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A Final Tune-up | PREVIEW: OTT @ MTL

Rick Stephens

GAME DAY PREVIEW | Montreal Canadiens vs Ottawa Senators: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview (with contributions from Cole Jurzyniec)

A Look Back

The Canadiens were dominated by the Maple Leafs who peppered newly-acquired goaltender Samuel Montembeault with 44 shots. Dominique Ducharme was not pleased and will be expecting a much better effort in their final pre-season game.

Last game: MTL 2  TOR 6

For a complete game recap: Ducharme: ‘Too Much Time in Our Zone’ | RECAP: MTL @ TOR

Players to Watch

  • Ryan Poehling
    Poehling will be looking to solidify his spot in the opening night roster in a bottom six role. He can be expected him to bring his ‘A’ game.
  • Chris Wideman
    Wideman has played well throughout the pre-season and may be the front-runner for the third pairing. He’s been inconsistent in his own zone but has helped the rush while putting up three assists.
  • Alexander Romanov
    Romanov has struggled at times during exhibition games but he will be looking to  earn the confidence of the coaching staff.  Romanov has two assists in three games and brought a physical presence to the lineup.

Keys to Victory

  • Clear the zone
    Canadiens need to clean up their breakout and not force passes through the neutral zone. This will be essential to maintain pressure and to get the offense rolling early.
  • Defend as a unit
    Breakdowns in defensive zone coverage have led to giving up quality scoring chances. Forwards must help out struggling defencemen.
  • Find the back of the net
    The Senators are a young team and are going to make mistakes. Capitalize on turnovers to combat Ottawa’s firepower.
Statistical Matchup for Exhibition Game 6 
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | October 7, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN5, RDS, ESPN+

2020-21 final statistics
SENATORS CANADIENS
51 (23rd) Points (rank) 59 (18th)
23-28-5 Record 24-21-11
9-18-1 Away/Home 13-11-4
7-2-1 Last 10 4-4-2
2.77 GF/G 2.82
3.38 GA/G 2.95
15.5 (26th) PP% (rank) 19.2 (17th)
79.0 (20th) PK% (rank) 78.5 (23rd)
48.57  CF% 54.50
Pre-game Quotes
Marc Bergevin
  • “Today, I’m not thinking about Carey Price, the goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, but Carey Price the human being.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Stutzle – Norris – Batherson
Ennis – Tierney – Brown
Sanford – Shaw – Paul
Formenton – Pinto – Watson		 Toffoli – Suzuki – Caufield
Drouin – Dvorak – Anderson
Armia – Evans – Gallagher
Belzile – Poehling – Ylonen
Defensemen
Chabot – Zub
Del Zotto – Zaitsev
Holden – Brannstrom		 Romanov – Petry
Chiarot – Savard
Kulak – Wideman
Out of the lineup
Scratched:
Injured: Bishop, Crookshank, Kelly, White
 Scratched:
Injured: Paquette (groin), Edmundson (undisclosed), Norlinder (undisclosed), Price (knee), Hoffman (lower-body), Byron (hip),   Weber (multiple injuries)
Goalies
Anton Forsberg Jake Allen
Record (2020-21): 3-4-1
GAA: 3.21
Sv%: .909
SO: 0
Alternate: Matt Murray		 Record (2020-21): 11-12-5
GAA: 2.68
Sv%: .907
SO: 0
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 Game Expectations
Although goal production has been lacking in previous exhibition games, perhaps pre-season pressure will spark the home team to some high-flying action for the final game of the exhibition schedule.

Bottom Line

In this closing game the Canadiens need to discover chemistry early on. They must  clean up the breakouts, facilitate tape-to-tape passes, and shut down the Senators’ artillery.
 Video Highlights

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