Habs Game 8 Preview: Canadiens vs Coyotes
The Montreal Canadiens will welcome the struggling Phoenix Coyotes for their 1st and only meeting this season at the Bell Center tonight. The Coyotes have lost 3 of their last 4 games, but have been competitive with 2 of those losses in overtime. Phoenix will be without the services of Shane Doan, who is still serving his 3 game suspension for his hit on Dan Sexton of the Anaheim Ducks. The Canadiens have a huge lead in the all time season series, going 40-12-9, including a 26-3-2 record at home.
The Skinny on the Canadiens
The Line of Kostitsyn - Plekanec - Cammalleri have been hot with 4 goals and 5 assists in their last 3 games, which includes being shut out 3-0 against the New Jersey Devils
The Line of Gionta - Gomez - "Somebody Please Step Up" has not been as successful, with Captain Gionta going pointless in his last 2 games, and Gomez getting one assist in his last 3 games.
Jacques Martin is not expected to make any lineup changes, which means that Dustin Boyd and Ryan O'Byrne are expected to be watching this game from the doghouse...I meant press box.
From pressbox to doghouse to outhouse, you have to wonder if Ryan O'Byrne will even get another chance to play before Andrei Markov makes his return to the Canadiens lineup. As it is, Markov is skating with the team, and may be back as early as this weekend, which will be welcome relief for a team who is struggling on the power play and who will be in the midst of playing 4 game in 6 nights. Canadiens are now officially last on the power play, having scored on only 1 of 24 opportunities (4.2%).
Phoenix is not much better, only scoring less than 8% of the team, but neither team give too many power play chances, getting an average of 11.3 (Pho) and 11.4 (MTL) penalty minutes against which is 6 and 7 best in the league respectively.
Alexandre Picard has got to thin that he is on the bubble for when Markov returns as the 7th man. But fans may be more eager to see Spacek in the pressbox instead,
Carey Price is coming off his 1st shut out of the season, and his first since 2008.
The Skinny on the Coyotes
They have not been getting balanced scoring by their forwards. Both Lee Stempniak and Kyle Turris scored all of their goals in 1 game, (3 and 2 respectively).
Bookmark
Email this
Trackback(0)
TrackBack URI for this entryComments (0)
Write comment
This content has been locked. You can no longer post any comments.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
