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On A Roll | PREVIEW: BUF @ MTL

Cole Jurzyniec

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

Game Preview 

A Look Back

The Canadiens set the tone early, in front of a half-filled Bell Centre, with Josh Anderson scoring first before the game was three minutes old. Montreal used their speed to take advantage of the Maple Leafs’ defence and some shaky goaltending to run up a five goal lead by the end of the second period. Toronto scored twice in 45 seconds in the third, but it was not enough.

Last game: MTL 5  TOR 2  F

For a complete game recap: Unstoppable! | RECAP: TOR @ MTL

Players to Watch

  • Rem Pitlick
    Since being claimed on waiver on January 12th, Pitlick has eight points, on four goals and four assists, in 15 games. Pitlick is currently sporting a very lofty 25.0 percent shooting percentage.
  • Mike Hoffman
    After experiencing a six-game goalless drought, Hoffman has two goals in the past four games. That brings the 32-year-old winger to nine goals on the season with just three coming via the power-play.
  • Nick Suzuki
    Suzuki flattened Leafs defenceman Justin Holl near the end of the second period in Monday’s game. Jason Spezza took exception to the clean hit. In the resulting scrum, all four Habs skaters on the ice stood up for Suzuki which was encouraging to see.

Keys to Victory

  • Win a faceoff
    The Canadiens have struggled at the faceoff dot this week managing just a 41 percent success rate against both the Maple Leafs and Islanders. Fortunately, the Sabres are ranked as the worst faceoff team in the league.
  • Defend top line
    The Sabres top line recorded nine points in their last matchup against the Canadiens on Super Bowl Sunday including a four-goal performance by Jeff Skinner. The Habs third line will likely get the assignment to shut down the Sabres top producers.
  • Play with confidence
    With three wins in a row, fun has returned and the energy is high. The Canadiens head coach has talked about “building swagger” as being vital for success in the NHL.
Statistical Matchup for Game 51
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | February 23, 7:30 PM ET | TV: SN1, SNE, RDS, ESPN+, MSG-B

2021-22  statistics
SABRES CANADIENS
40 (27th) Points (rank) 29 (32nd)
16-27-8 Record 11-33-7
L3 Streak W3
3-6-1 Last 10 3-7-0
3.58 (4th) GF/G (rank) 2.26 (32nd)
2.73 (6th) GA/G (rank) 3.86 (32nd)
19.6 (16th) PP% (rank) 12.7 (31st)
76.8 (23rd) PK%  (rank) 74.1 (30th)
46.3  Faceoff % 48.0
Pre-game Quotes
Marty St. Louis
  • ” I thought [Mike Hoffman] was the best player on the ice versus Toronto in the first period.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Skinner – Thompson – Tuch
Krebs – Cozens – Olofsson
Asplund – Mittelstadt – Okposo
Bjork – Eakin – Hayden		 Caufield – Suzuki – Anderson
Hoffman – Dauphin – Gallagher
R. Pitlick – Evans – Byron
Pezzetta – Poehling – Lehkonen
Defensemen
Bryson – Jokiharju
Samuelsson – Fitzgerald
Hagg – Pysk		 Kulak – Petry
Chiarot – Romanov
Clague – Wideman
Out of the lineup
Scratched:
Injured: Girgensons, Hinostroza,  Caggiula, Quinn, Miller, Dahlin
COVID-19:		 Scratched: Paquette
Injured: T. Pitlick (undisclosed), Armia (facial injury), Dvorak (upper-body), Savard (ankle), Allen (lower-body), Drouin (wrist), Perreault (lower-body), Edmundson (back), Price (knee), Weber (multiple injuries)
COVID-19: Schueneman
Goalies
Craig Anderson Sam Montembeault
Record: 6-5-0
GAA: 2.91
Sv%: .909
SO: 0
Alternate: Dustin Tokarski		 Record: 4-10-4
GAA: 3.71
Sv%: .898
SO: 0
Alternate: Andrew Hammond
 Game Expectations
The Sabres have had their way with the Canadiens this season, winning all three games so far and heavily out-scoring them 14-5. This will be the final match of the season against their divisional rival and the last Canadiens home game until March 12th.

Bottom Line

The Canadiens are rolling and, for fans, it’s been a breath of fresh air to watch entertaining hockey. But this recent success has been received with mixed emotions as  the six-point climb may begin to impact their draft placement.
 Video Highlights

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