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

Sam Gerber

7 years ago

Game Preview by Sam Gerber

Last game: MTL 0 TOR 4

With only ten players from the Canadiens opening night roster playing against the Leafs, the Habs failed to put up much of a fight. Charlie Lindgren did everything he could and made the game a lot closer than the end result.

For a complete recap: Lindgren’s Career High in Saves Not Enough

Players to watch

Nikita Scherbak
Scherbak should become a go-to option for the Habs offence and with added confidence will become a consistent threat to score for the rest of the season.
Karl Alzner
Alzner’s first season for the Habs has been terrible. With the 10 games left, he needs to show he’s worth his contract or the Habs may try to move him in the off-season.
Jonathan Huberdeau
Huberdeau has world class talent and continues to be a game changer down the stretch for the Panthers.

Keys to Victory

Change the PK
The Canadiens must change something. While short-handed on the road, the Habs sit dead last in the league.
Improve shot selection
Both teams average a lot of shots per game but the Habs shooting percentage is last in the league.
Maintain possession
Over the last two games the Habs had too few touches in the offensive zone and need to focus on playing with the puck.

Matchup by All Habs staff
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC \| March 19, 7:30 PM ET \| TV: TSN2, RDS, FS-F
	2017-18 statistics
PANTHERS	2017-18 statistics	CANADIENS
77 (20th)	Points (rank)	64 (26th)
35-27-7	Record	26-34-12
13-16-4	Away/Home	17-11-8
7-2-1	Last 10	3-5-2
3.00	GF/G	2.50
3.09	GA/G	3.11
19.6	PP%	21.0
80.5	PK%	75.0
48.97	CF%	50.73

eSAT Analytics by Mathieu Chagnon

Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Dadonov – Barkov – Bjugstad Huberdeau – Trocheck – Malgin Mamin – McCann – Vatrano McGinn – MacKenzie – Sceviour	Byron – Drouin – Gallagher Galchenyuk – De La Rose – Lehkonen Scherbak – L. Shaw – Carr Deslauriers – McCarron – Hudon
Defensemen
Yandle – Ekblad Matheson – Pysyk Petrovic – Weegar	Reilly – Petry Alzner – Juulsen Benn – Lernout
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Brickley, Haley, Vrbata, McCoshen Injured:	Scratched: Froese Injured: Weber, Hemsky, Pacioretty, Mete, Schlemko, Valiev, Danault, A. Shaw
Goalies
Roberto Luongo	Antti Niemi

Record: 14-9-2 GAA: 2.63 Sv%: .926 SO: 2 Alternate: James Reimer	Record: 5-7-4 GAA: 3.26 Sv%: .907 SO: 0 Alternate: Carey Price

What to Expect by Sam Gerber

Prediction: Canadiens 2 Panthers 3

With only 10 games left in the Habs season, expect to see younger players getting more ice time. With changes coming in the off-season, players are fighting for spots on next year’s roster. Seven games will likely be against playoff teams which does present an opportunity to move down in the standings.

Highlights from the NHL

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2017-18 statistics