#MTLHockey Preview
Match Up
The Canadiens (4-1-0) welcome Patrick Roy and the Avalanche (1-3-1) to town Saturday night. The second home game of the season is set to start at 7:00 and will be broadcast on TVA-Sports, City and Altitude TV.This is the first of two games between the Habs and Avs this season. Last year each team won the match they hosted handily in the two-game season series. Thomas Vanek scored a hat trick in Montreal's 6-3 victory when the teams last met, and Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais each collected a pair of assists.
What to Watch
After four games without a power play goal, the Habs went 2-for-3 with the man advantage against the Bruins Thursday, although the second was scored into an empty net. Jiri Sekac lit the lamp in the home opener for his first career NHL goal. His parents and girlfriend were in the stands to cheer him on.
Jiri Sekac Sr. reacts to his sons first NHL goal
The Avalanche come to town with Daniel Briere, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Jarome Iginla, Ryan O'Reilly, Matt Duchene,
and one of the coldest offenses in the league. Colorado has only
managed to put up seven goals in five games and have already given up 17 goals
against.
What's at Stake
The Canadiens are off to a hot start and their 4-1-0 record has them on top of their division and in a tie with the New York ...wait for it... Islanders for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Avalanche come to town light on goaltending and the Habs will want to take advantage of that.Who's Out
Alexei Emelin returned to the line-up Thursday from the upper body injury that forced him to miss two games. Nathan Beaulieu and Dale Weise were the healthy scratches when the Habs played their home opener, it will be interesting to see whether they draw back in for Saturday's game.Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (groin) is already on injured reserve and now back-up Reto Berra (neck) is questionable for Saturday's game after leaving early in Colorado's 5-3 to the Senators on Thursday. This means that Calvin Pickard could get his first NHL start Saturday night. Jesse Winchester (concussion) is also missing for the Avs.
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