Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Max Domi – Andrew Shaw

Jonathan Drouin – Jordan Weal – Joel Armia

Nicolas Deslauriers – Nate Thompson – Matthew Peca

Victor Mete – Shea Weber

Brett Kulak – Jeff Petry

Jordie Benn – Christian Folin

Carey Price – Antti Niemi

Charles Hudon, Dale Weise, Mike Reilly, Charlie Lindgren, Paul Byron (upper body), Jesperi Kotkaniemi

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Game Report

Where was this effort against Columbus and Carolina?

The Canadiens are in the position that they must run the table to even have the faintest chance of making the playoffs. So this was the first of four ‘elimination’ games.

Montreal played a solid road game that received a first period boost from their anemic power-play. In storybook fashion, former Jet Joel Armia potted his 12th goal of the season.

The Habs did a very good job using their wings and skating the puck out of danger. The Canadiens defence did a good job of boxing out Winnipeg forwards. And Carey Price did the rest particularly in the third period when the Jets pressed.

Claude Julien’s questionable decision to sit Jesperi Kotkaniemi. With two players, Matthew Peca and Nicolas Deslauriers, who have spent the majority of the past 15 games in the press box on his wings, Nate Thompson’s icetime plummeted. The Habs fourth line was essentially unusable in the third period when Montreal was protecting a lead.

While the Canadiens won they were unable to pick up any ground as Carolina and Columbus each won their games. Those two teams will each make up their games in hand on Sunday as the Hurricanes take on the Penguins and the Blue Jackets visit the Sabres.

Plus / Minus

▲  Carey Price, Joel Armia, Artturi Lehkonen, Tomas Tatar, Jeff Petry, Jordan Weal

▼  Matthew Peca, Nicolas Deslauriers, Victor Mete