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GAME PREVIEW | Panthers – Canadiens: Habs Host Florida for Saturday Matinee

Rick Stephens

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

Game Preview
Last game : MTL 3  BUF 1  F   The Habs had a slow start to this one but with a second period burst they took advantage of the Sabres backup goaltender.

For a complete game recap: Habs Ride Second Period Surge

Players to watch

  • Max Domi
    Domi has been AWOL for quite some time again. Domi did not score a goal and had just four assists in the month of January. 
  • Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    To boost the playoff chances of the Laval Rocket, Kotkaniemi has been sent to the AHL for the first time in his pro career. He has looked good since returning from injury but managed just one goal in January.
  • Carey Price
    Prior to today’s game, Price will be presented with the Molson Cup for January. That is the third month in a row that Price has earned the trophy. During the month Price posted a 2.09 goals against average and a .934 save percentage.

Keys to Victory

  • Shut down top line
    Florida’s top line of Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Evgenii Dadonov has accounted for 31 percent of the Panthers’ goals this season.
  • Play tight D
    Riding a six game winning streak, the Panthers have scored at least four goals in each of those wins. The Habs will need a concerted effort to limit scoring chances.
  • Prevent secondary scoring
    In addition to the top line, the Habs will have to defend well against the secondary Florida scorers. On the third line, Frank Vatrano and Mike Hoffman have been contributing to the offence during the Panthers’ winning streak.
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | February 1, 2:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, FS-F

2019-20 statistics
PANTHERS CANADIENS
61 (10th) Points (rank) 53 (22nd)
28-16-5 Record 23-22-7
12-8-3 Away/Home 10-13-4
8-2-0 Last 10 5-5-0
3.67 GF/G 3.02
3.27 GA/G 3.10
24.5 PP% 20.0
78.1 PK% 78.4
50.20  CF% 53.67
Pre-game quotes
Ilya Kovalchuk
  • “The coach gave me the opportunity to play the role I always played, and it’s easier for me to do than what I did [with the Los Angeles Kings], so that’s the difference.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Huberdeau – Barkov – Dadonov
Connolly – Trocheck – Acciari
Vatrano – Toninato – Hoffman
Sceviour – Boyle – Hawryluk		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Kovalchuk – Suzuki – Armia
Lehkonen – Domi – Weal
Cousins – Thompson – Weise
Defensemen
Matheson – Ekblad
Stillman – Stralman
Yandle – Brown		 Chiarot – Weber
Kulak – Petry
Scandella – Mete 
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Malgin, Pysyk
Injured: Weegar, Driedger
 Scratched: Poehling
Injured: Drouin, Byron 
Goalies
Sergei Bobrovsky  Carey Price
Record: 19-12-4
GAA: – 3.24
Sv%: – .898
SO: 1
Alternate: Samuel Montembeault		 Record: 21-17-4
GAA: – 2.80
Sv%: – .909
SO: 2
Alternate: Charlie Lindgren
 What to Expect
It’s Super Bowl weekend which means that the Canadiens will host back-to-back matinees at the Bell Centre. First up is the Florida Panthers who will be looking to win their seventh consecutive game powered by a potent offence.
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