Game 47: Canadiens at Rangers

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (30-13-3) are in New York to face the Rangers (27-14-4) Thursday night at Madison Square Garden. The game starts at 7:00 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet East.

This is the third and final meeting between the Habs and Rangers this year. The Original Six rivals have split their two prior matches, with each team winning on home ice. Martin St. Louis had a goal and an assist the last time these teams met and Henrik Lundqvist posted 21 saves en route to a 5-0 shut out.

What to Watch

The Canadiens seem to have found their way with the man advantage after struggling for most of the season. The Habs have power play goals in four of their last five games, going 8-for-23 over that span. And if the power play is working, you can bet that so is Andrei Markov. The General leads the Canadiens with 15 power play points on the season. Markov has seven assists in his last five games.

After facing Tyler Seguin and the Stars on Tuesday, the Canadiens will need to deal with another elite scorer in Rick Nash when they play the Rangers on Thursday. Nash is second in the league in goals with 28 on the year, he's on pace to handily beat his career high of 41 goals.

What's at Stake

While the Habs still lead the Atlantic division in terms of points percentage, they're also still trailing the Lightning and Red Wings in actual points. The Wings have won six straight games to lay claim to top spot in the division, but they lead the Habs by just two points in the standings, with the Canadiens holding two games in hand.

Who's Out

P.A. Parenteau (concussion) is still out for the Canadiens and they've called up AHL standout Gabriel Dumont to fill in as a 13th forward. Dumont has played 15 career games with the Habs, but hasn't played with the big club yet this season.

The Rangers may be without Mats Zuccarello on Thursday, he missed Wednesday's practice due to illness.

What Else

The Carey Price for Hart talk is heating up at the midway point, and for good reason. No less than four articles came out this week suggesting Price as a serious Hart candidate, from The Globe and Mail, The Hockey News, Puck Daddy, and Habs Eyes on the Prize. While Price is not quite a runaway Vezina lock at this point, there's no doubt he'll be a nominee if his recent play continues.

Price heads into Thursday's action with a 25-10-2 record, a .929 save percentage and a 2.15 GAA, some of the best numbers he's posted in his career.

The Question Mark

The Canadiens have just traded for the best possible player on the market to meet their needs, who did they get?

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 Rangers.

Read More

Playoff Preview: Canadiens at Rangers (Round 3, Game 6)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens will still have their backs against the wall when the puck drops for Game 6 against the Rangers Thursday night in New York. The Habs still trail in the series 3 games to 2 after a big win in Montreal on Tuesday.

The Canadiens chased Henrik Lundqvist from the Ranger goal after he allowed 4 goals on 19 shots. New York did manage to draw the game even at 4 after that, but the Habs scored the next 3 to cruise to a 7-4 victory. Rene Bourque scored his first playoff  hat trick in Game 5 and Andrei Markov pitched in with 3 assists. Chris Kreider had a goal and 3 assists in the losing effort.

Game 6 starts at 8:00 on Thursday and can be seen on RDS and CBC.

What to Watch:

The Canadiens were able to assert their will offensively in Game 5 for the first time this series. Bourque's hat trick gave him 4 goals and 6 points against the Rangers, despite playing under 13 minutes per game on average. Max Pacioretty picked up a goal and an assist in Game 5, giving him 5 points and goals in each of Montreal's 3 elimination games these playoff.

Derek Stepan returned to the Ranger lineup on Tuesday after missing Game 4 with a broken jaw. Stepan picked up 2 goals in Game 5, extending his point streak to 6 games with 3 goals and 9 points in that span. With 13 points in the postseason, Stepan is tied with Martin St. Louis for most points on the Rangers. St. Louis was held pointless in Game 5 for the first time in this series.

What's at Stake:

The Canadiens survived their third elimination match of these playoffs on Tuesday but they must still win two more games against the Rangers starting Thursday night.

Also at stake is the potential return of Carey Price. Price has been ruled out for Game 6 but it looks like he might be ready for a return before the Stanley Cup is raised. For now, it's up to the rest of the team to stay alive until then.

Who's Out:

Price (knee) was joined on the sidelines by Alexei Emelin (undisclosed) in Game 5. Emelin was leading the team in blocked shots (44) and hits (52) before the puck dropped on Tuesday. Dale Weise was shaken up by John Moore and spent time in the dark room during Tuesday's game but returned in time to finish with his teammates.

The Rangers are missing J.T. Miller (upper body), while Derek Stepan (jaw) and Derick Brassard are playing through injuries. John Moore and Daniel Carcillo are both serving suspensions and won't return this series.

What Else:

With their win on Tuesday, the Canadiens are now having their most successful playoffs since their last Cup win in 1993. The Canadiens are up to 10 playoff wins so far this season, the only other time they've made the Conference Finals in the past 20 years they were beaten in 5 games by the Flyers. Aside from their run in 2010, the Canadiens have won 31 playoff games and just 4 other playoff series in the past 20 years.

The Question Mark:

Tell us what you think:

How do the Habs recreate Game 5's results on the road in Game 6?

Let us know by sending us your answers on Twitter using the #MTLHockey hashtag, or leave a comment below.

The Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show starts an hour before puck drop, join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter. And don’t miss the Post Game Show starting 5 minutes after the final siren.

Read More

Playoff Preview: Canadiens vs Rangers (Round 3, Game 5)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens are home to host the Rangers Tuesday night at the Bell Centre in a critical Game 5 with the Habs trailing 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Martin St. Louis pushed the Habs to the brink of elimination with his overtime winner a little over 6 minutes into the extra frame. The Rangers also got goals from Carl Hagelin and Derrick Brassard, who missed the previous two games, in the 3-2 win. Montreal went 1-for-8 on the power play and gave up a short handed goal.

The game starts at 8:00 and airs on CBC and RDS.

What to Watch:

The Canadiens haven't got much scoring in this series from their big threats up front. The team has only 5 goals in 4 games from their forwards and none have scored more than once. Tomas Plekanec and Brian Gionta have no goals on a combined 18 shots, Thomas Vanek has 4 shots and 1 assist in the series.

Carl Hagelin opened the scoring Sunday night with his sixth goal of the playoffs. St. Louis' game winner also gave him 6 goals, tops among the Rangers in the playoffs. New York's success however continues to hinge on the stellar play of Henrik Lundqvist, the playoff leader in GAA (1.98), Save Percentage (.931) and wins (11, tied with Jonathan Quick).

What's at Stake:

The Canadiens are once again in must-win territory after surviving two elimination games against the Bruins last series. The Rangers know what the Habs are going through, they came back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Penguins in the second round, which could make things even harder for Montreal.

Who's Out:

Carey Price (knee) is still out of action for Montreal, although he did find himself back on the ice in practice on Monday, albeit without his goalie equipment. Brandon Prust will serve the second game of his two-game suspension for his late hit to Derek Stepan.

Stepan (jaw) joined the Rangers in Montreal and could be ready to play on Tuesday. Daniel Carcillo remains out with a suspension.

What Else:

The Canadiens power play finally managed to solve the Rangers penalty kill on Sunday, but only once and on 8 chances. The good news for the Habs is that after a disastrous Game 1, they've only allowed 1 goal on 8 power play attempts to the Rangers in the next 3 games.

The Question Mark:

Tell us what you think, what's been the biggest positive for the Habs in these playoffs, where do they need the most improvement?

Let us know by sending us your answers on Twitter using the #MTLHockey hashtag, or leave a comment below.

The Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show starts an hour before puck drop, join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter. And don’t miss the Post Game Show starting 5 minutes after the final siren.

Read More

Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Rangers (Game #82)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens (45-28-8) play host to the Rangers (45-31-5) in their final regular season game of the 2013-2014 campaign. The game starts at 7:00 and airs on RDS and CBC.

This is the third and of course the final meeting between these two teams this season. So far, both games have ended in shutouts, Peter Budaj helped the Canadiens earn a 2-0 victory over the Blueshirts in late October, while Ranger back-up Cam Talbot picked up the shutout for New York in a 1-0 victory a couple of weeks later.

What to Watch:

Max Pacioretty is still looking for goal number 40 on the season, he's one goal away from being the first Canadien to reach the mark since Vincent Damphousse in 1994. The Canadiens are looking to get their power play back on track, the team hasn't scored with the man-advantage in 7 games, although Wednesday against the Blackhawks they didn't get a single power play opportunity.

With just 1 goal and 8 points in 19 games since joining the Rangers, Martin St. Louis hasn't made the smoothest transition, but the 38-year old does have 4 assists in his last 2 games. Despite leading the Rangers in goals, Rick Nash isn't haven't the best season of his career. Nash has 26 goals and 39 points in 64 games played, and could miss the 30 goal mark for the first time in a full season since 2006-07. Last year, Nash had 21 goals and 42 points in 44 games.

What's at Stake:

After a pair of defeats, the Canadiens have slipped back to third spot in the division, one point back on the Lightning. A win or an overtime loss against the Rangers will force the Lightning to earn points in their final game Sunday afternoon against the Capitals. Regardless of whether the Lightning win or lose on Sunday, a win will also give the Habs some positive momentum heading into the Playoffs and would give them just their second 100 point season since 1993.

Who's Out:

Lars Eller (illness) missed the last two games and is not expected to play on Saturday. Alex Galchenyuk (knee) won't be ready to play until at least the second round of the playoffs. Brandon Prust (upper body) and Travis Moen (concussion) are also out.

The Rangers are missing Chris Kreider (hand). Ryan McDonagh (shoulder) is day-to-day.

What Else:

The Canadiens announced the winners of their team awards on Friday and for a fourth straight season, Carey Price took home the Molson Cup honors as team MVP. Price has won the Canadiens Molson Cup 5 times in 7 seasons with the team. Brian Gionta was awarded the Jacques Beauchamps-Molson Trophy, awarded annually to the team's unsung hero. Brandon Prust won the award last year in his first season with the Canadiens. Brendan Gallagher finished just 2 points behind Gionta in this year's voting.

The Question Mark:

What was your favorite Habs moment or moments from this season?

Let us know what you think, leave us a comment or send us a tweet with the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Read More

Pregame Preview: Canadiens vs Lightning (Game #55)

Match Up:

The Canadiens (29-20-5) will hope to keep up their winning ways Saturday afternoon when they host the Lightning (31-18-5) at the Bell Centre. Saturday's matinee starts at 1:00 and can be seen on RDS and CBC.

This is the third of four meetings between the Habs and Bolts this year. So far, each team has managed a 2-1 shootout victory in their opponent's barn. Lars Eller scored the only shootout goal on December 28, the last time these teams faced off.

What to Watch:

Max Pacioretty scored his team best 23rd goal of the season against the Bruins on Thursday. Despite missing 9 games already this season, Pacioretty is well on pace to top his career high of 33 goals, set in the 2011-2012 campaign. With a pair of assists, Brendan Gallagher had his second consecutive 2-point night on Thursday, he picked up a goal and an assist against Carolina as well.

Laval native Martin St. Louis leads the Lightning in points with 53 in 54 games. St. Louis has picked up at least a point in 11 of his last 12 games, with 8 goals and 7 assists over that span. Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman is having a career season, with 11 goals and 34 points his already topped his previous career highs, and he's matched his career best assist mark with 23. Despite their outstanding performances this season, both St. Louis and Hedman were left off their respective Olympic rosters.

What's at Stake:

The Canadiens are looking to extend a 2-game win streak Saturday afternoon while the Lightning will be trying to put an end to their 2-game losing streak. Tampa Bay is just 4 points ahead of the Habs in the Atlantic division standings but perhaps more importantly, a win would vault the Canadiens ahead of the Maple Leafs prior to Toronto's 7:00 pm game against the Senators.

Who's Out:

The Habs are missing Alex Galchenyuk (hand) and Davis Drewiske (shoulder). Ryan White (upper body) has been taking part in practices and could be ready to play this weekend after missing most of January. Brandon Prust did not practice with the team Friday due to illness.

The Lightning had both their goalies suffer injuries Thursday night against the Senators. Ben Bishop was hit in the head by the skate of teammate Nikita Kucherov and left Thursday's game in the opening 2 minutes. To make matters worse, Anders Lindback may have sprained his ankle later that same came when ex-Lightning Cory Conacher collided with him. In response, the Bolts have called up Cedrick Desjardins and Kristers Gudelvskis from their AHL affiliate.

Valtteri Filppula was also injured in Thursday's game and could miss Saturday's tilt. And of course, Steven Stamkos is still recovering from a broken leg, but his return seems imminent.

What Else:

The Canadiens defense seems to have stabilized, giving up 1 goal in their last 2 outings after allowing  27 in their previous 6. They've dropped down to 9th overall in terms of goals allowed per game, one spot ahead of the Lightning. In 54 games, the Habs have allowed 132 goals to Tampa's 133. On the offensive side of the puck, the Bolts are outpacing the Habs with 154 goals for to Montreal's 132, which puts Tampa Bay 15 spots ahead of the Canadiens in goals per game.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you, after convincing wins against the Canes and Bruins how confident are you that the Habs can win at least one playoff round?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Be sure to tune into the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show an hour before the puck drop and the Post Game Show 5 minutes after the final siren. Join the live conversation by using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter.

Read More