Jump to content
The Official Site of the Montréal Canadiens
Canadiens de Montreal

Game #18 ~ Hurricanes @ Canadiens. Wednesday, November 16th, 2011.


Clues

Recommended Posts

24xfklz.jpg

118q89v.jpg

Hurricanes Website//Canadiens Website

Hurricanes-Canadiens Preview

The Montreal Canadiens couldn't hang on to a two-goal lead in their last game. The Carolina Hurricanes came up short after being down by three.

Both clubs are looking for a full 60-minute effort.

Montreal goes for its third consecutive home win in this matchup Wednesday night while the Hurricanes try to end a five-game road losing streak.

Leading by two after former Hurricane Erik Cole and Max Pacioretty each notched second-period goals, the Canadiens (7-7-3) were denied a third straight victory Monday, losing 3-2 in a shootout to Buffalo.

While the club's top line of Pacioretty, Cole and David Desharnais has produced four goals and five assists in the last three games, Montreal's defense is a work in progress. A number of young blueliners, including P.K. Subban, Yannick Weber, Raphael Diaz and Alexei Emelin, have had to step in with veterans Andrei Markov (knee) and Chris Campoli (leg) out.

To make matters worse, Jaroslav Spacek left the loss to the Sabres with an upper-body injury and may be out Wednesday. Hal Gill, however, could return after missing Monday's contest due to illness.

"... They put some pressure on and we made some mistakes but there's a lot of youth on the back end and they took advantage of it," coach Jacques Martin told the Canadiens' official website. "When you look at both goals, they were mistakes that we made. The plan isn't to sit back at all - I think the best defense is offense."

Improved work on the power play could help, as the Canadiens are 2 for 20 in those situations this month.

Montreal, though, was 8 for 15 on the power play while winning three of four against Carolina in 2010-11.

Cam Ward was in net for the Hurricanes in all of those matchups, but there's a chance he won't be Wednesday after getting pulled in the second period of Monday's 5-3 loss to Philadelphia. He has allowed three goals or more in six consecutive starts.

Backup Brian Boucher turned aside 10 of 11 shots, but the Hurricanes couldn't get any closer than 4-3 after falling behind 4-1.

"I think after the (goaltending) change, we snapped out of it and started being more aggressive and playing with more urgency," Boucher told the Hurricanes' official website following the team's ninth loss in 12 games. "It was just a reminder that that's the way we have to play."

While coach Paul Maurice feels the opening 20 minutes have been the club's downfall this season - though the Hurricanes (6-9-3) have an 18-14 scoring edge in that period - Carolina's road struggles are a major reason it's tied with Winnipeg at the bottom of the Southeast Division.

The Hurricanes have been outscored 21-9 during their road losing streak.

Carolina is improving on the offensive end, however, netting eight goals in its last two games overall after finding the back of the net six times while losing its previous four.

Center Eric Staal has started to break out of his slump with a goal and two assists in the Hurricanes' last two games. Carolina's captain has seven goals and eight assists in his last eight games versus Montreal.

Staal and leading scorer Jeff Skinner (18 points) led the club with four points against the Canadiens last season. Montreal center Tomas Plekanec tallied two goals and seven assists in those games.

Carolina went 11-0-2 in its first 13 post-lockout games in Montreal - including three wins in the 2006 playoffs - before losing both visits last season.

Preview

Last Games Played

2cmt28j.jpg

Carolina: Recap - Boxscore - Video

Montreal: Recap - Boxscore - Video

Injuries

2eweagj.jpg

Team Stats

5ydnx3.jpg

e0h01e.jpg

go Habs go!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awesome as always Clues! We can do this boys!

Thanks, HRF. And yes we can! Just please, no more overtime or shootouts.

Sweet GDT Clues! These are two pretty evenly matched teams. Let's see what happens, I'm not going to hold my breath though.

Thanks, Plouffe! And we're winning all the games, remember? Except the playoffs..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, HRF. And yes we can! Just please, no more overtime or shootouts.

Thanks, Plouffe! And we're winning all the games, remember? Except the playoffs..

:lol: Oh ... We'll win alright ... We'll win ... Then get swept in the first round! Book it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

eric staal is -17 already? what's he doing?

thanks for the thread clues.

I was surprised to learn he's a -17. That's brutal.

:lol: Oh ... We'll win alright ... We'll win ... Then get swept in the first round! Book it!

Anything short of that would be a disappointment. :P

Thanks for the grrrrrrreat GDT clues :)

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16-11-20115-35-31AM.jpg....GO_HABS_GO_14485-1.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe against the Hurricanes Cole with play as well as he did against the Habs when he was with Carolina. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently Cammy and St-Denis are both in tonight. That means Gill is still sick/not 100% and probably Palushaj is being sent to the press box as a healthy scratch.

This will be interesting, to say the least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From TSN

Michael Cammalleri will return from injury and suit up tonight against the Hurricanes. - TSN :)

Projected Lines vs. Hurricanes

Forwards:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

Moen - Pleckanec - Gionta

Cammalleri - Eller - Palushaj

Nokelainen - Gomez - Darche

Defence:

Gorges - Subban

Emelin - Weber,,,, :(

Diaz - St-Denis,,, :(

Goaltenders:

Price

Budaj

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From TSN

Michael Cammalleri will return from injury and suit up tonight against the Hurricanes. - TSN :)

Projected Lines vs. Hurricanes

Forwards:

Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole

Moen - Pleckanec - Gionta

Cammalleri - Eller - Palushaj

Nokelainen - Gomez - Darche

Defence:

Gorges - Subban

Emelin - Weber,,,, :(

Diaz - St-Denis,,, :(

Goaltenders:

Price

Budaj

Thank you.

I would have thought that they would recall Nash....St. Denis must be more sound defensively and fit into Martin's system. We are in trouble if we have to keep playing NHL games with AHL defencemen like this. I feel for Price these days. Hopefully the boys all step it up a few notches. Erik Cole will be kacked up for this game I'm sure!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We can do it, but i fear it wont be easy.

28722_1246078006083_1653408635_574069_5616545_n.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...