GAME DAY | Canadiens – Canucks: Preview, Prediction, Lines, Goalies, TV

Rick Stephens

December 19, 2017

Game Preview

Last game: MTL 0 OTT 3

Carey Price carried the Canadiens to overtime with Tomas Plekanec scoring the game-winner.

Players to watch

Karl Alzner
The Canadiens defence will be hard-pressed to fill the void in the lineup created by Shea Weber’s absence. Alzner will be leaned on to be a stabilizing force on defence.
Brock Boeser
Boeser will be a game-time decision after suffering a bone bruise in his foot after blocking a shot in the game against Calgary on Sunday. Boeser leads all rookies in the NHL with 17 goals and 30 points.
Jonathan Drouin
There’s no question that Drouin has been a major disappointment so far this season for the Canadiens failing to live up to expectations. Drouin will be reunited with Max Pacioretty tonight as coach Julien attempts to spark the Canadiens offense.

Keys to Victory

Play desperate
The Canadiens must be emotionally invested from the drop of the puck and show the desperation that they need to make a push for a playoff spot.
Use ‘home ice’ advantage
Rogers Arena will be filled with West Coast Habs fans. And the Canadiens have numerous players with B.C ties including Carey Price, Brendan Gallagher, Karl Alzner and Jordie Benn.
Discourage the opponent
Score early and often. The Canucks are 1-5-0 in their past six games and have injury issues up front. If Montreal gets off to a first period lead, the Cancuks may be primed to fold their tent.

Matchup by All Habs staff
Rogers Arena, Vancouver, BC \| Dec. 19, 10:00 PM ET \| TV: SNP, RDS, TSN2
	2017-18 statistics
CANUCKS	2017-18 statistics	CANADIENS
34 (24th)	Points (rank)	32 (25th)
15-15-4	Record	14-15-4
6-8-3	Home/Away	5-8-1
4-6-0	Last 10	6-3-1
2.59	GF/G	2.61
3.06	GA/G	3.09
21.84	PP%	17.14
79.50	PK%	78.89
47.40	CF%	51.52


Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
D. Sedin – H. Sedin – Vanek Eriksson – Gagner – Boeser Goldobin – Burmistrov – Virtanen Gaunce – Granlund – Boucher	Pacioretty – Drouin – Byron Galchenyuk – Danault – Shaw Hudon – Plekanec – Gallagher Deslauriers – Froese – Carr
Defensemen
Edler – Stecher Pouliot – Gudbranson Del Zotto – Biega	Benn – Petry Alzner – Jerabek Morrow – Schlemko
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Chaput, Hutton, Dowd Injured: Sutter, Horvat, Baertschi, Tanev	Scratched: De La Rose Injured: Weber, Hemsky, Montoya, Lehkonen
Goalies
Anders Nilsson	Carey Price

Record: 6-4-1 GAA: 3.13 Sv%: .914 SO: 2 Alternate: Jacob Markstrom	Record: 9-10-2 GAA: 2.99 Sv%: .905 SO: 1 Alternate: Antti Niemi

What to Expect

The Canadiens must notch a victory in this critical seven game road trip if they want a chance for a playoff spot.

Prediction: Canadiens 4 Canucks 1

With Shea Weber out of the lineup, the Habs will want to play in the Canucks end of the rink.

Highlights from the NHL

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