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Friday Night Lights | PREVIEW: MTL @ ANA

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview 

A Look Back

It was a tight checking and low scoring affair. The Kings were in full control but took over for the win at the halfway point of the third period. Justin Barron sadly left the game early after taking a blindside hit that caught him awkwardly. The Habs were playing with seven defensemen with the return of Joel Edmundson, who took a few shifts to get comfortable but looked very solid. The Habs offense was very limited by the Kings, but Josh Anderson did score his 18th on the power play and Dennis Gurianov blasted home his first with the Habs.

Last game: MTL 2  LAK 3  F

For a complete game recap: First for Gurianov | RECAP: MTL @ LAK

Players to Watch

  • Josh Anderson
    Anderson has been playing well of late and may have had a career year if the Habs were a more competitive team. It’s possible that Anderson is moved at the deadline but far more likely that he could be traded in the off-season.
  • Denis Gurianov
    It was special for Gurianov to get his first goal in a Habs jersey which should help his confidence and transition to a new team. The Habs will be able to see what Gurianov is about the rest of the season before making a decision on a qualifying offer.
  • Christian Dvorak
    One player who should be elevating his game is Dvorak. With injuries up and down the lineup, this has been an excellent opportunity for Dvorak but he has been largely underwhelming. The Habs need bodies to finish the season but the Habs would be wise to move on from Dvorak this off season.

Keys to Victory

  • Execute assignments
    The Habs were bested by the Kings and individuals were beat multiple times. The Kings are a very systematic team that took advantage of this. The Habs need to clean this up as it shows them failing to play together.
  • Create offence
    The Habs mustered 21 shots on goal with a lot of those coming on the power play. The Habs 5-on-5 has to be less predictable. This could be the depleted line up but the Habs should have no issues averaging 30 shots a game.
  • Compete hard
    Habs fans know better days are ahead and all they’re asking for are competitive games where the Habs go down swinging.
Statistical Matchup for Game 62
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA | March 3, 10:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, BSW

2022-23  statistics
DUCKS CANADIENS
48 (30th) Points (rank) 56 (26th)
20-34-8 Record 26-31-4
OT1 Streak L1
3-5-2 Last 10 6-4-0
2.50 (31st) GF/G (rank) 2.69 (27th)
4.07 (32nd) GA/G (rank) 3.57 (26th)
15.6 (32nd) PP% (rank) 16.8 (30th)
73.3 (30th) PK% (rank) 74.5 (27th)
46.3  Faceoff % 49.3
Pre-game 
Kent Hughes
  • “If a trade doesn’t advance our cause, we’re not going to make a trade.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Strome – Zegras – Silfverberg
Jones – McTavish – Terry
Vatrano – Lundestrom – Leason
Comtois – Grant – Carrick		 Hoffman – Suzuki – Gurianov
Harvey-Pinard – Drouin – Anderson
Pitlick – Dvorak – Ylonen
Pezzetta – Tierney – Belzile
Defensemen
Fowler – Shattenkirk
Beaulieu – Klingberg
Benoit – Harrington		 Matheson – Savard
Guhle – Edmundson
Harris – Kovacevic
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Leason, McGinn
Injured: Stolarz, Drysdale, Henrique, Vaakanainen		 Scratched:
Injured: Byron (hip), Price (knee), Monahan (lower-body), Gallagher (lower-body), Evans (lower-body), Slafkovsky (lower-body), Caufield (shoulder), Xhekaj (upper-body), Dach (lower-body), Wideman (upper-body), Armia (illness), Barron (upper-body)
Goalies
John Gibson Sam Montembeault
Record: 12-23-7
GAA: 3.94
Sv%: .902
SO: 1
Alternate: Lukas Dostal		 Record: 12-12-2
GAA: 3.31
Sv%: .905
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
Two teams who are out of the playoffs are set to play after the annual trade deadline.  Games on trade deadline day are always a little weird as they can have some interesting lineups. Both clubs are in the middle of rebuilds and care more about the draft then the game at hand. The players are always going to give it their best but expect a very loose game with some players already checked out.

Bottom Line

An injury-free game is important for the Habs. The Barron injury is hopefully not serious but with several players hoping to elevate their game in the offseason leaving this game unscathed is really all that matters.
 Video Highlights

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