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In Search of 6 | PREVIEW: MTL @ WPG

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview 

A Look Back

It was a quiet game between two rivals that saw Artturi Lehkonen steal the show with a two-goal performance delivering a Habs win and increasing his trade value. Andrew Hammond won his second straight game in a Habs jersey against his former team. The Habs extended their winning streak to five games.

Last game: MTL 2  OTT 1  F

For a complete game recap: Lehkonen Shines | RECAP: MTL @ OTT

Players to Watch

  • Brendan Gallagher
    Gallagher is the first year of a six year deal worth $6.5 per season. While he is a team leader, 12 points in 35 games is not nearly enough. Gallagher will have to prove that he can be a 40-50 point player again or management may have to move him.
  • Josh Anderson
    A streaky player, Anderson is on the upswing, playing very well as the trade deadline approaches. It will likely take a large deal for him to be moved by Kent Hughes. What’s more important is for Anderson to keep this style of play up for the remainder of the season and find the consistency that he has lacked.
  • Alexander Romanov
    With Joel Edmundson joining practice without limitations for the first time this season, Romanov’s minutes may be on the decline. Romanov has taken a big step this season averaging over 19 minutes per night becoming a stabilizing force on defence.

Keys to Victory

  • Score first
    Don’t fix what’s not broken. Scoring first has continued to give the Habs a ton of confidence early in games and will be exactly what they need to continue to do.
  • Stick to the game plan
    This game has the potential to get out of hand given the bad blood from last year’s playoffs. The Habs can’t be distracted and should focus on executing the game plan.
  • Use speed
    The Habs last game was a very tight checking. The Habs are at their best when they play with speed and need to use that against the Jets.
Statistical Matchup for Game 54
Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg, MB | March 1, 8:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+

2021-22  statistics
JETS CANADIENS
55 (20th) Points (rank) 33 (31st)
23-21-9 Record 13-33-7
W1 Streak W5
4-4-2 Last 10 5-5-0
2.91 (17th) GF/G (rank) 2.28 (31st)
2.98 (18th) GA/G (rank) 3.74 (32nd)
20.7 (15th) PP% (rank) 12.3 (31st)
76.6 (23rd) PK%  (rank) 74.4 (30th)
50.4  Faceoff % 48.2
Pre-game Quotes
Jeff Petry
  • “[Marty St. Louis] is a coach that has brought the joy back of coming to the rink. You come in on a practice day and you know you’re going to work hard, but it’s also fun out there.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Stastny – Scheifele – Wheeler
Connor – Dubois – Svechnikov
Harkins – Lowry – Brooks
Vesalainen – Toninato – Poganski		 Caufield – Suzuki – Anderson
Hoffman – Dauphin – Gallagher
R. Pitlick – Evans – Lehkonen
Pezzetta – Poehling – Perreault
Defensemen
Morrissey – DeMelo
Dillon – Pionk
Beaulieu – Schmidt		 Chiarot – Romanov
Kulak – Petry
Wideman – Schueneman
Out of the lineup
Scratched:
Injured: Little, Ehlers, Samberg, Perfetti, Copp
COVID-19:		 Scratched: Paquette, Clague
Injured: Byron (upper-body), T. Pitlick (undisclosed), Armia (facial injury), Dvorak (upper-body), Savard (ankle), Allen (lower-body), Drouin (wrist), Edmundson (back), Price (knee), Weber (multiple injuries)
COVID-19:
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck Sam Montembeault
Record: 17-19-8
GAA: 2.88
Sv%: .912
SO: 3
Alternate: Eric Comrie		 Record: 5-10-4
GAA: 3.53
Sv%: .902
SO: 1
Alternate: Andrew Hammond
 Game Expectations
The Habs haven’t played the Jets since eliminating them in last year’s playoffs. One of the biggest stories of the series was a hit by Mark Scheifele on Jake Evans. While the past is the past, some things are not forgotten and this could be once again impact the game.

Bottom Line

The Jets have fallen out of a playoff spot and will have to leapfrog several teams to get back. While the Habs have won five in a row, they still will have their work cutout for them.
 Video Highlights

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