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Canadiens @ Golden Knights: The Battle Begins | HABS GAME 1 PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

GAME DAY PREVIEW | Montreal Canadiens vs Vegas Golden Knights: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets, NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Series

Game Preview

A Look Back

The Habs made easy work of the Winnipeg Jets, a series that will be known for a single hit that saw a player injured and one suspended. The Habs stifled the Jets who had no answer, a story replayed from round one. Tyler Toffoli has returned to regular season form with eight points in the last six games. The Canadiens have a few injury concerns with the biggest one being Jeff Petry, dealing with a hand injury. The Habs depth will be tested early against one of the biggest and deepest teams in the league.

Last game: MTL 3  WPG 2 | Canadiens win series 4-0

For a complete game recap: Jets @ Canadiens: Kings of the North | HABS GAME 4 RECAP

Players to Watch

  • Josh Anderson
    The Habs are going to need Anderson to play his best hockey of his career. There have been flashes but very little offensive production during the playoffs. Anderson has to be a wrecking ball out there and have Knights’ players in his sights every shift.
  • Nick Suzuki
    There are several storylines but none bigger than Suzuki versus Max Pacioretty. The former Habs captain has been dynamic for the Golden Knights. This is the series for Suzuki to prove he can be a number one guy. We saw unbelievable confidence from him in round two and he will be even more motivated this round. Suzuki has said that he wants to prove the Habs right for trading for him.
  • Carey Price
    Playoff Price is here and hasn’t given up anything easy in the first two series. This will be a series with a lot more net front battles that Price will have to fight through. The Golden Knights are loaded and deep so the Habs will need all players on board this series to pull off the upset but they will need Price to be their best player once again.

Keys to Victory

  • Maintain composure
    For the first time all season the Habs won’t be playing a Canadian team. They will be playing the first two games in a sold out arena, one of the loudest rinks in the league. The Habs will need to have composure and weather the storm early. The Knights feed off energy and are a very physical team. It’s not going to be easy but getting out of the first period without surrendering a goal will be a great start for the Habs.
  • Pressure the Knights
    This will be the best defensive core to date the Habs have played and it will be up to the Habs forecheck to get to them early. If the Habs can’t disrupt them or the breakout they will be in tough all series.
  • Win special teams
    The Habs dominated the special teams match up against the Jets and will need to do the same against the Knights. The Knights had the best penalty kill in the league but if the Habs can find a hole in it early they will have a chance to do some damage.
Statistical Matchup for Round 3, Game 1
T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV | June 14, 9:00 PM ET | TV: CBC, SN, TVAS, NBCSN

2020-21 Playoff statistics
GOLDEN KNIGHTS CANADIENS
— Points (rank) —
8-5 Record 8-3
– Last 10 –
14.3 (13th) PP% (rank) 18.8 (8th)
71.4 (12th) PK% (rank) 90.3 (1st)
54.9 Faceoff% 49.0
3.08 GF/G 2.55
2.39 GA/G 2.18
54.32  CF% 49.59
Pre-game Quotes
Cole Caufield
  • “You’ve got to take every moment like it’s the biggest part of your life, and I think that’s how we’re going to go into this series.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Pacioretty – Stephenson – Stone
Marchessault – Karlsson – Smith
Janmark – Roy – Tuch
Carrier – Kolesar – Reaves		 Lehkonen – Danault – Gallagher
Toffoli – Suzuki – Caufield
Byron – Kotkaniemi – Anderson
Perry – Staal – Armia
Defensemen
Martinez – Pietrangelo
McNabb – Theodore
Holden – Whitecloud		 Chiarot – Weber
Kulak – Edmundson
Romanov – Gustafsson
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Nosek, Brown, Coghlan, Hague
Injured:		 Scratched: Frolik, Lindgren, Tatar, Ouellet
Injured: Petry (hand), Evans (concussion), Drouin (undisclosed), Merrill (undisclosed)
Goalies
Marc-Andre Fleury Carey Price
Record: 8-4
GAA: 1.91
Sv%: .923
SO: 1
Alternate: Robin Lehner		 Record: 8-3
GAA: 1.97
Sv%: .935
SO: 1
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Habs core is a mix of veteran and youth. All have played hard minutes and are banged up so the time between series for rest and preparation should have helped. The Knights are going to come out hitting trying to bully the Habs out of the building. The Habs will be ready for net front battles at both ends. The Habs big three defencemen  have to deal with the big Knights wingers who can dish it out. The Habs look to be stronger in the center of the ice and will have to take advantage of that but their depth is about to be tested.

Bottom Line

No matter what happens the Habs have to play their game. Frustrate the Knights, make it a tight checking and low scoring game where one mistake could be the difference maker.
 Video Highlights

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