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

Game Preview

Last game : MTL 1 PIT 3 F Carey Price was outstanding for the second straight game. Once again Montreal couldn’t capitalize on their opportunities and took far too many needless penalties including two bench minors.

For a complete game recap: Habs Can’t Capitalize On Price’s Spectacular Play

Players to watch

Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Kotkaniemi has scored in each of the first two games by using his size to drive to the net. His line, with Artturi Lehkonen and Paul Byron is ranked at the top of the league in effectiveness by Charting Hockey.
Jonathan Drouin
Drouin was billed as a player who could raise the level of his game in the post-season. It hasn’t turned out that way. Drouin will need to become far more engaged if the Habs are to be successful.
Carey Price
Price has carried his team with not a lot of help for the first two games. Price is the only reason that the Habs are tied the series. Habs defencemen need to do a better job clearing the net.

Keys to Victory

Be disciplined
Habs forwards like Phillip Danault, Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia must be much more responsible and stay out of the penalty box.
Create traffic
The Penguins are saying all the right things to boost the confidence of Matt Murray. Montreal forwards need to go to the net to disrupt the goaltender.
Win special teams
If the Habs can keep the game close and win the special teams battle they will have a chance to win.

Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON \| August 5, 8:00 PM ET \| TV: SN, TVAS, NBCSN
	2019-20 statistics
PENGUINS	2019-20 statistics	CANADIENS
86 (7th)	Points (rank)	71 (24th)
40-23-6	Record	31-31-9
23-8-4	Home	14-17-6
3-7-0	Last 10	4-5-1
3.20	GF/G	2.93
2.84	GA/G	3.10
19.9	PP%	17.7
82.1	PK%	78.7
50.61	CF%	54.43

Pre-game quotes
Claude Julien “I’m not in the position to talk about anything regarding [lineup changes], so it’ll be game-time decisions.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Guentzel – Crosby – Sheary Zucker – Malkin – Rust Marleau – McCann – Hornqvist Aston-Reece – Blueger – Tanev	Tatar – Danault – Gallagher Drouin – Suzuki – Armia Byron – Kotkaniemi – Lehkonen Weise – Domi – Weal
Defensemen
Dumoulin – Letang Pettersson – Marino Johnson – Schultz	Chiarot – Weber Kulak – Petry Ouellet – Mete
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Ruhwedel, Czuczman, Rodrigues, Lafferty, Varone, Johnson, Riikola, Angello, Joseph, DeSmith, Larmi Injured/Unfit to Play: none	Scratched: Evans, Poehling, Hudon, Folin, Juulsen, Olofsson, Primeau, McNiven, Romanov (ineligible) Injured/Unfit to Play: Belzile
Goalies
Matt Murray	Carey Price

Record: 20-11-5 GAA: – 2.87 Sv%: – .899 SO: 1 Alternate: Tristan Jarry	Record: 27-25-6 GAA: – 2.79 Sv%: – .909 SO: 4 Alternate: Charlie Lindgren

What to Expect

The Canadiens will have ‘home ice advantage’ which will allow Claude Julien to set the matchups. It’s time for players like Phillip Danault, Tomas Tatar and Jonathan Drouin to show up in this series elevating their level of play like Carey price has done.