GAME DAY | Canadiens – Capitals: Preview, Lines, Goalies, TV, Fantasy
Jordan Lambe
Pre-game Notes and Quotes
Head Coach Michel Therrien on the Canadiens’ most recent loss to the Predators: “Both goalies made key saves at the right times. It was a tight game – the kind of hockey you see at the end of the year. There wasn’t a lot of space with the puck. We played against a very good hockey team, a good defensive team that skates and supports the play on offense. We were able to hold them off. It could have gone either way.”
Max Pacioretty on their upcoming game against the Capitals: “They’re obviously tough to play against. Their goalie [Braden Holtby] has been hot all year. It’s a big test for us. We’ve got to go in there with the mindset that it’s going to take a full 60 minutes, if not more, to beat a team like that. We have to have that mindset that we’re willing to do whatever it takes every shift.”
It was announced on Monday that Tom Gilbert will require surgery to repair a knee injury and will miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season. Nathan Beaulieu and Jeff Petry will also miss Wednesday night’s game with lower-body injuries of their own.
The Capitals have been dominating the standings this year, as they are the only team in NHL history to win 44 of their first 58 games of a season, and have a 17-1-1 record at home over their past 19 games.
The Canadiens have only won a single game in their past five, and that was in a shootout versus the Flyers on February 19, 2016.
While the Canadiens have a 17-19-5 record versus teams in the Eastern Conference this season, the Capitals have a ridiculous 32-7-2 record against teams from the East.
So far this season, the Canadiens have a 11-8-2 record versus teams in the Metropolitan division, while the Capitals have a 16-4-0 record versus teams coming from the Atlantic.
The Canadiens have risen in their placing for the goals against category, they are currently in 18th in the league in goals against, with 165 in 60 games. The Capitals have allowed 133 goals in 58 games and find themselves in 1st in the league.
The Canadiens have maintained their place in the standings in the goals for category as they are currently in 13th place in the NHL, with 163 over their first 60 games. The Capitals are 2ed in this category with 194 goals scored in 58 games.
Matchup
Verizon Center, Washington, DC. | February 24, 7:00 PM ET | TV: SN, RDS, CSN-DC+, NHL.TV
2015-16 statistics
CAPITALS
CANADIENS
92 (1st)
Points (Eastern Con. rank)
61 (13th)
44-10-4
Record
28-27-5
23-4-2
Home
16-11-3
21-6-2
Road
12-16-2
9-1-0
Last 10
4-5-1
3.34
G/G
2.72
2.29
GA/G
2.75
23.2
PP%
18.3
84.8
PK%
83.4
51.9
CF%*
52.6
54.5
CF60*
55.5
50.5
CA60*
50.0
*Advanced statistics: Score adjusted, even strength. CF%: Corsi for percentage of total CF60: Corsi For/60 minutes CA60: Corsi Against/60 minutes (via War on Ice)
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Ovechkin – Kuznetsov – Williams
Burakovsky – Backstrom – Oshie
Chimera – Richards – Wilson
Laich – Latta – Galiev
Pacioretty – Plekanec – Gallagher
Galchenyuk – Eller – Andrighetto
Fleischmann – De la Rose- Byron
Weise – Mitchell – Smith-Pelly
Expected scratches: Lessio
