential this game with a few dominant shifts and a highlight real goal but also took two bad penalties.

For a complete recap: Canadiens – Hurricanes: Going No Where Fast

Players to watch

  • Steven Stamkos
    Stamkos is once again the player he was before he broke his leg. He is the true leader for his team and is a big part of why the Lightning are first in the East.
  • Nikita Kucherov
    Kucherov has become the leagues best scorer and extremely dangerous on the power-play. Fifty goals is well within his reach this year.
  • Jonathan Drouin / Mikhail Sergachev
    The entire game will be centered around these two players. After the trade each will have something to prove against their former clubs. Sergachev has been a power house for the Lightning while Drouin has been a major disappointment.

Keys to Victory

  • Be physical
    The Habs need to slow down the Lightning and frustrate them enough to take them off of their game.
  • Be disciplined
    The Canadiens cannot take penalties against this team or they will pay.
  • Skate early
    Montreal did not find their legs right away against the Hurricanes. They can’t afford to do that again or it will get ugly.
Matchup by All Habs staff
Amalie Arena, Tampa, FL | December 28, 7:30 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, SUN

2017-18 statistics
LIGHTNING CANADIENS
54 (1st) Points (rank) 36 (25th)
26-7-2 Record 16-17-4
15-2-1 Home/Away 7-10-1
9-1-0 Last 10 4-5-1
3.74 GF/G 2.65
2.46 GA/G 3.14
26.2 PP% 18.6
79.3 PK% 76.8
 52.15  CF%  50.94
 
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Namestnikov – Stamkos – Kucherov
Palat – Point – Johnson
Killorn – Gourde – Conacher
Kunitz – Paquette – Brown		 Pacioretty – Drouin – Byron
Galchenyuk – Danault – Shaw
Lehkonen – Plekanec – Gallagher 
Deslauriers – Froese – Carr
Defensemen
Hedman – Dotchin
Sergachev – Stralman
Coburn – Girardi		 Alzner – Petry
Benn – Jerabek
Morrow – Lernout
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Koekkoek, Sustr
Injured: Callahan		 Scratched: De La Rose, Hudon
Injured: Weber, Hemsky, Montoya, Schlemko
Goalies
Andrei Vasilevskiy Carey Price
Record: 23-5-1
GAA: 2.13
Sv%: .932
SO: 4
Alternate: Peter Budaj		 Record: 11-11-2
GAA: 3.00
Sv%: .906
SO: 1
Alternate: Antti Niemi
 What to Expect
With a team battling a flu bug, on their second of a back-to-back, missing key defensemen and going up against once of the best teams in the league, it’s not looking good for the Habs. All signs are pointing towards a blow out loss. If the Canadiens are able to steal twoi points away from the Lightning it could turn their season around. 

Prediction: Canadiens 2  Lightning 1 

The Canadiens will need to play a playoff style of game to have a chance in this game.
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