Final predictions for the Montreal Canadiens ahead of Game 1
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens have another apparent uphill battle against the Philadelphia Flyers, but if they got through the Penguins, anything is possible.
The playoffs are here, and we’ve already seen the strangeness of 2020 dip its fingers into it. Day one saw the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning need five overtimes to finish their match – with the Lightning coming out on top – while the Boston Bruins got their winner over the Carolina Hurricanes after two extra periods. It makes you wonder what the Montreal Canadiens have coming for them as they get ready to start their series against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Every aspect of either team has been broken down to its core. The Philadelphia Flyers are one of the more well-rounded squads in the NHL this year as new coach Alain Vigneault straightened out their commitment to defence. That improvement helped young goaltender Carter Hart excel in a comfortable system and also allowed Brian Elliott to pick up starts along the way.
The Montreal Canadiens had all the odds stacked against them and fought to beat Pittsburgh. Carey Price was a big part of the victory, but it wasn’t the whole story as they dominated the ice at 5v5 towards the end of the series.
So what are our final predictions ahead of Game 1?
Sebastian: Of course the Flyers are the favourites, and for good reason, they’re a very good team. But Carey Price is Carey Price, and with him in the lineup, anything can happen. My rational side is screaming Flyers in 6, so I’ll have to go Habs in 7.
Must Read. Habs-Pens Player Report Cards. light
Omar: I’ll be honest and say that I was thoroughly shocked to see the Montreal Canadiens come out of the Stanley Cup Qualifier. Price and Jeff Petry‘s overtime winner opened the realm of possibility while the team’s performance made it a reality.
The Philadelphia Flyers do play a more secure system, and that allows Hart to be as good as he is. However, the Habs can make use of their tendencies, including their stretch and flip passes through the neutral zone, to their advantage. That said, I do expect more things from the Kulak-Petry pairing as well as new deserving first-line centre, Nick Suzuki.
It’ll be a fight every step of the way, but I think the Flyers take this in 6.
Elias Laradi: So I have the Habs in 6! I think Carey Price is playing at a level that’s hard to beat, and with a seven-game series, the team has time to wake up because there were a lot of passengers in the play-in round.
It won’t be easy against the hottest team in the league right now. They’ll need to play smart, disciplined fast hockey. Philly is a team that likes to work off the dump in, and they like to cycle the puck, so I think Montreal will be able to stop it.
Emmanuel: By the end of the Pens-Habs series, the Montreal Canadiens were the better team. In the last game, the Habs wore down the Penguins in the first period, outplayed them defensively and took a late lead in the third period to seal the deal. Carey Price completely shut them down by that point.
The entire team coming together is exactly what will be needed going up against the favoured to win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Like their last game against the Pens, there’s no room for error if the Habs want to come out on top of this. I think it will be a very tight series and one where the team’s youth will continue to make an impact but at the same time one where the Flyers roster will outplay the Canadiens.
Prediction: Flyers win series 4-2 (or Canadiens 4-3)
Next. Series between the Habs and Flyers lead to a Cup Final. dark
What are your predictions? Do the Montreal Canadiens have another upset in them, or are the Philadelphia Flyers too much to overcome?