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Jets @ Canadiens: Season Debut for Leskinen | Habs PREVIEW

Rick Stephens
Winnipeg

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 an awful first period from the Canadiens from which, they couldn’t come back. It wasn’t one of the Habs best efforts. Jake Allen wasn’t sharp and Victor Mete struggled in this one and was benched in the third. The later is a problematic situation that was not resolved last off-season and needs to be addressed preferably before the deadline.

Last game: MTL 2  WPG 4  F

For a complete game recap: Jets @ Canadiens: Early Mistakes Cost Habs

Players to Watch

  • Nick Suzuki
    Habs desperately need some scoring and Suzuki is a player that can definitely provide that. Known for being a play-maker, Suzuki can be an elite player for the Habs if he is a consistent threat to finish.
  • Corey Perry
    Perry was at it once again last game who has really filled in as the pest for Gallagher. Hopefully he can spark his team and keep up his play.
  • Otto Leskinen
    Leskinen is very deserving of being recalled for his first game action with the Canadiens this season. Leskinen has played extremely well for Laval with 14 points in 23 games and a plus-13 rating.

Keys to Victory

  • Execute zone exits
    The Habs struggled once again with zone time and its becoming a theme, two quick sharp passes to start the breakout need to be executed the first time so the Habs don’t get stuck in their zone.
  • Get a good start
    A new strategy is needed for the breakout of the power-play. The common drop pass to the last guy does not work for the Habs. It just shows to key how important it is to win that offensive zone faceoff.
  • Win special teams
    The Habs haven’t been ready to start the game, recently. It’s inexcusable and impossible to constantly play from behind. Hopefully the Habs are ready right from puck drop. 
Statistical Matchup
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | April 10, 7:00 PM ET | TV: CITY, SNE, SNW, TVAS

2020-21 statistics
JETS CANADIENS
51 (11th) Points (rank) 43 (15th)
24-13-3 Record 17-11-9
13-7-1 Away/Home 8-7-2
6-3-1 Last 10 5-3-2
3.23 GF/G 3.16
2.68 GA/G 2.70
25.2 (5th) PP% (rank) 20.6 (16th)
80.4 (12th) PK% (rank) 77.0 (22nd)
47.65  CF% 55.87
Pre-game Quotes
Josh Anderson
  • “We need a bounce-back game, that’s for sure. We need to come out and have a great start. That hasn’t been there the last couple of games. What’s going to control the game tonight is that first shift and making sure we get all four lines going at the same time and keep working at it.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Connor – Scheifele – Copp
Stastny – Dubois – Ehlers
Perreault – Lowry – Appleton
Harkins – Thompson – Lewis		 Toffoli – Suzuki – Perry
Drouin – Staal – Anderson
Tatar – Danault – Kotkaniemi
Byron – Evans – Lehkonen
Defensemen
 Morrissey – Poolman
Forbort – Pionk
Stanley – Demelo		 Edmundson – Weber
Kulak – Petry
Romanov – Leskinen
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Niku, Vesalainen
Injured: Wheeler
 Scratched: Mete, Frolik
Injured: Chiarot (hand), Gallagher (hand), Price (lower-body), Armia (COVID protocol)
Goalies
Connor Hellebuyck Jake Allen
Record: 19-10-3
GAA: 2.53
Sv%: .920
SO: 1
Alternate: Laurent Brossoit		 Record: 5-5-4
GAA: 2.35
Sv%: .919
SO: 0
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 Game Expectations
An eight point lead is what the Habs have on the two teams that could potentially catch them. Five games against the Flames will decide if the Habs are playoff bound but the Habs need to focus and start putting some wins together against the top teams in the division. The media has labeled the Habs a step down from the top three teams in the North division and they might not be wrong.

Bottom Line

The Habs came close to forcing overtime against the Jets after not playing their best game. If the Habs can put it together with a much better effort they can beat any team in the league.
 Video Highlights

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