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Trick or Treat? | PREVIEW: MTL @ ANA

Sam Gerber

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

Canadiens vs Ducks Game Day
Game Preview

A Look Back

The Habs got an early goal and went into the first intermission with a lead. The wheels fell off from there as the Kings scored three times on the power-play. The coaching staff did not seem to have answers and chose to blame the players’ effort rather than take any  responsibility. Things are not looking good and a big change is likely to happen.

Last game: MTL 2  LAK 5  F

For a complete game recap: Listless Habs Drop Another | RECAP: MTL @ LAK

Players to Watch

  • Jonathan Drouin
    Drouin should have some explaining to do after publicly stating last week that Habs captain Shea Weber is retired. Drouin wants to be the guy for the Habs, and the team is desperate for someone to provide leadership. It’s now or never for Drouin to make something of himself and be the guy everyone thought he could be when he was drafted third overall in 2013.
  • Sami Niku
    One of the few positives for the Habs this season is the play of Niku after returning from  injury. His play shows how much mobility on the Habs blue line is lacking and is needed. He could have a breakout season.
  • Sam Montembeault
    Montembeault will get his second start of the season. The Habs need someone to give them a spark and Montembeault needs to be that guy. It won’t be easy with the way his team is playing but giving up nothing easy will do wonders for the Habs.

Keys to Victory

  • Channel the emotions
    After Marc Bergevin addressed the team, players met on their own following Saturday night’s loss. With tensions high, the players need to show that they care and today’s game would be a good time to respond.
  • Be disciplined
    No adjustments were made on the penalty-kill as the Kings scored three power-play goals. It’s easy for a frustrated team to take penalties but the Habs have to be better than that and the coaching staff needs to make adjustments.
  • Control the pace
    The Habs need to control the game and not let it get away from them. It will take a full 60-minute effort where the Habs work together to do just that.
Statistical Matchup for Game 10
Honda Center, Anaheim, CA | October 31, 4:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+

2021-22  statistics
DUCKS CANADIENS
7 (27th) Points (rank) 4 (30th)
2-4-3 Record 2-7-0
OT2 Streak L1
4-2-0 Last 10 2-7-0
3.00 GF/G 1.89
3.56 GA/G 3.33
24.9 (11th) PP% (rank) 9.4 (30th)
82.1 (16th) PK%  (rank) 64.7 (30th)
49.9  Faceoff % 45.3
Pre-game Quotes
Dominique Ducharme
  • “We’re going back tomorrow, we have a game in 24 hours, a little less. If we win it, we’re 3-2 in the last five games. The two defeats are not pretty. You have to give yourself a chance every night and that’s where you will gain consistency.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Groulx – Getzlaf – Terry
Henrique – Zegras – Milano
Comtois – Lundestrom – Lettieri
Deslauriers – Grant – Carrick		 Hoffman – Suzuki – Toffoli
Drouin – Dvorak – Anderson
Armia – Brooks – Caufield
Lehkonen – Paquette – Evans
Defensemen
Lindholm – Drysdale
Fowler – Manson
Benoit – Shattenkirk		 Chiarot – Petry
Romanov – Savard
Kulak – Wideman
Out of the lineup
Scratched: Mahura, Steel
Injured: McTavish, Jones, Rakell, Silfverberg
 Scratched: Niku
Injured: Gallagher (undisclosed), Perreault (eye), Edmundson (lower-body), Norlinder (lower-body), Price (player assistance program), Byron (hip), Weber (multiple injuries)
Goalies
John Gibson Sam Montembeault
Record: 2-2-2
GAA: 3.07
Sv%: .908
SO: 0
Alternate: Anthony Stolarz		 Record: 0-1-0
GAA: 5.00
Sv%: .861
SO: 0
Alternate: Jake Allen
 Game Expectations
The Ducks are in the middle of a six game skid and look to turn things around against the Habs. The Habs are a fragile team, no one wanting to make a mistake and often making the safe play instead of the right one. It’s going to take a lot for the Habs to get out of this but if they can take one game at a time they might be able to do it. Someone on the Habs needs to step and fill the void in the locker room right now, and with several alternate captains on the team one needs to be a difference.

Bottom Line

The season is already starting to get away from the Habs and changes are likely coming but there’s a lot of talent on this team that just hasn’t found their groove yet.
 Video Highlights

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