This is the second of three games between these teams and the Penguins hold a 1-0 edge after blanking the Canadiens 6-0 at the Bell Centre on Nov. 18.
Article content
Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Penguins game at PPG Paints Arena Saturday (7 p.m., CBC, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN-690 Radio, 98.5 FM) .
Advertisement
Article content
The matchup: This is the second of three games between these teams and the Penguins hold a 1-0 edge after blanking the Canadiens 6-0 at the Bell Centre on Nov. 18. Both teams traveled to Pittsburgh after playing Friday night. The Canadiens had a lull in the second period again as they dropped a 4-1 decision to the Sabres in Buffalo. With the loss they dropped to 1-9-1 on the road and 5-15-2 overall. The Penguins ran their winning streak to five games and improved to 10-6-4 overall. They are tied in points with Columbus in the fight for the final playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division but the Blue Jackets have two games in hand.
The goalies: Jake Allen is expected to be back in goal after Sam Montembeault was on the losing end of a 4-1 count in Buffalo. Allen was coming back from a concussion when he began this road trip by giving up five goals to the Washington Capitals Wednesday . The Canadiens are hoping that an extra day of rest will benefit Allen. He has started 15 games and has a 4-9-1 recored with a 3.02 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage. The Penguins will probably stick with Tristan Jarry, who is coming off a 25-save shutout on Long Island. He has been even busier than Allen, starting 17 of Pittsburgh’s 20 games and posting a 1.91 GAA and a .936 save percentage.
Advertisement
Article content
Shutdown line is shut down: The Canadiens’ third line with Nick Evans at centre, Artturi Lehkonen and Brendan Gallagher was on the ice for three goals for the second consecutive game which is not a good sign because this is supposed to be the line shutting down the other team’s top line. This was also the end of a modest two-game scoring streak for Lehkonen who had a goal and an assist in each of the previous two games. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, Lehkonen had a team-high five shots on goal. And on a rare night when the Canadiens won 51 per cent of the faceoffs, Evans won only six of his 17 draws for a success rate of 35 per cent.
Where’s Eddy? For the second time this season, Dominique Ducharme dressed seven defencemen but Joel Edmundson wasn’t one of them. Edmundson, who hasn’t played a game this season, is on the trip and is practicing with the team but hasn’t been cleared for contact. The latest word is he might play next week. Using seven defencemen gives Ducharme a chance to evaluate players who will be on the bubble when Edmundson and Brett Kulak are healthy. Sami Niku made a good impression when he blocked five shots while Mattias Norlinder didn’t do much. In three appearances, he hasn’t been on the ice for an opposition goal but he also hasn’t registered a hit or blocked a shot and has one shot on goal.
Advertisement
Article content
Crosby on the board: Sidney Crosby picked up an assist Friday. It was only the third point in eight games for for the superstar who missed the first 12 games following wrist surgery and a bout of COVID. The Canadiens get a bit of break because Crosby is still rounding into shape and Pittsburgh is missing its other superstar, Evgeni Malkin. He underwent knee surgery in the off-season and only resumed skating last week. The Penguins need the two to be at full strength to help a power play which currently ranks 30th in the NHL.
phickey@postmedia.com
twitter,com/zababes1
Canadiens at Penguins: Five things you should know - Montreal Gazette
Read More
No comments:
Post a Comment