Montreal Canadiens: Spotlight is on Michael McCarron against the Leafs
By Omar L
It’s a rivalry night for the Montreal Canadiens as they take on the Toronto Maple Leafs but also a reunion for former veteran Tomas Plekanec.
The Montreal Canadiens haven’t been expected to win many games in the final stretch of the season. However, the team has been able to put together some strong efforts despite coming out with the loss. Their two games against the Dallas Stars and Pittsburgh Penguins are two prime examples of that. Although the Habs only one of them, each had a lot of positives and reassurances for the future.
That being said, tonight’s game is different. The Toronto Maple Leafs are a team that always plays the Montreal Canadiens hard regardless of where either are in the standings. The have finally started to win games against the Habs, including the 6-0 thumping in November, but that only further fueled the rivalry.
There will be other sources of emotion in this game besides the animosity between both teams. Tomas Plekanec is playing a game against the Montreal Canadiens for the first time in his career. The long-time Habs centre hasn’t adjusted as quickly as the Leafs have hoped but is starting to come along in Toronto. You have to wonder how weird it will be for him to line up for a faceoff against his former teammates.
Additionally, Claude Julien confirmed after morning skate that Michael McCarron will be drawing into the lineup. The 23-year-old was called up from the Laval Rocket Wednesday night but sat out of the Penguins game. Julien didn’t say who was coming out in place of McCarron. However, one of Logan Shaw or Byron Froese make the most sense. Taking a random stab at it, L. Shaw may be the most likely candidate, and it could free up space for McCarron to kill penalties if the Habs find themselves shorthanded.
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Besides that, the lineup is expected to stay the same. Artturi Lehkonen is on an offensive tear with four goals in four games and Alex Galchenyuk, and Jonathan Drouin are continuing to take the Montreal Canadiens by the horns with their play. Something that isn’t talked about much is Jacob de La Rose and his role on the defensive side of the puck. He’s taken a step forward since Plekanec was traded making him a reliable shutdown option.
It’s going to take more than that to combat the speed and skill of their opponent. The Leafs have won their last three games as they continue to reach point totals that haven’t been seen in years. Regardless of the injuries to Frederik Andersen, Auston Matthews, and now Leo Komarov, Toronto is continuing to push through. James van Riemsdyk currently has the hot hand with five goals in his last two games and Mitch Marner‘s resurgence has been noteworthy as well.
Regardless of the makeup of the team, this game has all the signs of being a good one.
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What are you looking forward to in this game? How will McCarron fair in his first game with the Habs since October? Can Lehkonen continue to find the back of the net? Let us know in the comments below.