The Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings have been in similar boats for the majority of the season, but this game could be one of their best.
It’ll be hard to predict how this game will go for the Montreal Canadiens. Regardless of where they are in the standings, the team still has a desire to win. As Brendan Gallagher mentioned in the pre-game scrums, when you’re not winning, you leave the rink with a sour feeling.
The Habs could either get rid of those feelings and defeat the Detroit Red Wings or drop another game and better their position in the draft lottery. Hard to decide which is best isn’t it?
After shutting out the Buffalo Sabres 3-0, the Montreal Canadiens ran into a hot Washington Capitals team. Alex Galchenyuk opened the scoring for Montreal with a precise backhand past Phillipp Grubauer for his 17th of the season tying his total from last year. Charles Hudon also had a strong performance with two goals of his own, but the Capitals took the game over despite the Habs best efforts. It also didn’t help that Jakub Jerabek scored his first with his new team which was just a clump of salt to add to the wound.
Carey Price also had a couple of blunders that night allowing Washington to come away with the two points. Fortunately, Price will be getting the chance to respond from it as he’s confirmed to start. The Habs have had their fair share of losing streaks this season, and they’ll be looking to make sure this doesn’t turn into another one.
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The Red Wings have had an even worse time than the Habs if you could believe it. A 5-4 shutout win against the Philadelphia Flyers broke a season-high ten-game losing streak. However, losses against the Capitals and Leafs have put them back in a similar slump. Detroit had a strong effort in Toronto on Saturday night taking the play to their opponents bouncing back from a 1-0 deficit in the first.
Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Frans Nielsen did their best to keep the Red Wings on top, but they fell victim to a third-period push. Do you see what I meant earlier by saying this will be a hard game to predict?
Right now, the edge has to go to the Montreal Canadiens. Detroit was on the receiving end of two offensive shellings at the hands of the Habs back in November. Brendan Gallagher enjoyed his time then as he had three goals in those two games, while Paul Byron had his first career hat-trick in the second. Those nights will also bring back some nice memories for Jacob de La Rose who scored his first of the season in the first half of the home-and-home.
Based on the lines at morning skate, it looks like the only change to the lineup will be on the fourth line. Byron Froese was set up on Michael McCarron‘s right leaving Daniel Carr as the sole healthy scratch as far as forwards go.
Larkin and Anthony Mantha will be the duo to track on Detroit. The 21-year-old has responded well to the challenges that come with playing centre and is currently leading the team in scoring with 12 goals and 42 assists. Most of those helpers have come off of Mantha goals who has 23 on the season. You also can’t discount Henrik Zetterberg who is still putting up points despite his age.
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The veteran mentioned how the Habs embarrassed them earlier, so you can bet they’ll be fighting hard to get this win. It may not only be the chance at redemption that sparks them but also the fifth career start that will come Jared Coreau‘s way.
It’ll be interesting to see how this game turns out considering the number of moral victories that could come with it.