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Gallagher vs Stutzle | PREVIEW: MTL @ OTT

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

The defensive woes continued for the Habs as the Flyers jumped to an early lead and didn’t look back. After the Habs tied the game the Flyers got the goal a minute later and the Habs failed to comeback again. Carey Price was tagged with the loss but it was hardly his fault as the Habs were a giveaway machine in this one.

Last game: MTL 3  PHI 6  F

For a complete game recap: Habs Fall Flat | RECAP: PHI @ MTL

Players to Watch

  • Cole Caufield
    Caufield is a goal away from twenty on the season, which would be a great accomplishment as he had plenty of growing pains in his rookie season. Finishing strong and a hard offseason will be interesting to see how Caufield grows in his sophomore year.
  • Brendan Gallagher
    Gallagher has never held back his words and the Sens made note of his comments about young Sens forward Tim Stutzle being called a “diver” which could lead to some fireworks in todays game.
  • Jordan Harris
    Harris should be given the remainder of the season with the Habs and its truly puzzling why he has been a healthy scratch in half of the games since his signing with the team.

Keys to Victory

  • Get in sync
    Timing is always going to be key in everything one does and in hockey its very key. If a team fails to have good timing everything can go wrong and that has happened a lot for the Habs this season.
  • Tighten up defensive zone
    The Habs are trying to turn the table from last season’s Cup finals team led by defence by becoming a more offensive team. The lack of a consistent attack has hurt their efforts in becoming this but should remain a focus these last few games in order to prepare for next season.
  • Stay healthy
    Finishing the season with no more key injuries is important, the Habs broke the record for most man games lost this season but if any player looking to make the most of the off-season an injury would be devastating.
Statistical Matchup for Game 79
Canadian Tire Centre, Ottawa, ON | April 23, 7:00 PM ET | TV: CITY, SNE, TVAS, ESPN+

2021-22  statistics
SENATORS CANADIENS
67 (26th) Points (rank) 51 (31st)
30-41-7 Record 20-47-11
W2 Streak L7
5-4-1 Last 10 2-8-0
2.68 (26th) GF/G (rank) 2.53 (31st)
3.21 (23rd) GA/G (rank) 3.86 (32nd)
19.3 (22nd) PP% (rank) 13.1 (31st)
80.2 (13th) PK%  (rank) 74.9 (27th)
48.0  Faceoff % 49.0
Pre-game Quotes
Joel Edmundson
  • “These games… you’ve got to find things to get excited for in every game. We always have a good game against Ottawa — they play us hard, we play them hard — and we’re looking forward to tonight.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Tkachuk – Norris – Batherson
Formenton – Stutzle – Brown
Tierney – Kastelic – Gaudette
Kelly – Gambrell – Watson		 Caufield – Suzuki – Hoffman
R. Pitlick – Dvorak – Gallagher
Perreault – Evans – Anderson
Pezzetta – Poehling – T. Pitlick
Defensemen
Brannstrom – Zub
Del Zotto – Hamonic
Holden – Zaitsev		 Romanov – Savard
Edmundson – Petry
Harris – Wideman
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Mete
Injured: Pinto, Murray, Chabot, Ennis, Sanderson, Joseph, White		 Scratched: Lagesson, Clague, Dauphin
Injured: Byron (lower-body), Armia (family), Allen (lower-body), Barron (lower-body), Drouin (upper-body), Weber (multiple injuries)
Goalies
Anton Forsberg Carey Price
Record: 19-17-4
GAA: 2.79
Sv%: .917
SO: 1
Alternate: Filip Gustavsson		 Record: 0-3-0
GAA: 3.36
Sv%: .880
SO: 0
Alternate: Sam Montembeault
 Game Expectations
A nothing game between the Sens and Habs doesn’t exist. The teams will be forever rivals which always leads to an exciting game. The Sens made note of Gallagher’s comments and it won’t be surprising to something be made of it.

Bottom Line

The Habs and Coyotes are separated by a point for last in the league with both teams on long losing streaks. Both teams seem to be playing for lottery odds than trying to win.
 Video Highlights

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