Habs Ready to Wing It and Earn Carey Price his 43rd Win
By Mat Germain
GAME PREVIEW: RED WINGS VS HABS, WIN #43 FOR CAREY PRICE?
Don’t you wish you could fast forward through the last two games of the season and know for certain that no new injuries would come out of them and that all remaining team issues were sorted out and ready for the playoffs? This is a time of angst, excitement, and anticipation when the word “playoffs” becomes a regular part of fan vocabulary. As Detroit comes into town, let’s all hope the Habs get Carey Price his 43rd win of the season, that all of his team mates come out of it healthy, and that we get to see what kind of line arrangement Michel Therrien has in mind with Max Pacioretty out of the lineup.
With that in mind, let’s work through some of the issues to look for in tonight’s game and some thoughts about what this game means, or can mean to the Habs as they head into the playoffs:
Detroit will be a great test for the Habs and could either build their confidence, or crush it. They truly need to have some form of success in order to keep their mojo going in the right direction;
Thankfully, the Habs have had their way with Detroit so far this year and could secure a regular season sweep if they’re successful in getting Price his 43rd win;
As we all know, Mad Max is out and the lines will get juggled as a result. Look for what comes out of the first period and how the lines are set by the end of the third. That will be very telling in that what Therrien has set by the end of the game may very well be what we see the first game of the playoffs if Max continues to miss time;
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Look for Desharnais to centre Smith-Pelley and Parenteau, while Eller gains a more critical role as the centre for
Dale Weiseand Jacob De La Rose;
Jan 19, 2013; Montreal, QC, CAN; Montreal Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien behind forward Max Pacioretty (67) and David Desharnais (51) and Lars Eller (81) during the third period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
It will be interesting to see who the Habs have playing against the Wings top line tonight and how well they play. Max’s defensive play is something that the Habs will miss as well;
The stage is set, the Wings are ready to be roasted, and Michel Therrien will surely have a lot of questions to answer after the game. We’re hoping that most questions are positive in nature, and regardless, we’ll all be waiting for word – for many more days – about whether or not Max will play in the first playoff game. Either way, he’ll be learning on Carey Price to carry the team forward.
Here’s a recap of their game on Feb 15th, as a teaser of what we’re in store for tonight!
If you ask me, I think the Habs will come out firing on all cylinders, ready to get the win for Price and to prove to themselves, to Max, and to their fans that they can win without their top forward. Doing so would send a message to any first round opponent and set the tone for a good, long, and successful playoff run.
What do you think, will Carey Price earn his 43rd win tonight?
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