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Game #72 Sat, 22 Mar 2014 Canadiens @ Maple Leafs 7:00 PM CBC, RDS, NHLN-US, TSN 690 Radio

kinot-1

By kinot-1
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kinot-1 Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

kinot-1

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OUR

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VISIT THE

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TO TAKE ON THE

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STUFF YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW

Last 10: Montreal 5-5-0; Toronto 4-5-1
Season series: The Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs will play for the fifth and final time in 2013-14. Toronto holds a 2-1-1 edge, winning 4-3 in the season opener Oct. 1 as well as 5-3 in Toronto on Jan. 18. Montreal won the two meetings at Bell Centre, 4-2 on Nov. 30 and 4-3 in overtime March 1.
Big story: Entering play Friday, Montreal was third in the Atlantic Division with 83 points while Toronto held the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 80 points. So this game could play a major role in final playoff positioning.
Team Scope:
Canadiens: Montreal's three-game win streak was halted Thursday at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets. After that 3-2 loss, the Canadiens now play seven of their next nine games on the road, although their 18-14-2 road record is one of the best in the Eastern Conference.
After missing more than a month with a shoulder injury, forward Brandon Prust appeared to find his stride with a goal and an assist in a 6-3 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday. However, he was ruled out Thursday against Columbus with an upper-body injury and the team announced Friday that he will sit out the remainder of the regular season. His injury could open the door for Rene Bourque, who has been a healthy scratch in the past five games but skated Friday on a line with Alex Galchenyuk and Brian Gionta.
"I think I just have to score. Just get myself in a position to shoot more," Bourque said. "I think when you don't score for a while you definitely grip the stick tighter. You're forcing a lot of plays."
Maple Leafs: Toronto has struggled since goaltender Jonathan Bernier went down with a groin injury March 13 against his former team, the Los Angeles Kings. James Reimer came on in relief and secured the 3-2 win but lost the next three games, allowing 11 goals and sporting an .882 save percentage.
Bernier skated Thursday with goaltending coach Rick St. Croix while the rest of the team had the day off, and then took part in practice Friday, giving Toronto hope that he could be back Saturday.
"We think [bernier] is showing progress. To say that he is available for [saturday], I can't tell you that right now," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle said after practice Friday. "That will be a decision we'll make more than likely [saturday] afternoon."
Center Dave Bolland hasn't played since severing a tendon in his ankle Nov. 2, but he practiced Friday on a line with Mason Raymond and David Clarkson and could play against Montreal.
Who's hot: Forward Thomas Vanek has four goals in his past two games for Montreal while linemate Max Pacioretty has five points, all assists, in his past five games. Center Tomas Plekanec has an assist in three straight games. … Toronto defenseman Jake Gardiner has five goals in his past seven games.
Injury report: Prust (upper body) is out for Montreal while defenseman Josh Gorges (hand) is out until shortly before the playoffs start. … Defenseman Paul Ranger (head) is missing for the Maple Leafs and Bolland (ankle) and Bernier (groin) will be game-time decisions.
FLUFF

Coach Randy Carlyle said a decision on Bolland would not be made until after Saturday's morning skate or just before the game. The 27-year-old reported feeling better but wasn't sure if he'd be ready to face the Canadiens.
Goaltender Jonathan Bernier also participated in his first full practice since suffering a groin injury March 13 in Los Angeles and said he was feeling better by the day.
Alex Galchenyuk was moved to centre during the practice with Brian Gionta and Rene Bourque,
who has missed five games as a healthy scratch.
Lars Eller was dropped to the fourth line with Travis Moen and Dale Weise.
Therrien said he wanted to see a lot of intensity from Bourque when he gets back in the lineup.
“Will it be tomorrow? Will it be the next game? I don’t know yet,” Therrien said.
Galchenyuk is looking forward to getting a shot at centre.
“I want to establish myself as a great centreman in this league,” the 20-year-old said.
“I’m still really young, but I’ve still got a long way to go. I want to make a step in the right direction.
And I’m really looking forward to tomorrow’s game.”
Here’s how the lines and defence pairings looked at Friday’s practice:
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Vanek
Brière-Plekanec-Gallagher
Bourque-Galchenyuk-Gionta
Moen-Eller-Weise
White-Parros
Bouillon-Subban
Markov-Emelin
Murray-Weaver
Tinordi
We are 12th in PP, 3rd in PK
Laffs are 7th in PP and 28th in PK
kinot-1's GDT record 15-9-1
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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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Very nice GDT Kinot. Very well detailed, you put some time into this. Welcome to the Toronto Zoo :lol:. I'm first in line to put a leash on Phaneuf :P. Lets go Habs, lets do this!

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kinot-1 Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

kinot-1

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Thanks Misus. :)

Laffs practice lines form Fri.

Forwards

van Riemsdyk - Bozak - Kessel
Lupul - Kadri - Kulemin
Raymond - Bolland - Clarkson
Ashton - McClement - Bodie
Holland - Orr

Defence:

Gunnarsson - Phaneuf
Gardiner - Franson
Gleason - Rielly

Goaltender:

Reimer
Bernier
MacIntyre

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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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I for one would love Reimer to be in net tomorrow. There was a time when I use to fear him :lol:. Bernier rest up just a bit more, please and thanks :).

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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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Let's hope it is the good guys that show up....not the guys that showed up last game.. :)

Agreed. Though I will cut them some slack...maybe because lately the Jackets have been controlling every team. Though last night they didn't leave with the win, but they sure played their hearts and lives out. The Jackets are incredibly hungry, that's something i wish the Habs had...hunger...I want them to starve to win.

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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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The power plays certainly didn't hurt Columbus. :P

:lol: That's true, but I've been watching all of their games this season and I know what they can do without them. Though if I'm not mistaken, it's not like they exactly banked on any of those opportunities. On top of that, they got a short handed goal. The Habs need to get it together....all of them!

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habs_93 Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

habs_93

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Reimer's season is a product of the Leafs' hideous system. He's fully capable of stealing this if he gets even a little bit of support.

The Leafs are one of the worst possession and penalty killing teams in the league. Despite our injuries, this is a game we should exert some measure of control over and win convincingly. But since Therrien is obsessed with "not getting pushed around", there's a good chance we'll end up playing down to Toronto's standard and style and lose this one in a flurry of retaliatory penalties and mistimed pinches.

Also, Francis Bouillon and Douglas Murray in the lineup at the same time in 2014. Not great.

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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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My info was a few hours old, I just checked and you're right, Looks like Reimer, he of the last 3 game losses. :D laff fans will not be happy. :)

Ya sure he's been playing horrible, but watch him shine out of all nights.. <_<

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Guest mrsmarkov

Guest mrsmarkov

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Reimer's season is a product of the Leafs' hideous system. He's fully capable of stealing this if he gets even a little bit of support.

The Leafs are one of the worst possession and penalty killing teams in the league. Despite our injuries, this is a game we should exert some measure of control over and win convincingly. But since Therrien is obsessed with "not getting pushed around", there's a good chance we'll end up playing down to Toronto's standard and style and lose this one in a flurry of retaliatory penalties and mistimed pinches.

Also, Francis Bouillon and Douglas Murray in the lineup at the same time in 2014. Not great.

Accurate. This is our game to win, but of coarse they will most likely find a way to blow it. But it's true, Reimer is a pretty good goalie and we will be seeing a lot of that if he gets even a tiny bit of support. It doesn't matter to me how bad they've been doing...being a rival overpowers that and somehow a new kind of team evolves for that game only. I wont be shocked if it's a close one.

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habs_93 Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

habs_93

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A crucial game against an absolutely hated rival. Fighting for our playoff lives. One of the most relevant Montreal-Toronto games in the last decade. And by choice we're going to play two defencemen who probably shouldn't be in the NHL. Therrien either legitimately believes that his core is Bouillon/Murray and they're the ones he needs to call on in critical situations, or he's willing to make extremely risky personnel decisions in vital games to send messages/prove points. I don't know which of those is worse.

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Flying_Lion Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

Flying_Lion

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Well done again, kinot. Here's to hoping your record increases to 16 Ws.

A crucial game against an absolutely hated rival. Fighting for our playoff lives. One of the most relevant Montreal-Toronto games in the last decade. And by choice we're going to play two defencemen who probably shouldn't be in the NHL. Therrien either legitimately believes that his core is Bouillon/Murray and they're the ones he needs to call on in critical situations, or he's willing to make extremely risky personnel decisions in vital games to send messages/prove points. I don't know which of those is worse.

Probably the only one that's mattered more, I think, was Game #82 of the 2006-07 season. That game almost killed me.

Hostile territory. A team that's always brought their best game against us and tonight with gobs of motivation. It's almost a perfect storm.

We can either get the maximum 4 Magic Number Points or none. :unsure:

Habs gotta get it done.

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kinot-1 Hockey Guru / Grand manitou

kinot-1

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I'm not happy that White sits while RB plays. White brings energy and PK duties, while RB brings ,,,,,,,,,,,, what? <_<



One thing in our favor though is that the :lol: tend to choke when it's a very important game for them

Well, they do have the Poof man. :lol:

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