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

Rick Stephens

December 16, 2017

Game Preview

Last game: MTL 2 NJD 1 (OT)

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

Players to watch

Carey Price
It is the 10th straight start for Price who has gone 6-2-1 since returning from injury. Price is looking forward to the outdoor game in Ottawa as he missed the 2016 NHL Winter Classic in Boston due to injury.
Daniel Carr
Carr’s five game point streak came to an end against New Jersey but he has seven points in six games since his recall from Laval.
Alex Galchenyuk
Despite being in and out of the Claude Julien doghouse, Galchenyuk has ten points in his last nine games.

Keys to Victory

Manage the conditions
An outdoor game always yields challenges with respect to ice conditions, less lively boards and less than optimum lighting. The cold will be an additional factor for this game.
Keep the focus
With all of the festivities connected to this game and deviations from routine, the Canadiens must focus on the task at hand keeping in mind that this is a very important contest to the standings.

Stay warm
By the third period, temperatures are forecast to drop to -17C with a -25C wind chill. Players will have to adapt to frigid conditions.

Matchup by All Habs staff
Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, ON \| Dec. 16, 7:00 PM ET \| TV: CBC, SN, TVAS, NBCSN
	2017-18 statistics
SENATORS	2017-18 statistics	CANADIENS
27 (29th)	Points (rank)	32 (25th)
10-13-7	Record	14-14-4
5-5-5	Home/Away	5-7-1
2-7-1	Last 10	6-2-2
2.70	GF/G	2.68
3.30	GA/G	3.09
15.31	PP%	17.30
77.01	PK%	78.30
48.14	CF%	51.67


Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Ryan – Duchene – Stone Pyatt – Brassard – Dzingel Smith – Pageau – Hoffman Burrows – Thompson – Dumont	Pacioretty – Danault – Shaw Galchenyuk – Drouin – Byron Hudon – Plekanec – Gallagher Deslauriers – Froese – Carr
Defensemen
Oduya – Karlsson Phaneuf – Ceci Claesson – Chabot	Benn – Weber Alzner – Petry Jerabek – Schlemko
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Paul Injured: Wideman, Borowiecki	Scratched: De La Rose, Morrow Injured: Hemsky, Montoya, Lehkonen
Goalies
Craig Anderson	Carey Price

Record: 8-10-3 GAA: 3.05 Sv%: .897 SO: 1 Alternate: Mike Condon	Record: 9-9-2 GAA: 3.04 Sv%: .903 SO: 1 Alternate: Antti Niemi

What to Expect

With so many external factors, outdoor games are very difficult to predict.

Prediction: Canadiens 4 Senators 2

The team that puts the conditions out of mind first will be able to focus for the win.

Highlights from the NHL

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