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GAME PREVIEW | Canadiens – Kings: Kotkaniemi to Sit, Weal is In

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 1  PIT 5    It took less than thirty seconds for Sidney Crosby to take over the game. The Canadiens weren’t ready to play and were down three nothing after the first ten minutes of the game. The Habs tried to battle back but it was already too late and they failed to generate many high opportunity scoring chances, and the few they did Murray handled with ease.

For a complete game recap: Habs Slow Start Costs Game

Players to watch

  • Jonathan Drouin
    Over the past nine games, Drouin has four points and they all came in one game. It is simply not good enough for a player with his talent. Drouin’s lack of consistency and poor defensive effort costs the Habs games regularly and it is time for the coach to send a message to Drouin.
  • Max Domi
    Domi is one point away from reaching the sixty-point mark for the first time in his career. It is a great milestone for him but a strong finish to the season and he can easily reach 70 points, something that hasn’t been done by a Habs player since Tomas Plekanec in the 2009-10 season.    
  • Nate Thompson
    Thompson will be playing his former team for the first time since being traded. It will be a special moment for him but he knows he has to be focused and that the points up for grabs are much more important to the Habs and than they are for the Kings.

Keys to Victory

  • Start on time
    The Habs need to be ready right from puck drop and can’t have a bad start again.
  • Play a complete game
    Not only do they need to start on time but the Canadiens can’t take their foot off the gas. This is the NHL and the Habs have to give 100 percent every shift.
  • Keep it close
    When Montreal can keep the game within a goal or two they continue to play their style and have been able to win a lot of close games this season.
Statistical Matchup by All Habs staff
Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA | March 5, 10:30 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, FS-W, ESPN+

2018-19 statistics
KINGS CANADIENS
56 (29th) Points (rank) 77 (12th)
24-33-8 Record 35-24-7
13-15-3 Home/Away 16-13-3
1-6-3 Last 10 4-6-0
2.40 GF/G 3.02
3.14 GA/G 2.92
15.7 PP% 12.4
75.0 PK% 80.1
48.36  CF%  53.91
Pre-game quote
Victor Mete
  • “[Carey Price] is always so calm. Everything he does is so calm and he’s so confident, too. Even when he gets the puck he’s trying to deke out guys when they’re coming at him. It just shows how much confidence he has and how calm he is when he has the puck.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders
Forwards
Brown – Kopitar – Toffoli
Leipsic – Carter – Kovalchuk
Iafallo – Kempe – Brodzinski
Clifford – Lewis – Luff		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Domi – Shaw
Byron – Weal – Armia
Lehkonen – Thompson – Weise
Defensemen
 Forbort – Doughty
Martinez – Roy
Phaneuf – Walker		 Benn – Weber
Mete – Petry
   Kulak – Folin
Out of the lineup
Scratched: LaDue, MacDermid
Injured: Wagner
 Scratched: Reilly, Hudon, Deslauriers, Peca, Kotkaniemi
Injured: none
Goalies
Jonathan Quick Carey Price
Record: 12-17-6
GAA: – 3.30
Sv%: – .892
SO: 2
Alternate: Jack Campbell		 Record: 27-19-5
GAA: – 2.54
Sv%: – .916
SO: 3
Alternate: Antti Niemi
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The dreaded California road trip, might not be as difficult this season as in previous years but there’s nothing easy about it. Three games in four days against three teams that are big and physical will take a toll on the Habs. The Kings may be at the bottom of the standings but they are still a great team with a number of great players that will challenge every shift. The Habs have to use their speed and be focused on playing in the Kings game, wear them down and capitalize on turnovers. The Kings always seem to play well against the Habs and own a 7-2-1 record in the last ten meetings including a three nothing win at the start of this season. Price should get the start after battling the flu but it won’t be surprising if he sits on the bench for this one either if he doesn’t have his energy back yet. . 
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