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Oilers – Canadiens: Habs Face McDavid, Draisaitl | GAME PREVIEW

Sam Gerber

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

Game Preview

A Look Back

An early lead for the Habs wasn’t enough to start the season with a win but the Habs got a point. Any point the Habs get this season will be important as every game has an impact on the division standings. Josh Anderson showed exactly why Marc Bergevin acquired him: throwing big hits, using his speed and scoring twice as his first game in a Habs sweater. Rust led to the Habs taking some irregular penalties that allowed Toronto to comeback and force overtime. In overtime, Phillip Danault had the game on his stick but it wasn’t meant to be. Paul Byron, the fastest player on the ice, decided to change without the puck, leading to a clear cut two-on-one for the Leafs, that won them the game. It may have been game one of the season but that decision-making is an excusable and Byron will need to make up for that mistake.

Last game: MTL 4  TOR 5  F/OT

For a complete game recap: Maple Leafs – Canadiens: Habs Newcomers Shine

Players to Watch

  • Nick Suzuki
    Suzuki was labeled a question mark by the media, but for those who watched him all  last season knew that his bubble performance wasn’t a one off. Suzuki will be one of the Habs biggest threats to score all season.
  • Tyler Toffoli
    Toffoli’s signing may have been overshadowed by other moves but he had a really solid game against the Leafs that largely went unnoticed. Once he gains his chemistry with Jesperi Kotkaniemi, their line should be another offensive weapon for the Habs.
  • Ben Chiarot
    Chariot had a breakout performance in the bubble paired with Weber. He’s started the season there once again and will remain there for the foreseeable future. However Chariot took a fight that didn’t go his way that helped the Leafs gain momentum. Be that as it may, Chariot showed how tough he and Shea Weber are going to be in front of the net and look forward to the punishment he will continuously deliver.

Keys to Victory

  • Play smartly
    Early in the season, decision-making can change outcomes. This game will only be harder with the fastest player in the league on the ice in Connor McDavid.
  • Use the depth
    I believe that the Habs are the deepest team in the league. They might not be highly  offensive but all four lines have a scoring threat like no other team in the league. If the Habs can take advantage of that on a consistent basis they should be a winning team.
  • Win special teams
    Special teams will be a key to the game for the Habs all season long. They gave up two power-play goals last game and now take on last season’s top ranked power-play. Staying out of the box is one thing but a stronger penalty kill will help the Habs in the long run.
Statistical Matchup
Rogers Place, Edmonton, AB | January 16, 7:00 PM ET | TV: SNE, SNW, SNP, CITY

2020-21 statistics
OILERS CANADIENS
2 (5th) Points (rank) 1 (21st)
1-1-0 Record 0-0-1
1-1-0 Home/Away 0-0-1
1-1-0 Last 10 0-0-1
4.00 GF/G 4.00
3.50 GA/G 5.00
25.0 PP% 66.7
100.0 PK% 50.0
43.07  CF% 47.47
Pre-game Quotes
 Jeff Petry
  • “It’s important that we limit the turnovers and make it hard for them to get the puck in [Connor McDavid’s] hands. He’s a guy that likes to wind it up, so we have to make sure if he’s going to get it, he has to come 200 feet with back pressure. We have to make sure that our forwards are doing a good job with back pressure as well.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Nugent-Hopkins – McDavid – Kassian
Kahun – Draisaitl – Yamamoto
Nygard- Turris – Puljujarvi
Ennis -Shore – Chiasson		 Tatar – Danault – Gallagher
Drouin – Suzuki – Anderson
Toffoli – Kotkaniemi – Armia
Byron – Evans – Lehkonen
Defensemen
Nurse – Bear
Jones – Larsson
Koekkoek – Barrie		 Chiarot – Weber
Edmundson – Petry
Kulak – Romanov
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Archibald, Khaira, Russell
Injured: Smith, Haas
 Scratched: Mete
Injured: none
Goalies
Mikko Koskinen Carey Price
Record: 1-1-0
GAA: – 3.55
Sv%: – .907
SO: 0
Alternate: Stuart Skinner		 Record: 0-0-1
GAA: – 4.73
Sv%: – .853
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Habs visit the Oilers for two of the nine games they will play against each other this season. It took two games for the Oilers best players to find their scoring touch and that is something for which the Habs must be ready. Expect the Phillip Danault line to get the matchup of Connor McDavid and Nick Suzuki’s line to get the Leon Draisaitl trio. But the Habs have to be prepared for both McDavid and Draisaitl to play together too, who showed they need less than 2.5 seconds to score a goal.

Bottom Line

Controlling the play more should be a goal for the Habs as they lost the possession game to the Leafs. Early games are expected to be high scoring but Carey Price knows stealing these early games could be the key to making the playoffs.
 Video Highlights

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