Canadiens Lineup

Tomas Tatar – Phillip Danault – Brendan Gallagher

Artturi Lehkonen – Max Domi – Joel Armia

Nick Cousins – Nick Suzuki – Jordan Weal

Ryan Poehling – Nate Thompson – Riley Barber

Ben Chiarot – Shea Weber

Brett Kulak – Jeff Petry

Mike Reilly – Cale Fleury

Carey Price – Charlie Lindgren

Christian Folin, Lukas Vejdemo

Paul Byron, Jonathan Drouin, Victor Mete, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Matthew Peca

Game Report

Coming into this game, the Canadiens were on a 6-2-0 streak. In their previous eight games, Montreal was winless. So how did they turn things around? Well, Claude Julien changed the game plan.

Now, here’s the dilemma.

Against a fast, talented team like Edmonton, the Canadiens had to go back to the game plan they were using at the start of the season. It’s a high tempo game, an aggressive forecheck and an activated defence.

But when playing that way, all of the issues plaguing the team are exposed.

Against the Oilers, the Habs were once again giving up odd-man rushes where they were victimized by two goals against. Bad decision-making by a weak defence and bad penalties mostly taken in the offensive zone were also a problem. 

While the general manager claims that he is off duty for moves during the season, the Canadiens are still desperately in need of a top six scoring winger and a top pairing defenceman. Neither of those holes will be filled by players returning from injury.

Plus / Minus

▲  Carey Price, Shea Weber, Artturi Lehkonen

▼  Brett Kulak, Max Domi, Ben Chiarot, Brendan Gallagher, Tomas Tatar, Philllip Danault, Mike Reilly