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Golden Knights @ Canadiens: ‘Go Through A Wall For Luke’ | HABS GAME 4 PREVIEW

Rick Stephens

GAME DAY PREVIEW | Montreal Canadiens vs Vegas Golden Knights: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets, NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Series

Game Preview

A Look Back

The Golden Knights dominated the Canadiens thoroughly for 40 minutes. Carey Price was sensational in keeping the Canadiens close once again. Josh Anderson was the overtime hero as Price stole another game for the Habs in the playoffs.

Last game: MTL 3  VGK 2 (OT) | Canadiens lead series 2-1

For a complete game recap: Golden Knights @ Canadiens: ‘We Just Don’t Quit’ | HABS GAME 3 RECAP

Players to Watch

  • Phillip Danault
    Danault has yet to score a goal in 14 games of the playoffs despite being the most-used forward by the Canadiens at 19:26 per game. While Danault is counted on for defensive play, his high usage means he must contribute to the Habs offence.
  • Josh Anderson
    Anderson was the overtime hero in game 3. Prior to his two-goal outburst, Anderson had not scored in 13 games. He will have to keep his scoring ways going with the Habs challenged to produce offence.
  • Erik Gustafsson 
    Gustafsson has been a liability on the Habs defence throughout the playoffs. He had just 5:10 of icetime at even strength in game 3. If the coaching staff have such little trust in Gus, Alexander Romanov should be given another opportunity.

Keys to Victory

  • Start strong
    Uncharacteristically, the Canadiens got off to a very slow start in game 3 and that continued through the second period. Game 4 is pivotal in the series and the Habs would be well-served to make things difficult for Vegas from puck drop.
  • Test Lehner
    Robin Lehner is expected to start tonight for the Golden Knights. Lehner has not started since May 30th where he gave up seven goals against Colorado. Canadiens shooters should test him early and often.
  • Stay disciplined
    The officiating was criticized universally as atrocious in game 3. With the same set of referees working game 4, the Habs will have to be on their best behaviour to stay out of the penalty box.
Statistical Matchup for Round 3, Game 4
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | June 20, 8:00 PM ET | TV: CBC, SN, TVAS, NBCSN

2020-21 Playoff statistics
GOLDEN KNIGHTS CANADIENS
— Points (rank) —
9-7 Record 10-4
– Last 10 –
10.5 (16th) PP% (rank) 18.9 (8th)
72.7 (12th) PK% (rank) 92.7 (1st)
53.1 Faceoff% 50.2
3.00 GF/G 2.50
2.38 GA/G 2.29
54.51  CF% 48.45
Pre-game Quotes
Ben Chiarot
  • “We’re playing smart in our structure, guys are aggressive up the ice, not giving the defensemen carrying the puck up ice much time. That kind of breaks up their breakout. Once they’re in our zone, we’re doing a good job pressuring them and letting Pricey see the puck. We’re just quick in our structure, guys are getting in lanes, and Pricey comes up with the save when we need it.”
  • “I think I speak for all the defensemen when I say that we’d all go through a wall for Luke (Richardson.) That’s the best compliment you can give a coach. We’d go through a wall for him because we know he’d go through a wall for us. He’s a player’s coach. He played forever and he knows exactly what we’re going through. He’s been great for us. All the defensemen love him.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Pacioretty – Tuch – Stone
Marchessault – Karlsson – Smith
Janmark – Roy – Kolesar
Carrier – Nosek – Brown		 Lehkonen – Danault – Gallagher
Toffoli – Suzuki – Caufield
Byron – Kotkaniemi – Anderson
Perry – Staal – Armia
Defensemen
Martinez – Pietrangelo
McNabb – Theodore
Holden – Whitecloud		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Gustafsson – Merrill
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Coghlan, Hague, Reaves
Injured: Stephenson		 Scratched: Frolik, Lindgren, Tatar, Ouellet, Kulak, Romanov
Injured: Evans (concussion), Drouin (undisclosed)
COVID protocol: Ducharme
Goalies
Robin Lehner Carey Price
Record: 0-1
GAA: 7.03
Sv%: .811
SO: 0
Alternate: Marc-Andre Fleury		 Record: 10-4
GAA: 2.10
Sv%: .932
SO: 1
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Canadiens will have 3500 fans once again at the Bell Centre. Habs fans were very quiet for game 3 and will need to be far more vocal to inject their team with energy. The Canadiens have an opportunity to take a stranglehold on the series by getting a win at home. Generating run support for Carey Price should be a priority given the way he has played in the series.

Bottom Line

The Canadiens are leading this series, a matchup that was supposed to be swept by the Golden Knights. The Habs veterans know that opportunities like this don’t come around often. As Eric Staal said, the Canadiens are just two wins away from “the dance.”
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