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GAME PREVIEW | Red Wings – Canadiens: Habs Home Opener

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

Game Preview by Sam Gerber
Last game : MTL 4  BUF 5  F/OT   Penalties and turnovers filled the game as the Habs once again came back from a multi-goal deficit only to lose in overtime. Joel Armia had a three point game, scoring both shorthanded and on the power-play. For the second game in a row Tomas Tatar took two bad penalties. It wasn’t an ideal start for Keith  Kinkaid who will need to play much better. 

For a complete game recap: Habs Armia With a Three-Point Game

Players to watch

  • Nick Suzuki
    Suzuki registered his first NHL point in his third pro game. Suzuki should get a big welcome from the Bell Centre fans.
  • Tomas Tatar
    Tatar may be in the dog house after some early season penalty trouble. Tatar may get a boost playing at home against his former team.
  • Brendan Gallagher
    The Habs top line with Gallagher, Tatar and Phillip Danault is not off to a great start, but Brendan has found a way to pick up three points.

Keys to Victory

  • Be disciplined
    The Canadiens have been taking unnecessary penalties. With a struggling penalty-kill, they need to stay out of the box. 
  • Be motivated
    The home opener happens only once a season. Habs can’t disappoint their fans when  expectations are high.
  • Maintain possession
    The Habs possession numbers this season are well below last year’s statistics. They  are a much better team when they control the play.
Statistical Matchup by All Habs
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | October 10, 7:00 PM ET | TV: RDS, TSN2, FS-D

2019-20 statistics

RED WINGS CANADIENS
4 (14th) Points (rank) 4(15th)
2-1-0 Record 1-0-2
1-0-0 Away/Home 0-0-0
2-1-0 Last 10 1-0-2
3.33 GF/G 4.00
3.00 GA/G 4.33
8.3 PP% 33.3
85.7 PK% 69.2
45.57  CF%  48.66
Pre-game quotes
Nick Suzuki
  • “We have to better on the penalty kill and we have to stop playing catch-up hockey. Eventually it’s going to cost us. We’re showing a lot of character but at the same time, if we fall asleep in the games, it costs us, and we have to rally.”
Projected forward lines, defense pairings and goaltenders by All Habs
Forwards
Bertuzzi – Larkin – Mantha
Glendening – Athanasiou – Hirose
Filppula –  Ehn – Erne
Helm – De La Rose – Abdelkader
Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Lehkonen – Domi – Suzuki
Drouin – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Byron – Thompson – Weal
Defensemen
DeKeyser – Hronek
Nemeth – Green
Cholowski – Bowey
Mete – Weber
Chiarot – Petry
   Reilly – Folin
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Svechnikov, Biega
Injured: Ericsson, Daley, Nielsen
Scratched: Kulak, Fleury
Injured: Cousins, Juulsen, Teasdale
Goalies
Jonathan Bernier Carey Price
Record: 1-0-0
GAA: – 3.00
Sv%: – .864
SO: 0
Alternate: Jimmy Howard
Record: 1-0-1
GAA: – 3.69
Sv%: – .900
SO: 0
Alternate: Keith Kinkaid
 What to Expect by Sam Gerber
This is a divisional matchup that the Habs should win. Montreal has managed to pick up points in every game this season but have let some get away. The Wings have had a strong start to the season and are led by Anthony Mantha and Dylan Larkin. Montreal must shut down these two young stars and must stay out of the box. Carey Price has been great so far and will get his third start of the season. Defence has been an issue for the Canadiens so far. They need to be better. 
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