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Canadiens @ Oilers: Habs Debut for Merrill | PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview

A Look Back

The Habs did their best containing Connor McDavid for two periods but in the third he took over and the Habs were nowhere to be found. Trying to defend a one goal lead against the best player in the league isn’t a recipe for success and the Habs paid dearly for it. The bigger concern is that Carey Price left the game after the first period after suffering a concussion . Price is expected to be out at least a week. Losing Price this late into the season could be troublesome for a team who are hanging on to a playoff spot.

Last game: MTL 1  EDM 4

For a complete game recap: Canadiens @ Oilers: Overwhelmed by McDavid

Players to Watch

  • Jonathan Merrill
    Merrill will make his Habs debut after serving his quarantine. Merrill is a very good defender and has some mobility. Don’t expect anything too flashy from him as his season high in points is only 15.
  • Jake Allen
    Allen is going to be leaned on the injury to Price. Allen has played reasonably well but has struggled with his rebound control. As the Habs work to play tighter defence with Jake in net and working to clean up rebounds, their offensive game has suffered. The team in front of him needs make a difference.
  • Shea Weber
    Weber is known in the league for his powerful slapshot and it has been missing lately. A lack of time to wind up or not in a one timer option has been the one thing consistent for Weber this season and is a big reason he has only five goals this season.

Keys to Victory

  • Shut down McDavid
    The Habs played with fire last game and got burned, McDavid turned it on in the third and scored three points while taking over the game. The Habs have to be smarter and can’t afford to let up on the MVP of the league at any point in the game.
  • Get supplementary offence
    The Habs don’t have a player currently on their roster where every time he is on the ice you expect to score or get a high end chance. The Habs have done it by committee over the last several seasons. When it works they look untouchable but it hasn’t been and the Habs need to figure it out and find their offence once again.
  • Win special teams
    While holding onto a one goal lead the Habs had chances on the power-play to double their lead but they were terrible with the man advantage. Nothing looked right and the Habs need a new approach from Alex Burrows. 
Statistical Matchup
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB | April 21, 10:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, SNW

2020-21 statistics
OILERS CANADIENS
56 (13th) Points (rank) 47 (17th)
27-15-2 Record 19-15-9
14-8-0 Home/Away 9-5-7
6-2-2 Last 10 3-7-0
3.21 GF/G 2.91
2.75 GA/G 2.79
26.2 (3rd) PP% (rank) 18.8 (21st)
79.8 (14th) PK% (rank) 77.9 (22nd)
44.02  CF% 51.74
Pre-game Quotes
Josh Anderson
  • “You’re just trying to do everything it takes to win hockey games. You want the coaches’ trust. It gives you confidence in your game and you just want to go out there and play hard every shift. You want to be on the ice in those crucial minutes of the game and help your teammates with the hockey game. I’m just trying to do everything I can to help the team win and try to get some points here.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Draisaitl – McDavid – Puljujarvi
Kahun – Haas – Yamamoto
Archibald – Khaira – Chiasson
Nygard – Shore – Kassian		 Toffoli – Suzuki – Armia
Tatar – Danault – Anderson
Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Byron
Drouin – Staal – Perry
Defensemen
Nurse – Barrie
Russell – Larsson
Jones – Bear		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Romanov – Merrill
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Stalock
Injured: Koekkoek, Klefbom, Nugent-Hopkins, Kulikov (COVID protocol)
 Scratched: Frolik, Evans, Kulak
Injured: Gallagher (hand), Gustafsson (COVID protocol)
Goalies
Mike Smith Jake Allen
Record: 16-4-2
GAA: 2.30
Sv%: .923
SO: 3
Alternate: Mikko Koskinen		 Record: 7-8-4
GAA: 2.52
Sv%: .914
SO: 0
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 Game Expectations
The Habs need to get back in the win column. After two bad losses the Habs don’t look like themselves. The three most important games of the Habs season are coming up and they need to get some confidence back. The Oilers are in a different situation, with a playoff spot almost all but locked up they could make a run at winning the North division yet.

Bottom Line

Monday’s game was a very physical and the contact in tonight’s game could be ramped up even more.
 Video Highlights

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