Montreal Canadiens: How to handle goaltending heading into the weekend
The Montreal Canadiens have another two games to win this weekend, and the likely sequence should see Carey Price get the Pittsburgh Penguins rematch.
The Montreal Canadiens have an important pair of games coming up against the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The first is a game against a team who is nowhere near being close to the playoff conversation while the second has one of the teams the Habs are directly competing with as their opponent.
Claude Julien recently ignored the ‘goaltenders can’t start back-to-back games in the NHL narrative this week as he gave Carey Price the nod in the New Jersey Devils and Detroit Red Wings matches. It may be frowned upon, but you have to love the message from Julien there. The Habs lost a boring one and needed a win to keep themselves in that wild-card spot and Price gives you the best chance every night to do that.
It also wasn’t the first time Julien’s done that as he gave Price both games between the Rangers and San Jose Sharks in December. However, with this particular weekend back-to-back approaching, Julien may want to make use of Antti Niemi in some regard.
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The backup hasn’t started a game since February 17th when he was pulled after allowing three goals on nine shots leading to an eventual 6-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. It’s been all Price since then.
Julien would be wise to give Niemi at least one of the two games. The worst position the Montreal Canadiens could be in is a place where Price is overworked ahead of the playoffs. The 31-year-old has experience playing a lot of games in succession, but with the updated pace of the NHL, keeping a starter at 60-65 games is ideal.
Though the important figure here is the number of games in a row Price has seen so far, that being six.
The Rangers are a team that is beatable but can’t be taken lightly. That said, they’ve traded away a decent amount of firepower at the deadline and the Montreal Canadiens shouldn’t have an issue taking them on if they play to their strengths. Give Niemi that game.
Pittsburgh, on the other hand, has to be Price. Of the two games, Saturday will easily be the hardest. The Habs took the night to the Penguins very early in the season but this is a different kind of match.
The Pens are currently in a playoff spot but not by much. Additionally, they’re in a dreaded position at the second wild-card which would result in a first-round series against Tampa. They’ll be pushing hard for that win and the Montreal Canadiens need everything they have to not falter.
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Julien may disagree though it makes the most sense to start Price in the more important game. Pittsburgh can directly affect where the Montreal Canadiens finish in the standings and if worst comes to worst that night and they need a big save, I’d rather have Price in net than Niemi.