Game 17 - Canadiens vs Bruins

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (11-4-1) play host to the rival Boston Bruins (10-7-0) Thursday night at the Bell Centre. The game is set to start at 7:30 and airs on RDS and Sportsnet360.

This is the second of four meetings between the Habs and Bruins this year, and already the final one in Montreal. The Bruins were in town for the Canadiens' home opener on October 16, a game the Habs won 6-4. Brendan Gallagher led the way for the Habs offensively with two goals, including the game winner, and an assist. Max Pacioretty also tallied three points on the night.

What to Watch

Lars Eller had another strong game against the Jets on Tuesday, scoring the game winning goal for the second straight game. Jiri Sekac picked up his third point in two games with an assist on Eller's goal.

Carey Price posted his first shutout of the season against the Jets, stopping all 29 shots directed his way. In his last two games, Price has given up just one goal on 60 shots after giving up 13 goals in three straight losses.

The Bruins are dealing with injuries to key pieces in David Krejci and Zdeno Chara but can still rely on the services of last year's Selke winner, Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron has points in his last five games with two goals and five assists over that span.

What's at Stake

The Habs will look to extend their three game win streak and keep their spot near the top of the Eastern Conference and the league. Boston is now three points back of the Canadiens and has been keeping pace admirably despite losing their captain for an extended period. A win on Thursday would help add some separation between the Habs and their rivals.

Who's Out

Rene Bourque was sent to Hamilton earlier in the week and now Travis Moen has been traded to Dallas in exchange for Sergei Gonchar. Michael Bournival (shoulder) is out as well. All this lineup shuffling allowed Drayson Bowman to play his first game as a Canadien on Tuesday.

As mentioned, the Bruins are missing David Krejci (lower body) and Zdeno Chara (knee). They were also without Kevan Miller (upper body) when they faced the Maple Leafs Wednesday night, but he is traveling with the team.

What Else

The Canadiens power play has now gone a full eight consecutive games without converting an opportunity. Their last power play goal came against the Avalanche on October 18.

The good news is that two of Montreal's three power play markers came against the Bruins when they last met. Max Pacioretty opened the scoring with a goal on the man advantage and P.A. Parenteau ended the night with another power play goal into an empty net.

The Question Mark

What type of impact do you expect Sergei Gonchar to have for the Habs while he's with the team?

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 Habs and Bruins.

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Game 5 - Canadiens vs Bruins

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

After a week on the road, the Canadiens (3-1-0) will finally play their home opener Thursday night when they host the Bruins (2-3-0). The game is set to start at 7:30 and the Habs' home opener will be shown on RDS, Sportsnet 360, NESN and NHLNetwork-US.

This is the first of four matches between the Canadiens and Bruins. They Habs won three of four meetings during the regular season last year and beat the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs, winning Game 7 in Boston. At the end of the series, Milan Lucic had a few choice words for Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin.

Where we left off

 

What to Watch

The Canadiens have yet to score their first power play goal of the season and not that's it been for a lack of opportunity. The team has managed just 13 power play shots while going 0-for-14 with the man advantage.

Carey Price has had a slow start to the year despite a 2-1-0 record. He's given up three goals or more in each of his first three starts, including four in two periods on Monday against the Lightning.

While the Canadiens have struggled to score on the power play, the Bruins have struggled scoring altogether with just six goals in five games. Reilly Smith has two goals playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, he's the team's only multiple goal scorer. The Bruins responded to their lethargic start by signing Simon Gagne to a one-year deal worth $600,000.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens were handed their first loss of the season by the team they knocked out of the first round of the Playoffs last spring, they'll be trying to avoid losing their second game to their second round victims.

It feels a bit strange that the Habs have not yet played a home game with the season more than a week old, but the 2014-2015 Montreal Canadiens will be greeting their faithful for the first time on Thursday.

Who's Out

Marc Bergevin sent Michael Bournival down to the Bulldogs prior to the weekend, but indicated he'd be brought back to the team before next week. Alexei Emelin has missed the last two games with an upper body injury, but could be ready for action on Thursday.

The Bruins are missing Gregory Campbell (upper body), he has yet to play a game for the Bruins this season.

What Else

On Monday, Tomas Plekanec was named the NHL's First Star of the week for the first week of the season, it was the first time of his career he was named to the three stars of the week. Last season, Lars Eller was the league's Second Star in the first week of play. Only Carey Price earned First Star of the week honors among Canadiens players last year. Max Pacioretty earned Second and Third Star nods during the season.

The Question Mark

With the way these two teams ended last season, how should Michel Therrien set his line-up for Thursday's game?

Tonight's Show

Join myself, Rob Elbaz, along with Kosta Papoulias and Corey Collard for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30. Jimmy Murphy from Sirius XM and Web Sports Media's Top Shelf Radio will join us to break down the game from the Bruins perspective.

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Playoff Preview: Canadiens vs Bruins (Round 2, Game 4)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens - Bruins series stays in Montreal for Game 4 Thursday night. The Habs took a 2-1 series lead with a 4-2 win at the Bell Centre on Tuesday. Game 4 is set to start at 7:30 and airs on RDS and CBC.

The Canadiens went up by as many as 3 goals in Game 3, and for the first time this series, they didn't give up their third period lead to the Bruins, hanging on for a 4-2 win. Dale Weise picked up his second game winning goal in these playoffs while Daniel Briere picked up his third assist on a game winning goal.

What to Watch:

PK Subban has racked up 6 points in 3 games versus the Bruins and 10 points career playoff points against the Bruins in 10 games. Lars Eller's strong playoffs continued with an assist and an empty net goal in Game 3 after being held pointless the game before for the first time this postseason. Eller is up to 3 goals and 5 assists in 7 games.

Milan Lucic comes into Thursday's match on a 5-game point streak, he has 3 goals and 3 assists in that span. Patrice Bergeron extended his point streak to 7 games with a goal on Tuesday, his 9 points put him 8th in playoff scoring.

What's at Stake:

The Canadiens are 3-and-0 in home playoff games so far. They'll need another win on Bell Centre ice Thursday to hold onto home ice advantage. While a win for the Bruins would tie the series at 2, it would shift the advantage back to them as the series returns to Boston on Saturday.

Who's Out:

Alex Galchenyuk (knee) is still out for the Canadiens. Brandon Prust missed Game 3 although if he is injured, he's played through the injury for 6 games already in these playoffs.

The Bruins are still missing Dennis Seidenberg (lower body), Adam McQuaid (ankle) and Chris Kelly (back).

What Else:

Goal celebrations have been a hot storyline in this series. It started in Game 1 with Milan Lucic and Torey Krug celebrating a third period goal by beating their chest and the Bruins logo on it. Dale Weise answered the celebration back on Bell Centre ice after his breakaway goal put the Canadiens ahead 3-0 in Game 3. Meanwhile PK Subban's celebration for his out-of-the-box breakaway goal has been replayed almost as often as the goal itself.

The Question Mark:

How do expect the Bruins to react in Game 4 and how will that affect the Habs' game-plan?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet using the #MTLHockey hashtag on Twitter. Tune in to the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show to hear the answers.

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.

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Playoff Preview: Canadiens vs Bruins (Round 2, Game 3)

Match Up:

The Canadiens welcome the Bruins to the Bell Centre Tuesday night when they host just their third home game of the playoffs, the fewest of any team still fighting for the Cup. The game starts at 7:00 and will air on RDS and CBC.

The series is tied 1-1 after the Bruins once again overcame a 2-goal deficit in the third period Saturday afternoon. This time around the Bruins were able to complete their comeback when Riley Smith beat Carey Price with a wrist shot after receiving a cross-ice pass from Torey Krug. An empty-net goal from Milan Lucic pushed the final score to 5-3.Zdeno Chara had 1 assist in Game 2 and finished the match with a plus-5 rating.

What to Watch:

For the second straight game, the Canadiens tallied a pair of power play goals on Saturday, both were Thomas Vanek deflections of PK Subban shots. The Habs are 4-for-9 with the man advantage in 2 games against the Bruins after going 2-for-13 against the Lightning in Round 1. On the penalty kill side of special teams the Habs have not only shut down the Bruins through 2 games (thanks largely to some stellar play from Carey Price), they've also been well-disciplined. The Canadiens have allowed just 12 power plays against in 6 games, less than any other team so far this postseason.

The Bruins were shut out in their first playoff game this year, a 1-0 loss to the Wings, but Patrice Bergeron has found the scoresheet in every game since. Bergeron has 2 goals and 6 assists in his last 6 games, picking up a helper in each. Brad Marchand was held pointless in the opening round but has 4 assists already in 2 games against the Canadiens.

What's at Stake:

By splitting the first two games in Boston, the Canadiens return to Montreal with home ice advantage but they'll need to win the next 2 games to keep it. Both teams will be looking to improve after the opening two games, the Bruins found themselves trailing by a pair in the third period of each game while the Habs were unable to hold onto those 2-goal leads despite stellar goaltending.

Who's Out:

Alex Galchenyuk (knee) has started skating on his own but does not seem close to a return. Rene Bourque (flu) missed Monday's practice, there's been no word yet on whether he's expected to miss Tuesday's game.

Michel Therrien will have some choices to make in terms of healthy scratches for Game 3. On defense, Douglas Murray skated in Francis Bouillon's spot during Monday's practice. Meanwhile Travis Moen was scratched in Game 2 after playing his first game since returning from injury in Game 1, and Ryan White has yet to play in the playoffs, both were on the fourth line in practice. Brandon Prust was skating as an extra forward in the latest practice, there's speculation that he's been playing injured throughout the playoffs.

The Bruins are still missing Dennis Seidenberg (lower body), Chris Kelly (back) and Adam McQuaid (ankle).

What Else:

After getting called for icing a stunning 12 times in Game 1, the Canadiens improved dramatically in Game 2 icing the puck just 3 times. For their part, the Bruins have hardly had trouble in that department, they've iced the puck just 5 times in two games against the Habs. The Canadiens will  want to avoid defensive zone faceoffs as much as possible, they've been out-dueled at the dot 88 to 68 so far in the series. That's a mere 43.6% success rate for Montreal.

The Question Mark:

We want to hear from you: Has this Habs-Bruins series lived up to your expectations so far or has there been something missing?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet 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.

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Playoff Preview: Canadiens at Bruins (Round 2, Game 2)

 
Match Up:

The Canadiens and the Bruins face-off in Boston Saturday afternoon for Game 2 of the second round. The game starts at 12:30 and airs on RDS and CBC.

The Habs went up 1-0 in theseries with a 4-3 double overtime win thanks to PK Subban's second goals of the night. The Bruins out-shot the Canadiens 51-33, including a 15-10 advantage in overtime, but they weren't able to beat Carey Price until the third period after the Habs went up 2-0.

What to Watch:

Rene Bourque continued to be the Habs most dangerous forward in this postseason. Bourque tallied a goal and an assist bringing him up to 5 points in 5 playoff games this year. PK Subban scored his first 2 goals of these playoffs bringing his points total to 7.

Torey Krug scored his second goal of the playoffs and Patrice Bergeron picked up an assist keeping them at the top of the Bruins scoring leaders with 6 points apiece. The Bruins laid 56 hits on the Habs in Game 1, led by Kevan Miller and Johnny Boychuk who had 7 each.

What's at Stake:

If the Canadiens were looking to return to Montreal with at least a split in Boston, they've already accomplished that mission, but the Bruins did drop Game 1 to the Red Wings before winning the next 4. The Habs will be trying to keep alive the 5-game win streak they're on to start the playoffs, a 6-game streak stretching back to the regular season.

Who's Out:

Aside from Alex Galchenyuk (knee) the Habs are healthy heading into Game 2. Michael Bournival was a healthy scratch in Game 1 to make space for Travis Moen who returned from a concussion he suffered the last time the Habs and Bruins met.

The Bruins are missing Dennis Seidenberg (lower body), Adam McQuaid (quadriceps) and Chris Kelly (back).

What Else:

Tuukka Rask's struggles against the Canadiens continued Thursday night, the Vezina-nominated goalie lost his 14th game in 17 starts against the Habs. Thursday was the first time Rask faced the Habs in the playoffs. Carey Price picked up his 21st career win against the Bruins, but just his 4th in 12 playoff starts.

The Question Mark:

Are there any lineup changes you'd like to see for the Habs heading into Game 2 or should Michel Therrien stand pat?

Let us know what you think, leave a comment or send us a tweet 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.

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Habs lose, Post game, Ference, Ryder, Price, Thomas and more...

Post game: Bruins 5 - Habs 4 (OT) - Series Tied 2-2

HabsAddict.com - Canadiens-Bruins: Boston Caps Overtime Comeback, Ties Series at Two
http://www.habsaddict.com/2011/04/canadiens-bruins-boston-caps-overtime.html

Hockey Inside/Out - Quick Hits
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/boone/quick-hits-15

About last night...
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/boone/about-last-night-15

RDS - Retour à la case départ
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318512.html

Le vent a tourné en faveur des Bruins
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318574.html

Doigt d'honneur:Ference s'excuse, mais
http://www.rds.ca/canadien/chroniques/318567.html

TSN - RYDER'S OT GOAL PULLS BRUINS INTO SERIES TIE WITH CANADIENS
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363170

Boston Globe - Ference could pay a big price for gesture
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2011/04/22/ference_could_pay_a_big_price_for_gesture/

No lead was safe in this one
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2011/04/22/no_lead_was_safe_in_this_one/

Michael Ryder's OT score helps Bruins nip Canadiens
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/recap?gameId=310421010

HW 3 Stars: Habs unable to Bear-y their chances
http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2466


News
THN.com - Proteau: Focused Capitals poised for deep playoff run
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/39933-Proteau-Focused-Capitals-poised-for-deep-playoff-run.html

Prospect Watch: Max Domi shines at NCAA showcase
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/39932-Prospect-Watch-Max-Domi-shines-at-NCAA-showcase.html

NHL Playoff Recap: Bruins pull even with Canadiens in overtime win; Canucks collapse on home ice
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/39953-NHL-Playoff-Recap-Bruins-pull-even-with-Canadiens-in-overtime-win-Canucks-collapse-on-home-ice.html

Spector's Hockey - Latest Coyotes Rumors – April 22, 2011
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/?p=3810

Kaberle Days with Bruins Numbered?
http://spectorshockey.net/wordpress/?p=3812

(Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens Playoff Primer: Series on the line in Habs, Bruins Game 4 Clash?

by Kamal Panesar

The Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins get back to action tonight in Game 4 of their first round playoff series.

Through three games, both teams have shown that their score-first-then-shut-it-down-defensively scheme is the path to victory. Montreal employed this strategy in Games 1 and 2 in Boston while the Bruins returned the favour, Monday night, for Game 3 in Montreal.

So after a two-day break in play, the teams will jump back on the ice tonight at the Bell Centre in perhaps the most critical game for either team this season.


Carpe Diem

With the Canadiens holding a 2-1 series lead and having stolen home-ice advantage away from the Bruins, they do not, under any circumstances, want to go back to Boston tied at two games apiece.

Montreal worked hard to earn two road victories in Games 1 and 2, and they know they missed an opportunity to put the Bruins on the mat Monday night. That being said, the Habs are still in the driver's seat and have enough veteran leadership that a loss tonight would not necessarily spell the end.

Players like Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez, Hal Gill, Brent Sopel and Travis Moen all have Stanley Cup rings and have seen enough playoff situations that win or lose, they'll keep the boat afloat.

That being said, going back to Boston tied at two when the Habs have the opportunity to take a stranglehold tonight would be playing with fire. The Bruins are already talking like a team with renewed confidence and a 2-2 series might just give them the edge to bury Montreal.

And the Habs know it.

As such, they need to play the way they did in the final 30 minutes of Game 3, using their speed and skill to bury the Bruins. Carey Price needs to continue with his excellent goaltending and Montreal has to get their power play rolling.


Not so special teams

Let's be honest here, penalty kill aside, neither team has been setting the world on fire in the special teams department. Montreal, who finished the season with the seventh overall PP, has scored only once on 11 opportunities.

Boston has also struggled with the extra man, being blanked in all 11 PP chances. As such, they have put a lot of work into fixing their power play over the last few days, shifting up their first and second units in the hopes of finding a spark.

Bad penalties by both teams have been a big part of this series and at some point it has to catch up to them. For some reason, I get a feeling that tonight will be the night that the PP decides the game.


Roster changes

Speaking of bad penalties, perennially-bad-penalty-taking Benoit Pouliot, will be a healthy scratch tonight for Montreal. Pouliot, who has been in and out of Jacques Martin's doghouse all season, took a foolish charging penalty in Game 3, after which he was benched for the entire third.

Martin, who has clearly lost patience with Pouliot, will be inserting Jeff Halpern back into the lineup in his place. Halpern has been on the sidelines since March and was practicing on a line with Lars Eller at center and Travis Moen on the wing.

Halpern was one of Montreal's best penalty killers this season and his experience is sure to make the bottom-six that much stronger.

For Boston, Chris Kelly was being evaluated for what appears to be a fractured cheek bone, suffered when he was pushed into the net by Scott Gomez in Game 3. Kelly is scheduled to play regardless, likely with a face shield.

The other change for Boston comes on the power play, where Nathan Horton will be pulled off the first power play unit and replaced by Patrice Bergeron.


Intangibles

In a lot of ways this game comes down to desperation and which team has more of it. While Montreal needs two more victories to win the series, the Bruins know that a loss tonight will be like a death sentence. As such, they are sure to play with the desperation of a team on the brink of elimination.

Boston needs this win and they know it. Moreover, they know that they have a huge opportunity to turn the series around tonight.

For the Habs, they similarly know how important a win tonight will be. There is a huge difference between going back to Boston for Game 5 tied 2-2 versus up 3-1. The knock after last game, was that Montreal was nonchalant during the morning skate prior to Game 3. The team wasn't focused enough and perhaps thought the rest of the road would be easy.

As I discussed yesterday, the hope is that Montreal learned their lesson and will come back even more focused on victory. It is because of that fact that I think we are in for one hell of a game tonight.

The table has been set, the pieces are in place and both teams know exactly what they have to do. Now it comes down to who wants it more.

Game time is 7:00 PM.

---
Kamal is a freelance Habs writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com, Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com and Habs writer on TheFranchise.ca. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny on The Team 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 8 - 9 AM. Listen live at http://www.team990.com/

Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter

(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)

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Canadiens - Bruins: Carey Price Has Rough Outing in Boston's Wins 4-2

Montreal, QC—OK, everyone, repeat after me: It's only the preseason.

Nothing that you saw in last night's 4-2 Bruins victory of the Habs in Montreal means very much. In a lineup that included Jarred Tinordi, Aaron Palushaj, Louis Leblanc, Gabriel Dumont, and Frederic St. Denis, a loss doesn't really mean that much.

So while many were lamenting the loss, we have to remember that this kind of game is exactly what the preseason is all about: Practice. Refinement. Testing. Getting into game shape.

The game bore no effect on any potential standings and is, in reality, just a way to showcase the young players while getting the veterans ready for the regular season.

So take some deep breaths folks. A preseason loss is nothing to get worked up about.

Boston Scorers: Nathan Horton, Johnny Boychuk, Patrice Bergeron (2).
Habs Scorers: Maxim Lapierre, Tomas Plekanec
Final Score: Bruins 4 - Habs 2


Game Notes
1. Carey Price had a tough night.

While Tuuka Rask was busy putting on a clinic in the Bruins net—he stopped 36 of 38 shots on the night—Price let in three goals on his first five shots against.

While he would ultimately surrender another goal early in the second, shorthanded, Price could scarcely be blamed for the loss.

There is no question that Price would like to have the first goal by Horton back—a low wrister over his left pad—he was essentially hung out to dry on the other three.

Broken defensive coverage, bad turnovers, screens and deflections were what Price had to contend with all evening. Not to mention that there was no real semblance of a system being played. In fact, it looked like a bit of a free-for-all.

So while there were some boneheads who started booing Price, there is no way that this loss could be hung around his neck.


2. Palushaj is fast.

Playing on a line with Michael Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec, Palushaj's incredible speed was on display all night as he danced through, around, and past the Bruins' defenders.

He didn't seem a bit intimidated by the NHL competition and was always going toward the net. The knock on Palushaj is that he might not have the hands to be a top-6 player.

While he didn't score last night, he did have a lot of opportunities. I think a year—or less—in Hamilton should help determine what kind of player he will become. But suffice it to say, that he should become an important player for the Habs down the road.


3. Leblanc is going to be real good.

Like Palushaj, Leblanc was not at all intimidated by the Bruins as his incredible hands and foot speed were on display.

Also on display was his nose for the net as Leblanc was constantly buzzing around the Bruins goaltender.

He did get bodied off of the puck a few times but that is to be expected from a six-foot, 175-pound 19-year old. Once he packs on a good 15 to 20 pounds of muscle, he should end up developing into a top-end NHL player.


4. Andrew Conboy made his mark.

Conboy is a rough and tumble type of player whose role on any given team is pretty evident: abuse and intimidate the opposition.

Last night was no different as Conboy made himself seen by constantly being in the oppositions face. Whether it was smashing a player behind the net, tussling after the whistle, fighting with Adam McQuaid—a fight which Conboy lost badly—or going to the net to create havoc, Conboy was effective in his role last night.

With a shortage of tough fighting-type players in the Habs lineup, Conboy represents a good option if ever Jacques Martin wants to add more toughness to his bottom six this season.


Next Game
The Canadiens are back to practice today as their 'B' squad—consisting of players such as Scott Gomez, Brian Gionta, Lars Eller, and P.K. Subban—prepare to take on the Ottawa Senators tomorrow night at the Bell Centre.

Eller is currently penciled in on a line with Gomez and Gionta and it will be interesting to see how he fits in.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: fans are going to love Eller and realize why he was the keystone in the trade that sent Jaroslav Halak to the St. Louis Blues.

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