Montreal Canadiens Game Preview: Cue the Comeback
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens will try to get things back on track with the Buffalo Sabres coming to the Bell Center Saturday night.
Last game had to have been the unluckiest 60 minutes for the Montreal Canadiens. Both Jonathan Drouin and Shea Weber were out of the lineup with injuries, and the review process didn’t work out in the team’s favour. Montreal lost that game, but they can turn their luck around Saturday night against the Buffalo Sabres.
Things will be going back to normal with Drouin and Weber returning. The power play missed their presence, and no offence to Torrey Mitchell, he’s not fit to be a top line center on any team. Besides that, the only other lineup change will be Zachary Fucale as the backup. The 22-year-old was recalled from the Laval Rocket on Friday in place of Al Montoya. What fans may not have known is that the Habs had to place Carey Price on IR to make room for Fucale.
Again, the Montreal Canadiens have the benefit of catching a team in the second half of a back-to-back. The Sabres lost Friday night to the Flordia Panthers, but overall they haven’t been able to find any rhythm. Unfortunately for them, it seems like that’s what the standard is when it comes to Buffalo.
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This will also be Nathan Beaulieu‘s first game at the Bell Center since being traded. He told media that he would have a chip on his shoulder when playing the Habs, but we’ll see what does if he remains on the Sabres’ bottom pair. Another player Montreal will have to watch out for is Jason Pominville who usually as success in these games. The 34-year-old has six goals on the season, and two of them were in that first game against the Habs. Making sure he isn’t free on the ice to score should be key. There’s also Jack Eichel and Evander Kane to worry about, but that’s a given.
It may be bold to say, but these are the games the Montreal Canadiens need to win. The bad luck against Minnesota was one thing, but the Habs didn’t help themselves defensively when the Wild started to push in the third period. They need to make sure they don’t let up on this Sabres team. Just like Minnesota, they’re a desperate team in need of a win.
What are your predictions for the game? Let us know in the comments.