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Saturday at the Bell Centre | 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

Carey Price made his season debut, bringing the fans to their feet and bringing confidence to his teammates. Price was solid in his return, holding the fort down for two periods until Corey Schueneman triggered an Islanders 3-on-0 breakaway. That play turned the tide while Canadiens skaters were unable to find mesh. That said, it was a successful return for the Canadiens franchise player.

Last game: MTL 0  NYI 3  F

For a complete game recap: A Heartwarming Return | RECAP: NYI @ MTL

Players to Watch

  • Ryan Poehling
    Poehling has quietly been playing consistently strong hockey in a bottom-six role. He scored the lone goal Wednesday in Columbus and has looked good on the power-play. On Friday night, Poehling boasted a 70 percent win rate at the dot. With his limited ice-time, he continues to be a dominant presence on the ice.
  • Paul Byron
    Byron appeared to have caught fire late March with five points in four games but has cooled down since then. On the ice however, the Ontario native uses his elusiveness and speed to cross defenders and open space. The long-time Hab has logged 64 hits in only 26 games played, playing a hard-nosed style of hockey.
  • Christian Dvorak
    After a disappointing season, Dvorak is coming closer to expectations as we near the end of the regular season. The 26-year-old is controlling the faceoff dot and finding some production.  He has five points in five games and could close out the season on an effective note.

Keys to Victory

  • Find the net
    It’s no secret that the Canadiens have lacked production in their last four games scoring only five goals. The Capitals are eighth in league scoring and have offensive weapons such as Alexander Ovechkin up front. Establishing dominance early and lighting the lamp will be necessary to finding a win.
  • Win at the dot
    Eight out of the nine players had a positive faceoff percentage against the Islanders.  Winning in the dot  will be a key factor in controlling the game against the offensively tilted Capitals.
  • Limit turnovers
    With a total of 12 giveaways on Friday night, the Canadiens should focus on using their vision to make proper passes and avoid turnovers that arguably was the downfall against the Islanders. With the Capitals being tied for sixth in the league with an exceptional 10.7 percent shooting rate, turning the puck over could be a major issue for the Habs.
Statistical Matchup for Game 76
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | April 16, 7:00 PM ET | TV: SNE, CITY, TVAS, ESPN+, NBCSWA

2021-22  statistics
CAPITALS CANADIENS
92 (12th) Points (rank) 51 (31st)
41-23-10 Record 20-44-11
L1 Streak L4
6-4-0 Last 10 2-7-1
3.34 (8th) GF/G (rank) 2.53 (31st)
2.93 (14th) GA/G (rank) 3.80 (32nd)
19.6 (21st) PP% (rank) 13.5 (31st)
81.6 (11th) PK%  (rank) 74.8 (27th)
47.3  Faceoff % 48.6
Pre-game Quotes
Martin St. Louis
  • “Carey (Price) has been the heart and soul of this team for a long time.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Ovechkin – Kuznetsov – Sheary
Johansson – Backstrom – Oshie
Mantha – Eller – Wilson
Larsson – Dowd – Hathaway		 Caufield – Suzuki – Anderson
Hoffman – Dvorak – Gallagher
R. Pitlick – Evans – Armia
Pezzetta – Poehling – T. Pitlick
Defensemen
Fehervary – Carlson
Orlov – Jensen
Van Riemsdyk – Schultz		  Romanov – Savard
Edmundson – Petry
Schueneman – Wideman
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Irwin, Jonsson-Fjallby, McMichael, Kempny
Injured: Hagelin, Snively		 Scratched: Lagesson, Clague, Perreault, Dauphin, Harris, Byron
Injured: Allen (lower-body), Barron (lower-body), Drouin (upper-body), Weber (multiple injuries)
Goalies
Vitek Vanecek Sam Montembeault
Record: 18-11-5
GAA: 2.63
Sv%: .910
SO: 3
Alternate: Ilya Samsonov		 Record: 7-16-6
GAA: 3.64
Sv%: .895
SO: 1
Alternate: Carey Price
 Game Expectations
Carey Price’s return injected confidence and allowed the players to relax on the ice.  Finding a win for Price’s backup and ending the Canadiens four-game losing streak should be on the menu for tonight.

Bottom Line

After tonight, there is six games remaining. This is the final Saturday night of the season at the Bell Centre. The building was energized on Friday night by the return of Carey Price. Fans and players alike should enjoy the experience.
 Video Highlights

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