The Montreal Canadiens will be welcoming a team who is primed to make a run at the Stanley Cup in the Nashville Predators to the Bell Centre.
It’s games like these that make you take out the measuring tape. The Nashville Predators surprised a lot of the league by making the Stanely Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. Fast forward eight months and the Preds are one of the favourites to win the whole thing. This game will be a good way to see how the Montreal Canadiens truly stack against the league’s best.
The Habs have managed to pull off some wins on top teams by defeating both the Tampa Bay Lightning and Washington Capitals. It’s nights like those that Claude Julien is probably trying to get Montreal to on a more consistent basis, but unfortunately, that’s been the main issue of this season. Now, the next challenge is Nashville.
The Preds are coming off a shootout and overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators respectively. Fortunately for them, they put the two points from those games in the bank tying them for first in the Central Division. Scoring depth, a mobile defence corps, and another solid season from Pekka Rinne has been responsible for that.
Both P.K. Subban and Roma Jossi are having Norris calibre seasons. Subban, in particular, is leading the Preds in scoring with 15 goals and 28 assists. Filip Forsberg is on top of the forward group in points with 38 in 39 games.
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It’ll be quite the test for Montreal who will have to hold back the overwhelming offence but find a way to penetrate the defence. Artturi Lehkonen has three goals in two games and could get things going for the Habs. Additionally, Brendan Gallagher is looking to score 20 goals for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
Special teams have been a rollercoaster for the Habs. The power play is still pretty hot as six have gone in on the man advantage in the last three games, but the penalty kill took a hit. Nashville’s PP is fifth in the league so giving them a lot of opportunities could end the game fairly quickly.
Regardless of where Montreal is in the standings, there’s going to be a lot of stock in this game. Subban is the elephant in the room, and he probably wants to have one of his best nights tonight. The Habs have to be ready for it and come together to keep him and the rest of the team at bay.