Site icon Habs Hockey Report

Ducharme: 11F 7D | PREVIEW: MTL @ BUF

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview 

A Look Back

Just when you think the Habs may have figured things out, reality comes back with  vengeance. It was a dismal effort once again with bounces not going the Habs way. It may be early in the season but it could be time to throw in the towel. The Habs currently have less than a one percent chance of making the playoffs but Bergevin will never wave the white flag. The stubbornness from the GM has haunted the Habs this season more than ever and it finally may be time for a changing of the guard.

Last game: MTL 3  WSH 6  F

For a complete game recap: ‘We Got Outplayed’ | RECAP: MTL @ WSH

Players to Watch

  • Artturi Lehkonen
    Lehkonen might be the first big move that could happen if there is a change in Montreal. He is a defensive specialist who can provide offensively and can be extremely impactful in the playoffs. In the last five games, Lehkonen leads the Canadiens in goals, assists and points.
  • Tyler Toffoli
    Toffoli is someone in the locker room who needs to step up. He is a proven winner and would be the first one to admit this season hasn’t started the way he planned. With a lack of leadership in the room Toffoli should be one to start leading by example on the ice.
  • Chris Wideman
    The signing of Wideman has gone better than most would have expected. While he has provided help to the power-play at times, he has become a defensive liability and the Habs would be better suited to restrict his minutes in the defensive zone. That said, his offensive numbers will likely interest a team or two to possibly trade for him when the Habs officially become sellers.

Keys to Victory

  • Be ready to play
    Competing from here on out on a nightly basis will be the question for the Habs. Not knowing what type of effort has become frustrating and that blame should be on the coach who’s in charge of having his team ready to go every night and that simply hasn’t been the case.
  • Win special teams
    Every night the special teams battle will be impactful for the Habs. It could be their power-play or lack of one, or their penalty kill that continues to struggle. Either way good teams win special teams and the Habs will need to do that if they want to win some games.
  • Create traffic
    The Sabres don’t have great goaltending but an NHL goalie will stop almost every perimeter shot that they can see. Habs have to keep it simple, win board battles, move the puck to the point and crash the net and hope to get a deflection or screen the netminder.
Statistical Matchup for Game 22
KeyBank Center, Buffalo, NY | November 26, 7:00 PM ET | TV: RDS, TSN2, ESPN+, MSG-B

2021-22  statistics
SABRES CANADIENS
16 (25th) Points (rank) 12 (30th)
7-10-2 Record 5-14-2
L4 Streak L1
2-7-1 Last 10 2-6-2
2.79 (19th) GF/G (rank) 2.24 (29th)
3.47 (28th) GA/G (rank) 3.62 (30th)
21.1 (11th) PP% (rank) 14.1 (27th)
76.9 (26th) PK%  (rank) 68.2 (29th)
44.6  Faceoff % 47.9
Pre-game Quotes
Tyler Toffoli on Joel Edmundson
  • “He’s a big, mean player who’s tough to play against, and when he’s out on the ice, people know. He’s a vocal guy in the room, he brings a lot of good energy, and for him coming back in the lineup, he kind of solidifies our defense a little bit more. He’s a really good and important player for us.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Skinner – Thompson – Olofsson
Asplund – Cozens – Okposo
Ruotsalainen – Girgensons – Hayden
Bjork – Eakin – Hinostroza		 Drouin – Suzuki – Caufield
Toffoli – Dvorak – Anderson
Lehkonen – Evans – Gallagher
Poehling – Armia
Defensemen
Dahlin – Pysk
Bryson – Jokiharju
Hagg – Miller		 Chiarot – Petry
Niku – Savard
Romanov – Wideman
Norlinder
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Caggiula, Butcher
Injured: Mittelstadt, Tuch, Anderson		 Scratched: Paquette, Pezzetta
Injured: Edmundson (lower-body), Kulak (lower-body), Hoffman (upper-body), Perreault (eye), Price (knee), Byron (hip), Weber (multiple injuries)
Goalies
Dustin Tokarski Sam Montembeault
Record: 3-4-2
GAA: 3.26
Sv%: .904
SO: 0
Alternate: Aaron Dell		 Record: 1-3-1
GAA: 3.58
Sv%: .897
SO: 1
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
There isn’t too much to look forward to in this game. Both teams are near the bottom of the league and almost have identical records in their last 10 games. The Habs believe they are much better than their record and should be able to handle the Sabres however Buffalo has already beat the Habs once this season convincingly. The Habs need to remember that game and use that to get back in the win column.

Bottom Line

The team that truly wants it more will win this game but both teams are going to make several mistakes throughout the game.
 Video Highlights

Follow @AllHabs on Twitter

Exit mobile version