Canadiens – Flyers: Habs Look to Force Game 7 | GAME 6 PREVIEW

Rick Stephens

4 years ago

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

Game Preview by Sam Gerber

Last game : MTL 5 PHI 3 F Tempers boiled over resulting in several controversial plays. Jesperi Kotkaniemi was tossed from the game for a major boarding penalty. The Flyers took advantage scoring two power-play goals. Brendan Gallagher batted in his first goal capitalizing on a power-play of their own. With minutes left in the game Gallagher received a cross check to the face that went uncalled. Gallagher has a broken jaw and is out the remainder of the series. Matt Niskanen received a one game suspension. The Habs look to force a game 7.

For a complete game recap: Resilient Habs Extend Series | GAME 5 RECAP

Players to watch

Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Kotkaniemi will be well rested for tonight’s game as the questionable call gave him two-thirds of the last game off. While the hit was questionable, Kotkaneimi knows he is at his best when he is physical but will have to keep his head up as the Flyers come after him.
Max Domi
With the injury to Gallagher the Habs need a new spark. Domi has only three points in the post-season and he knows if he is not scoring he has to do something to effect the game. But Domi must stay disciplined.
Paul Byron
Byron was quiet last game, and that can’t happen. He will likely get an increased roll with the injury to Gallagher and he has to be the Byron who is capable of scoring 20 goals in a regular season.

Keys to Victory

Play with intensity
The Habs have to find a way to match their intensity from the last game and not get sucked into a trap game from the Flyers.
Be disciplined
Emotions are at their highest right now but the Habs still have to find a way to knock the Flyers off their game and stay out of the box at the same time.
Defend better on PK
Three power-play goals were given up last game, which can’t happen if the Habs want to play again Sunday.

Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON \| August 21, 7:00 PM ET \| TV: CBC, SN, TVAS, NBCSN
	2019-20 playoff statistics
FLYERS	2019-20 playoff statistics	CANADIENS
12	Points (rank)	10
6-2	Record	5-4
–	Home	–
–	Last 10	–
2.38	GF/G	2.33
1.75	GA/G	1.78
11.4	PP%	12.9
82.8	PK%	82.9
45.48	CF%	52.6

Pre-game quotes
GM Marc Bergevin “The sad part is, Brendan is going to miss an undetermined amount of time while their player will miss one game.” “I was extremely disappointed that AV would make a comment about a player’s injury without knowing the extent of it.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Giroux – Couturier – Voracek Laughton – Hayes – Konecny van Riemsdyk – Grant – Aube-Kubel Raffl – Thompson – Pitlick	Tatar – Danault – Drouin Domi – Suzuki – Byron Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Armia Hudon – Evans – Belzile
Defensemen
Provorov – Myers Sanheim – Braun Hagg – Gostisbehere	Chiarot – Weber Kulak – Petry Ouellet – Mete
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Andreoff, Frost, Lindblom, Friedman, Welinski, Zamula, Lyon, Ustimenko, Bunnaman, Farabee, Injured/Unfit to Play: Niskanen (suspended)	Scratched: Fleury, Poehling, Folin, Juulsen, Olofsson, Primeau, McNiven, Weal, Weise, Romanov (ineligible) Injured/Unfit to Play: Gallagher
Goalies
Carter Hart	Carey Price

Record: 5-2 GAA: – 1.66 Sv%: – .944 SO: 2 Alternate: Brian Elliot	Record: 5-4 GAA: – 1.64 Sv%: – .943 SO: 2 Alternate: Charlie Lindgren

What to Expect by Sam Gerber

The Flyers are going to try and make the game as boring as possible, the Habs can’t let that happen. They have to be on the Flyers from the start, physical hard legal hits. The refs will be quick to call penalties in hopes to not let it get out of hand. While the Habs are the better 5-on-5 team when it gets a little out of hand the Flyers lose their focus, that’s when the Habs can do their damage. The Habs will need a spark from someone else but I think game 5 has given them a big one and game 6 will have even more bad blood.