Game 37: Canadiens at Panthers

#MTLHockey Preview

 

Match Up

The Canadiens (23-11-2) are in Sunrise, Florida Tuesday night to face the Panthers (16-9-8). The puck drops at 7:30 and can be seen on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the first of five meetings between the Habs and Panthers this season, the teams will play twice more in Florida and twice in Montreal. The Habs and Cats split their four game series last season with each team picking up a 2-1 win in Montreal and a 4-1 win in Florida.

What to Watch

Carey Price continues to make his case as team MVP posting win number 20 on the season Monday in Carolina, but his 28-save performance the night before likely means it will be Dustin Tokarski between the pipes on Tuesday. Lars Eller and Jiri Sekac looked good on a line together in Carolina, they each scored for the Habs on Monday and finished the night plus-3 and plus-2 respectively.

Last year's top draft pick, Aaron Ekblad, is making a strong case for rookie-of-the-year considerations. He's third in rookie scoring with 19 points on the season and logs an average of 22 minutes per game. Only Nick Bjugstad has more points for the Panthers this year, with 20.

What's at Stake

The Panthers aren't nipping at the Habs' heels just yet, but they are making a strong push to reach the playoffs for just the second time since 2000. The Canadiens have eight more points than the Panthers, but the Cats have three games in hand on Montreal so a loss on Tuesday would mean that suddenly Florida is within striking distance of the Habs.

Former Habs assistant coach, Gerard Gallant, has impressed in his second stint as an NHL head coach, this is his first chance to face his former team this season.

Who's Out

The Canadiens go into their final game of 2014 with a healthy roster.
For the Panthers, off-season addition Shawn Thornton (groin) is the only player missing heading into Tuesday's game.

What Else

Despite a rough stretch at the end of November and carrying into the start of December where the team went 1-5-1, the Canadiens have quickly turned things around winning six of their last seven. The Habs look to end 2014 on a high note with another win and the chance to reclaim top spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Question Mark

What are your New Year's Resolutions for the Habs?

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 6:30 to preview the Canadiens and the Panthers.

Posted in: Aaron Ekblad,carey price,dustin tokarski,gerard gallant,Jiri Sekac,lars eller,Nick Bjugstad