Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Game 35 - Canadiens at Islanders

9:06 AM  Unknown  9 comments

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Match Up

The Canadiens (21-11-2) are in New York to take on the surprising Islanders (23-10-0) Tuesday night at the Nassau Coliseum. The game is set to start at 7:00 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the first of three meetings between the Habs and Isles this year, and the first of two in Long Island. Last season the Canadiens took two of three from the Islanders including a 21-save shutout performance by Carey Price to help the Habs to a 1-0 overtime victory last December.

What to Watch

The new top line of Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher and Max Pacioretty have combined for seven goals in the last five games and look like they're here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. With six points in his last three games and 24 points on the season, Galchenyuk has moved into second on the team in scoring.

The salary cap losses of others has been the Islanders' gain this season, the team was able to bolster their defense by adding Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk to the roster without giving up much in return. Boychuk leads the Isles in ice time per game, making him an integral part of the team's success so far this season.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens have a chance to catch the Islanders in the Eastern Conference standings with a regulation win on Tuesday, but more importantly, they can help solidify their spot at the top of the Atlantic Division.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are healthy again heading in to Tuesday's action, so it will be interesting to see who Michel Therrien dresses. Sven Andrighetto and Nathan Beaulieu both held down starting positions on Saturday and could dress again on Tuesday.

The Islanders are missing Michael Grabner (lower body) and Matt Carkner (back).

What Else

Last season the Habs finished the year 17th in face-off percentage, with a 49.6% success rate. The Predators led the league with a 53.1% efficiency. With the addition of Manny Malhotra this season, the Habs have jumped all the way to first winning 55.4% of their face-offs so far. At 62.4%, Malhotra leads the league in face-offs, winning over four percent more of his draws than Martin Hanzal or Patrice Bergeron in second and third place.

The Question Mark

It's almost Christmas and the Canadiens have a share of the division lead; say something nice about Michel Therrien.

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.

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9 comments:

Montreal is 13-4-1 at home and only 8=7=1 on the road, and Pacioretty has only 3 road goals this year, Unless some toughness and leadership are acquired before the traade deasdline, this team is a plaoff pretender.

Right on the money with that comment, Pleks and Desharnais are soft losers.

Wow sounds like two leaf fans maybe à Bruin fan losers . Oh and pleky and deharnies are losers who are obviously winning meat heads

Montreal hasnt won the Cup in 21 years, and about Pleks, did you know that Bergevin shopped him around this summer and there we no takers,

If the Habs fowards are so good, how come they couldnt even score a goal vs the Rangers in last years deciding game?? Also, when was the last time a Habs foward was a top 10 scorer in the league, right now your best foward is ranked almost 40th.

Mr Timmins, I hope you are watching Anthony Duclair flying out there for Team Canada tonight at the Junior Championships, you had like 5 or 6 chances to draft him in 2013 and messed up once again.

To the Anonymous commentor above calling another poster an Idiot, why is it that when Montreal fans get called out with the truth, the insults begin, just because some of us arent on Habsfans.com yanking Duanes Patooty like you doesnt mean they cant differ from your opinions.

Did you know the Canadiens are the 5th Oldest team in the NHL??

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