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GAME PREVIEW | Canadiens – Flyers: Habs Looking to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

Sam Gerber

GAME DAY | Montreal Canadiens – Philadelphia Flyers: Preview, TV,  Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 0  CHI 2    The Canadiens put up 48 shots but weren’t willing to make the quality shots needed to beat Corey Crawford. Montreal’s power-play remains a major issue failing to generate offense and momentum. 

For a complete game recap: Habs Playoff Chances Dimming

Players to watch

  • Brendan Gallagher
    Gallagher has been mostly invisible of late. Despite a reputation of giving a full effort every game, it has been lacking recently. The Habs need him to step up.
  • Victor Mete
    Mete’s limitations are becoming apparent. He is not a top pairing defenceman but will need to play over his head if the Canadiens are to have a chance for playoff hockey. 
  • Jonathan Drouin
    Drouin has been dreadful defensively all season long and his offence has been spotty. It is also clear that Drouin has been a major reason for the lack of success by the Canadiens power-play this season. Even Bell Centre fans turned on Drouin last game.

Keys to Victory

  • Finish opportunities 
    The Canadiens have to do a better job creating high quality scoring chances and finish them when they do.
  • Create traffic
    Montreal forwards must be willing to take the punishment by going to the opposition net.
  • Play with urgency
    Andrew Shaw, Artturi Lehkonen and Max Domi were the only line playing with urgency against Chicago. The remaining three lines must follow their example.
Statistical Matchup by All Habs staff
Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA | March 19, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, NBCSP

2018-19 statistics
FLYERS CANADIENS
78 (17th) Points (rank) 81 (15th)
35-29-8 Record 37-28-7
18-14-4 Home/Away 17-16-3
6-3-1 Last 10 4-6-0
3.06 GF/G 2.92
3.33 GA/G 2.94
16.3 PP% 11.9
78.6 PK% 80.7
48.73  CF%  54.29
Pre-game quote
Andrew Shaw
  • “We’ve got to approach it like it’s a Game 7 and go out and have fun. Those games are always fun to be a part of. Should be a playoff feel to it tonight.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Lindblom – Couturier – Voracek
Van Riemsdyk – Patrick – Giroux
Raffl – Laughton – Konecny
Varone – Knight – Hartman		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Lehkonen – Domi – Shaw
Drouin – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Byron – Thompson – Weal
Defensemen
 Provorov – Sanheim
Gostisbehere – MacDonald
Hagg – Gudas		 Mete – Weber
Kulak – Petry
   Benn – Folin
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Talbot
Injured: Neuvirth, Morin, Myers
 Scratched: Reilly, Hudon, Deslauriers, Peca, Weise, Lindgren
Injured: none
Goalies
Carter Hart Carey Price
Record: 14-9-1
GAA: – 2.76
Sv%: – .918
SO: 0
Alternate: Brian Elliot		 Record: 29-22-5
GAA: – 2.57
Sv%: – .915
SO: 3
Alternate: Antti Niemi
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The Habs are three points out of the second wild card spot and are only three points ahead of the visiting Flyers. Expect a physical game that may get out of hand. Both teams are in desperate times that are known to get into penalty trouble. It’s fair to say that whoever loses tonight will likely miss the playoffs which should ramp up the intensity. The Habs will need to find some offense, keep their composure and make their power-play matter.
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