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Canadiens @ Senators: Positive Vibes | HABS PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview

A Look Back

It was another exciting and heroic comeback with once again as Cole Caufield scored the overtime winner. The Habs played with fire several times with the Leafs having multiple odd man rushes. Phillip Danault scored his fifth of the season that tied the game late allowing the overtime magic.

Last game: MTL 3  TOR 2  (OT)

For a complete game recap: Maple Leafs @ Canadiens: OT Hero Again

Players to Watch

  • Cole Caufield
    Caufield couldn’t be more happy becoming the first player to score back-to-back overtime goals as his first two in the NHL. Caufield’s next mission is to prove that he can score 5-on-5.
  • Jeff Petry
    After one of the worst slumps of his career, Petry has come on fire and is looking like his regular self again and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
  • Ben Chiarot
    Chariot played his best game since coming back from the broken hand, what’s even more impressive was he is playing his off side due to the absence of Shea Weber.

Keys to Victory

  • Score first
    While it has been exciting to come from behind and win in overtime, there’s no way the Habs keep that up. Scoring first, playing with the lead and holding is a much better game plan.
  • Maintain focus
    The pesky Sens have played the Habs hard all season and will do so once again. The Habs have to keep their focus the entire game and work out some kinks before the playoffs begin.
  • Win special teams
    The Habs need to get their special teams going heading into the playoffs and the Senators are the perfect team to do that against.
Statistical Matchup
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON | May 5, 7:00 PM ET | TV: SN, RDS

2020-21 statistics
SENATORS CANADIENS
45 (25th) Points (rank) 57 (16th)
20-27-5 Record 24-18-9
12-10-4 Home/Away 11-7-7
7-2-1 Last 10 5-5-0
2.71 GF/G 2.88
3.40 GA/G 2.82
15.9 (26th) PP% (rank) 20.6 (16th)
79.0 (20th) PK% (rank) 78.1 (23rd)
48.82  CF% 54.76
Pre-game Quotes
Jake Allen
  • “I think that’s huge heading into the postseason. We’ve still got to finish off these five games in the right fashion and the right way here. That’s the first step. It’s always about building your game and building your game at the right time. It’s about momentum in the playoffs. It’s about containing the other team’s momentum and building yours and not letting it slip. The guys are putting together some good efforts right now, especially without a lot of the leaders on our team, and it’s good to see.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Tkachuk – Norris – Batherson
Stutzle – Pinto – C. Brown
Dzingel – Tierney – Dadonov
Formenton – White – Paul		 Anderson – Danault – Caufield
Toffoli – Suzuki – Armia
Lehkonen – Kotkaniemi – Evans
Frolik – Staal – Perry
Defensemen
Mete – Zaitsev
Brannstrom – Zub
Alsing – Bernard-Docker		 Kulak – Chiarot
Edmundson – Petry
Romanov – Merrill
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Amadio, Anisimov
Injured: Forsberg, Watson, Murray
 Scratched: Gustafsson
Injured: Gallagher (hand), Price (concussion), Byron (lower-body), Drouin (undisclosed), Tatar (lower-body), Weber (upper-body)
Goalies
Filip Gustavsson Jake Allen
Record: 3-1-2
GAA: 1.87
Sv%: .944
SO: 0
Alternate: Marcus Hogberg		 Record: 11-10-4
GAA: 2.55
Sv%: .910
SO: 0
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 Game Expectations
It’s the final game of the season between the Habs and Sens. The Habs are now tied with the Jets for third in the East and could play themselves into that third spot making a potential more favorable matchup in the first round of the playoffs.

Bottom Line

But the Habs still have five games left and can’t get ahead of themselves. The injuries have already piled up for the Habs and getting out of this game healthy will be important but the two points need to be secured.
 Video Highlights

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