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Canucks @ Canadiens: Mete In For Habs | PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview

A Look Back

The Habs played a solid game but were unable to beat Jacob Markstrom giving the Habs their first regulation loss. It never feels good to lose but the fact that it took this long for it to happen shows how far this team has come in the last six months.

Last game: CGY 2  MTL 0  F

For a complete game recap: Flames @ Canadiens: Habs Can’t Solve Markstrom

Players to Watch

  • Tyler Toffoli
    Toffoli was big against his former club almost scoring five goals in two games. Let’s see if he can keep that going against the Canucks a few more times.
  • Tomas Tatar
    Tatar hasn’t scored in the last six games and his line has been quiet, although they are stopping their opponents. Being a consistent scoring threat will be the reason Tatar is re-signed in the offseason.
  • Jake Evans
    Evans has quietly had a terrific start to the season and has taken over as the primary  penalty-killer. His skating has much improved and you never have to question his compete level.

Keys to Victory

  • Score goals
    After being blanked last game the Habs need to score goals once again. They combined for 17 goals in three games against the Canucks earlier this season so they should be able to find the back of the net a few times.
  • Be ready
    The Habs need to be ready against a Canucks team who have found their game of late. This won’t be the same team they played earlier in the season.
  • Stay calm
    This will be the fourth and fifth time these teams play each other. This is where emotions can get high as players remember events from previous games, Habs have to stay calm and not let it get the best of them. 
Statistical Matchup
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | February 1, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, SNP

2020-21 statistics
CANUCKS CANADIENS
12 (9th) Points (rank) 12 (6th)
6-5-0 Record 5-1-2
2-3-0 Away/Home 1-1-0
5-5-0 Last 10 5-1-2
2.80 GF/G 4.13
4.20 GA/G 2.63
14.3 (20th) PP% (rank) 25.8 (13th)
63.6 (27th) PK% (rank) 79.0 (16th)
47.06  CF% 54.24
Pre-game Quotes
 Claude Julien
  • “[The Canucks] have won four games in a row. Regardless of who we play, when you gain confidence, I expect they’re going to be tougher to play against than in Vancouver.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Miller – Pettersson – Boeser
Pearson – Horvat – Hoglander
Gaudette – Sutter – MacEwen
Roussel – Beagle – Motte		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Suzuki – Anderson
Toffoli – Kotkaniemi – Perry
Lehkonen – Evans – Byron
Defensemen
Hughes – Benn
Schmidt – Myers
Edler – Chatfield		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Romanov – Mete
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Juolevi, Eriksson, Virtanen
Injured: Ferland, Hawryluk, Hamonic
 Scratched: Kulak
Injured: Armia
Goalies
Braden Holtby Carey Price
Record: 3-2-0
GAA: – 3.17
Sv%: – .906
SO: 0
Alternate:  Thatcher Demko		 Record: 3-0-2
GAA: – 2.92
Sv%: – .898
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
Since the Habs beat the Canucks twice earlier this season, Vancouver has won four in a row giving up only one goal in each game and scoring at will. The Habs need to be ready for a much-improved Canucks team. This is where the Canadian division can get interesting. The more teams play each other the more systems and tendencies are known.

Bottom Line

It might benefit the Habs to stir the pot a bit to knock the Canucks off their game a bit. Carey Price was minutes away from a shutout in his last start, hopefully he can get one tonight.
 Video Highlights

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