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GAME PREVIEW | Hurricanes – Canadiens: Lindgren Starts for Habs

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 2  NYR 5  F   The Habs showed why they are not a playoff team, once again getting a lead but not playing a full game. It wasn’t even frustrating to watch knowing that it was about to happen. But it was frustrating for the coach who once again threw his team under the bus post-game, almost as if he’s already packed it in for the season.

For a complete game recap: No Answers for Habs

Players to watch

  • Karl Alzner
    Alzner struggled along with Christian Folin in the Habs last game against the Rangers. In the previous two games since his call up, he played well. Tonight, Alzner will be a healthy scratch making way for Xavier Ouellet.
  • Charles Hudon
    Hudon has been enjoying a good season with the Rocket with 27 goals including 14 on the power-play. Hudon is having trouble again carrying that AHL success into the NHL, with no goals in 10 games this season with the Canadiens. 
  • Charlie Lindgren
    Lindgren will get the start tonight, after Carey Price started the previous 11 games and 17 of the previous 18. The Canes will be a tough test for Lindgren especially given his lengthy layoff. 

Keys to Victory

  • Play 60
    The Habs need to play a full 60 minute game. Too many times this season they have one or two good periods and folded.
  • Forecheck hard
    The Hurricanes made a number of moves at the deadline after injuries to their blueline. It’s only been a couple of games since the trades so they don’t exactly have perfect chemistry yet. A hard forecheck for the Habs should be able to exploit this. 
  • Provide goal support
    Charlie Lindgren was outstanding when he started against the Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve with a .943 save percentage on 33 saves. Unfortunately his teammates spoiled a great start only able to score one goal.
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | February 29, 7:00 PM ET | TV: CITY, SNE, TVAS, FS-CR

2019-20 statistics
HURRICANES CANADIENS
74 (14th) Points (rank) 67 (23rd)
35-24-4 Record 29-28-9
16-12-2 Away/Home 13-16-6
5-4-1 Last 10 3-5-2
3.16 GF/G 2.95
2.84 GA/G 3.08
21.5 PP% 18.9
83.0 PK% 78.5
54.54  CF% 54.34
Pre-game quotes
Claude Julien
  • “We need to be good in front of him to allow [Charlie Lindgren] to find his way through the game tonight and feel comfortable.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Svechnikov – Aho – Teravainen
Niederreiter – Trocheck – Necas
Foegele – Staal – Williams
Dzingel – Martinook – McGinn		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Lehkonen – Suzuki – Armia
Byron – Domi – Weal
Hudon – Evans – Weise
Defensemen
Slavin – Edmundson
Gardiner – van Riemsdyk
 Fleury – Skjei 		 Chiarot – Weber
Kulak – Petry
Ouellet – Folin
Out of the lineup
Scratched: 
Injured: Hamilton, Pesce, Reimer, Mrazek, Vatanen
 Scratched: Alzner
Injured: Drouin, Mete
Goalies
Alex Nedeljkovic Charlie Lindgren
Record: 0-1-0
GAA: – 4.00
Sv%: – .750
SO: 0
Alternate: Anton Forsberg		 Record: 1-3-0
GAA: – 3.47
Sv%: – .880
SO: 0
Alternate: Carey Price
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
The two teams going two different directions. It’s crazy to think where the Habs would be if Marc Bergevin had not botched the Sebastian Aho offer-sheet. Aho is now having a career high in goals and is trying to lead his Hurricanes to another post-season. Aho would have been a great addition to the Habs and is the type of player that would put the Habs on another level.
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