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GAME PREVIEW | Blue Jackets – Canadiens: Weber Expected to Play for Habs

Sam Gerber

GAME DAY | Montreal Canadiens vs Columbus Blue Jackets: Preview, TV,  Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 3  LAK 2  F   Shea Weber scored his 100th career power-play goal and celebrated it by scoring his 101st power-play goal. It was a three-goal first period with Nate Thompson scoring his first of the season. As the Habs faded, Carey Price carried the team the rest of the way providing the Canadiens with their ninth win of the season.

For a complete game recap: Weber, Price Lead Habs to Win

Players to watch

  • Max Domi
    Domi has fallen off the map for the last handful of games. He needs to be the spark he was last year creating space for his teammates.
  • Paul Byron
    There have been small flashes of Byron’s speed and talent since his move to the third line. Byron needs to get on track by contributing secondary offence and vastly improving his game on the penalty-kill. 
  • Shea Weber
    After a milestone night Weber has missed practice since due to flu like symptoms but will still play. It shouldn’t be a shock if his ice time is slightly cut back and he’s a little off but he’ll still be a presence on the backend for the Habs.

Keys to Victory

  • Counter size with speed
    The Blue Jackets are a big physical team that love to play that way. The Habs can’t match that style of play so will have to use their speed to counter. 
  • Exploit the matchups
    The Blue Jackets aren’t the same team they were last year and lack scoring. The Habs need to take advantage of the mismatches, particularly in the bottom six.
  • Play 60 minutes
    The Habs had to rely on Carey Price to close out the last game after getting an early lead. Tonight it’s not only important to get an early lead but to maintain their pace throughout the game. 
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | November 12, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, FS-O

2019-20 statistics
BLUE JACKETS CANADIENS
15 (25th) Points (rank) 21 (13th)
6-8-3 Record 9-5-3
3-3-2 Away/Home 5-3-0
3-5-2 Last 10 6-3-1
2.35 GF/G 3.53
3.41 GA/G 3.12
14.3 PP% 21.4
76.5 PK% 72.2
49.67  CF% 51.87
Pre-game quotes
Ben Chiarot
  • “Any time you play a team that’s below the playoff line I think you’ve got to be worried. They’re going to be a hungry team and a desperate team. I know if we were in that situation we’d be coming out pretty hungry, so I think you have to be prepared.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Nyquist – Dubois – Bjorkstrand
Milano – Jenner – Anderson
Texier – Wennberg – Atkinson
Robinson – Nash – Bemstrom		 Drouin – Danault – Gallagher
Byron – Domi – Armia
Tatar – Suzuki – Lehkonen
Poehling – Thompson – Cousins
Defensemen
Werenski – Jones
Gavrikov – Savard
Harrington – Kukan		  Mete – Weber
Chiarot – Petry
Kulak – Fleury
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Murray, Sherwood, Foligno (suspended)
Injured: Dubinsky, Nutivaara
 Scratched: Reilly, Folin, Weal
Injured: Kotkaniemi
Goalies
Elvis Merzlikins Carey Price
Record: 0-1-2
GAA: – 3.89
Sv%: – .882
SO: 0
Alternate: Joonas Korpisalo		 Record: 8-4-2
GAA: – 2.71
Sv%: – .914
SO: 1
Alternate: Keith Kinkaid
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The Habs and Blue Jackets battled to the end last season for the final playoff spot. The Blue Jackets loaded up at the deadline and it gave them the edge and bumped out the Habs. They went on a run but it wasn’t meant to be and in the off-season they lost a big portion of their playoff roster. The Habs can’t afford many losses to non playoff caliber teams this season if they want to make playoffs. 
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