GAME DAY PREVIEW | Montreal Canadiens vs New York Islanders: Preview, TV, Start Time, Statistical Match-up, Projected Lines, Starting Goalies, Keys to Victory, Habs Tickets
Game Preview
A Look Back
The Habs had a bad game and the Blue Jackets made the most of it and didn’t look back. The Habs offense was nowhere to be found and put up a lowly 21 shots including only four in the first period. The Blue Jackets managed to control a lot of the game and stifled the Habs after getting an early lead.
Carey Price
It’s been 282 days since Price last led his team out on the ice for a game. Tonight he will be warmly welcomed back to the Bell Centre as recognition for his perseverance this past year and recognition as one of the greatest goaltenders ever to play.
Nick Suzuki
Suzuki is dealing with an injury causing him to skip practice for most of this week. But he will be in the lineup hoping to reach the 20-goal plateau this season for the first time in his career.
Joel Armia
Armia had a great start to the last game showing plenty of speed. Armia needs to carry that type of effort into tonight’s game and continue to bring that physical element to his game.
Keys to Victory
Use speed
The Isles play a very defensive system and the Habs need to attack it with speed and be relentless on the forecheck.
Create offence
After a tough game generating any offense at all the Habs have to have a shoot first mentality. Keep it simple, no extra passing, shoot with traffic and crash the net for rebounds.
Rely on depth
The Habs depth will be tested against a very deep Isles team, while the Isles lack a bit of a scoring punch. All four lines play hard against and never give up anything easy which will test the Habs.
Statistical Matchup for Game 75
Bell Centre, Montreal, QC | April 15, 7:00 PM ET | TV: TSN2, RDS, ESPN+, MSG+
2021-22 statistics
ISLANDERS
CANADIENS
77 (20th)
Points (rank)
51 (31st)
34-30-9
Record
20-43-11
L1
Streak
L3
6-4-0
Last 10
3-6-1
2.75 (23rd)
GF/G (rank)
2.57 (29th)
2.74 (7th)
GA/G (rank)
3.81 (32nd)
19.1 (22nd)
PP% (rank)
13.6 (31st)
85.0 (4th)
PK% (rank)
74.7 (28th)
51.4
Faceoff %
48.5
Pre-game Quotes
Brendan Gallagher
“It’s a comforting feeling as a teammate of his when you see [Carey Price] getting ready for a game.”
Projected Forwards, Defense and Goaltenders (subject to change)
Forwards
Lee – Nelson – Beauvillier
Bailey – Pageau – Palmieri
Parise – Barzal – Bellows
Martin – Cizikas – Johnston
Caufield – Suzuki – Anderson
Hoffman – Dvorak – Gallagher
R. Pitlick – Poehling – Armia
Pezzetta – Evans – Byron
Record: 0-0-0 GAA: – Sv%: – SO: – Alternate: Sam Montembeault
Game Expectations
The Islanders will have plenty of reasons to put forth their best effort tonight at the Bell Centre. Montreal born and Islanders legend Mike Bossy passed away this morning. Bossy was one of the greatest goal scorers of his time and will be honored in an emotional pre-game ceremony.
Bottom Line
Two of the lowest scoring teams in the NHL will go head to head in what is almost guaranteed to be a low scoring game.