Game 44: Canadiens vs Islanders

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (27-13-3) return home to host the Islanders (30-13-3) Saturday night at the Bell Centre. The game starts at 7:00 and airs on TVA and Sportsnet.

This is the second of three meetings between the Habs and Isles this season, and the only game they'll play in Montreal. The Canadiens beat the Islanders 3-1, thanks in large part to a 37-save performance from Carey Price. The Canadiens were out-shot 38-21 in that game, and 14-3 in the first period alone.

What to Watch

Max Pacioretty has scored seven goals in his last six games. There are only five Canadiens that have more than seven goals all season. Pacioretty is now seventh in the league in goals, and with 158 shots on the season, he's up to fifth in the league in that department.

The Islanders are coming off a 6-3 victory over the Penguins on Friday. Kyle Okposo tallied four goals in the victory including three straight in the third period to put Isles ahead for good in that game. The team's captain and leading scorer, John Tavares, had three assists Friday, giving him 42 points in 44 games this season.

What's at Stake

Saturday night, the Habs have a chance to prove themselves against the best team in the East (it's still hard to get used to that). The Isles are four points ahead of the Habs with the Canadiens holding a game in hand. There's still a lot of hockey left to play this season, but a win on Saturday will give Montreal a big boost heading into next week's All-Star break.

Who's Out

Carey Price is day-to-day with an upper body injury, most likely suffered when Pacioretty shoved Matt Calvert into him during Montreal's 3-2 win over Columbus on Wednesday. The injury likely isn't serious and Price will probably be back in action soon so there's no reason for Habs fans to panic, but don't let that stop you.

The Islanders are without Mikhail Grabovski (lower body), Lubomir Visnovsky (upper body), and Matt Carkner (back).

What Else

The Canadiens are still trying to find their groove in 2015. After wrapping up last year on a 7-1-0 run, they've been less successful in the new year, going 3-2-1 so far this month, and 1-2-1 in their last four games. With the Detroit Red Wings catching the Habs in the standings, and teams like the Bruins, Capitals and Rangers hot on their heels, the team will need to pick up their play to defend their spot in the conference.

The Question Mark

With Carey Price and Max Pacioretty leading the charge recently for Montreal, who else needs to improve their recent play the most to help the Habs to victory?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 to preview the Canadiens and the Islanders.

Posted in: carey price,john tavares,kyle okposo,max pacioretty