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RHP Returns | PREVIEW: WSH @ MTL

Cole Jurzyniec

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

Game Preview 

A Look Back

The Red Wings dismantled a struggling Habs club who have now been shut-out twice in back to back games. Cayden Primeau had a tough showing in net posting a .762 save percentage on 21 shots, while on the other end, Ville Husso able to shut the door for his fourth shut-out of the season. Quebec native David Perron was able to salt the wound with three points at the Bell Centre.

Last game: MTL 0  DET 5  F

For a complete game recap: Second Straight Shutout | RECAP: DET @ MTL

Players to Watch

  • Jesse Ylonen
    The Arizona native has been a bright spot for the club this season. In 35 games played the 6-foot winger has found 16 points. Ylönen is on pace to double the amount of games played from last season and could potentially find a permanent spot in the lineup amongst the re-invented roster next year.
  • Nick Suzuki
    The young captain caught fire mid-March but has since been extinguished. The former first-rounder has been held pointless in the last five games and will be looking to find some production to close out the season.
  • Jake Evans
    Number 71 missed all of February and a majority of March but since being back in the lineup has been bolstering the bottom-six commendably. Evans has a 52.4 winning percentage at the dot and has added four assists in the past six games.

Keys to Victory

  • Find a goal
    The Canadiens have been shutout a total of six times this season including the past two games. The team will have no chance if they repeat those efforts. Simply put, score goals.
  • Play shut-down hockey
    The Capitals have a few offensive weapons, finding a way to block shooting lanes and applying focus on man coverage will be sure ways to increase their chances of finding a win.
  • Get energized
    Even though there’s four games remaining, there’s no excuse to shut down early.  It’s a long off-season not being in the playoffs and the Canadiens should bring some competitive spirit to the ice.
Statistical Matchup for Game 79
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | April 6, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, NBCSWA

2022-23  statistics
CAPITALS CANADIENS
77 (24th) Points (rank) 66 (28th)
34-34-9 Record 30-42-6
L2 Streak L4
2-6-2 Last 10 3-7-0
3.09 (20th) GF/G (rank) 2.74 (26th)
3.10 (17th) GA/G (rank) 3.68 (28th)
21.4 (15th) PP% (rank) 16.9 (28th)
82.5 (6th) PK% (rank) 72.9 (30th)
50.2  Faceoff % 48.5
Pre-game 
Mike Matheson
  • “Regardless of the situation, it’s still such a privilege to play in this League and you don’t know how long you can do that. So, to just mail-in four games, I don’t think is respectful to the opportunity we have in front of us to play in this League.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Ovechkin – Strome – Wilson
Milano – Backstrom – Protas
Sheary – Kuznetsov – Smith
Mantha – Dowd – Aube-Kubel		 Harvey-Pinard – Suzuki – Armia
Gurianov – Drouin – Gallagher
Pitlick – Evans – Hoffman
Pezzetta – Tierney – Ylonen
Defensemen
Fehervary – Carlson
Sandin – Jensen
Alexeyev – Irwin		 Matheson – Barron
Edmundson – Wideman
Schueneman – Kovacevic
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Snively, Johansen
Injured: Hagelin, Brown, Oshie, Van Riemsdyk		 Scratched: Farrell
Injured: Byron (hip), Price (knee), Monahan (lower-body), Slafkovsky (lower-body), Caufield (shoulder), Xhekaj (upper-body), Dvorak (lower-body), Guhle (lower-body), Anderson (lower-body), Dach (upper-body), Savard (lower-body), Belzile (lower-body), Harris (lower-body), Allen (lower-body)
Goalies
Darcy Kuemper Sam Montembeault
Record: 21-25-6
GAA: 2.79
Sv%: .910
SO: 5
Alternate: Charlie Lindgren		 Record: 15-16-3
GAA: 3.29
Sv%: .906
SO: 0
Alternate: Cayden Primeau
 Game Expectations
The Capitals have had the Habs number this year winning the last two matchups. After being officially disqualified, this could be an opportunity for the Canadiens to find a win against a frustrated Washington team.

Bottom Line

Both teams are meeting up on a four game losing skid.  This is the second-last game at the Bell Centre so the team should focus on putting their best effort on the ice before the off-season.
 Video Highlights

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