Canadiens @ Jets: A New Start | HABS PREVIEW

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Sam Gerber
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Winnipeg-1

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

Game Preview

A Look Back

A game-winning goal called back with less than three seconds left on a very controversial call resulted in the Habs losing their second straight game to the Senators. It was final nail in the coffin for Claude Julien as head coach of the Canadiens.

Last game: MTL 4  OTT 5  F/SO

For a complete game recap: Canadiens @ Senators: Robbed

Players to Watch

  • Jonathan Drouin
    Drouin has been coasting along with his productive linemates all season. The time for excuses for Drouin is over now that he has been reunited with his former junior coach.
  • Carey Price
    Carey Price made more than a half dozen saves that he shouldn’t have made against Ottawa. Hopefully the coaching staff will focus on the weak defensive scheme that the Habs have been employing since the start of the season.
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    It’s possible that Kotkaniemi may be one of the biggest benefactors from the  coaching change. A fresh start to his young career could just be what he needed to show why the Habs took him third overall.

Keys to Victory

  • Be motivated
    The Habs won’t lack any motivation tonight, after the coaching change all players have fresh starts and will all be looking to prove something to Ducharme.
  • Be selective with shots
    When the Habs get desperate they pile everything on net. It’s not ideal but early in the game they are guilty of over-passing. They need to find the perfect balance between shooting and passing.
  • Be better on special teams
    The Habs special teams will look different with Julien gone. While Ducharme has co-directed the power-play in the past, it will be interesting to see the changes he makes with the help of Alex Burrows. 
Statistical Matchup
Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, MB | February 25, 8:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, TSN5, RDS

2020-21 statistics
JETS CANADIENS
23 (9th) Points (rank) 22 (10th)
11-6-1 Record 9-5-4
6-3-1 Home/Away 6-0-4
6-3-1 Last 10 4-4-2
3.39 GF/G 3.39
2.67 GA/G 2.78
22.8 (14th) PP% (rank) 18.2 (20th)
80.4 (13th) PK% (rank) 76.4 (22nd)
48.67  CF% 55.01
Pre-game Quotes
Dominique Ducharme

  • “It’s a new start. The ball is in their hands. We have confidence that all four of our lines can play well together and deliver offensively. They complement each other well in the way they play. We have a good mix of experience and youth. We have confidence in our lineup.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Dubois – Scheifele – Wheeler
Connor – Stastny – Ehlers
Copp – Lowry – Appleton
Perreault – Thompson – Lewis		 Drouin – Suzuki – Anderson
Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Toffoli – Kotkaniemi – Perry
Lehkonen – Byron – Armia
Defensemen
Beaulieu – Morrissey
Forbort – Pionk
Niku – DeMelo		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Kulak – Romanov
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Forsberg, Harkins
Injured: Poolman
 Scratched: Mete, Evans
Injured: none
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck Carey Price
Record: 8-5-1
GAA: – 2.64
Sv%: – .916
SO: 0
Alternate: Laurent Brossoit		 Record: 5-3-3
GAA: – 2.95
Sv%: – .893
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Habs got off to a great start but started to stumble and Bergevin decided it was his best interest to fire Claude Julien and Kirk Muller. It is the only move Bergevin had and I believe it was the right call as Julien clearly had lost the room.

Bottom Line

With the short season and one of the best lineups the Habs have had in the last few years Bergevin knew the Habs couldn’t afford to stumble any longer.
 Video Highlights

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