#MTLHockey Preview
Match Up
The
NHL leading Montreal Canadiens (13-4-1) take their show on the road
after a perfect four-game homestand that started with Guy Lapointe's Number
5 being lifted to the rafters. The Habs are in Detroit to face the Red
Wings (8-3-5) Sunday night at Joe Louis Arena. The game starts at 7:00
and airs on RDS and City.
This
is the second of four meetings between the Habs and Wings, and the
first in Detroit. The Canadiens were held without a goal for close to 57
minutes the first time these teams played, and then Alex Galchenyuk put the Habs on the board to tie the game and set up a David Desharnais overtime winner.
What to Watch
The Canadiens power play is back on track with three goals in three attempts on Saturday. P.A. Parenteau, David Desharnais and PK Subban each scored with the man advantage, giving the Canadiens a 3-0 lead, before the Flyers broke the ice. Sergei Gonchar picked up his first point in a Canadiens uniform, and then his second, collecting a pair of assists on the night.
The Wings are coming off a 4-1 win of the Blackhawks on Friday, Luke Glendening came up big with a goal and an assist, just his second and third points on the year. Henrik Zetterberg had an assist on Friday, bringing the team leader up to 17 points in 16 games on the year.
What's at Stake
With
the Habs on top of the standings, every win brings the team closer to
the Presidents' trophy and first seed in the Eastern Conference. The
team has won their last five straight, a season high and the longest
streak in the NHL right now.
Who's Out
Michael Bournival (shoulder) is still missing for the Canadiens. Dustin Tokarski is expected to get the start Sunday night, giving Carey Price a break after Saturday night's performance.
The Red Wings are without Jonas Gustavsson (shoulder) and Stephen Weiss (groin), but the injuries to their team's core have cleared up since the last time these teams met
What Else
After
being held without a power play goal for 10 games, the Habs have now
converted on four opportunities in a row. Since Gonchar's arrival, the
Canadiens are four for eight with the man advantage and have jumped up
to 23rd in the league at a 14% success rate.
The Question Mark
Now that the power play is fixed beyond a shadow of a doubt, what do the Habs need to work on next?
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 Sunday to preview the Canadiens and Red Wings.
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