Game #9 ~ Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres. Thursday, October 25th, 2018.

[Clues]

BUFFALO - Here are five things you need to know ahead of Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.

1. The Canadiens practiced on Wednesday before departing for Buffalo, and following practice, head coach Claude Julien announced that Antti Niemi would be his starter to take on the Sabres. This marks a third start of the season for the Finnish netminder, who was in nets when the Habs beat the Pittsburgh Penguins (4-3, shootout) and Detroit Red Wings (7-3) at the Bell Centre. Niemi has a 2-0-0 record, 2.88 goals-against average and .893 save percentage this season.

2. Max Domi did not skate on Wednesday, opting for a therapy day instead. The 23-year-old forward is riding a four-game points streak (2G, 3A), and is tied for first on the team with eight total points in as many games. Domi made the trip to Upstate New York with his teammates and on Thursday, he was back in his regular spot centering a line between Jonathan Drouin and Artturi Lehkonen.

3. The Canadiens' leading point-getter against Buffalo is Tomas Plekanec with 39 career points (14G, 25A) in 75 games, but Plekanec is currently sitting out with back problems. Brendan Gallagher is next with 13 points (11G, 2A) in 22 games, although it was Jonathan Drouin who led the Habs with five points - all assists - in four contests last season. This is the first of four games between the Canadiens and their divisional rivals. Their next showdown is in Montreal on November 8, followed by another contest in Buffalo just over two weeks later, before their final meeting of the season in Montreal on March 23.

4. The Sabres are just returning from a rather successful trip to the West coast, beating the Arizona Coyotes, Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim Ducks, while falling to the Vegas Golden Knights and San Jose Sharks. They're coming home with two wins in a row in Los Angeles and Anaheim, and currently sit in wildcard position with a 5-4-0 record and 10 points.

5. The Canadiens are third in the Atlantic Division with 12 points. The Boston Bruins also have 12 points, but Montreal has a game in hand. The Habs have earned points in every game except their home opener so far this season, and have a 1-0-2 record on the road.

 

[kinot-2]

Thanks for the GDT, Clues :). 

Hutton is starting for the Swords, and Niemi (no not Kotka, Annti), is starting for the Habs.

 

[kinot-2]

Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Drouin - Domi - Lehkonen
Byron - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Deslauriers - Peca - Shaw

Scherbak - Hudon
Benn - Petry
Reilly - Juulsen
Mete - Ouellet
Alzner

Niemi
Price

[ramcharger440]

hope we play like we can play and take it to them.

 

[maas_art]

3 hours ago, kinot-2 said:

Tatar - Danault - Gallagher
Drouin - Domi - Lehkonen
Byron - Kotkaniemi - Armia
Deslauriers - Peca - Shaw

Scherbak - Hudon
Benn - Petry
Reilly - Juulsen
Mete - Ouellet
Alzner

Niemi
Price

Thats an interesting first pairing. 

[kinot-2]

Just now, maas_art said:

Thats an interesting first pairing. 

LOL,,, I just copy and paste, I "assumed" that it was the correct line-up.

[kinot-2]

MTL's gone 8-1-1 over their last 10 meetings with the Sabres, as well as 9-3-3 on the road vs BUF since the start of 2012-13

[habs_93]

DOMI!!!

[kinot-2]

Delay game again. Please keep me informed so that I can watch for any goals.

 

[kinot-2]

OH, YAAAAAAA!!!!!!! .Domi. 

[kinot-2]

What a stop by Hutton. 

[habs_93]

"The Habs are a fast team" is the ultimate in meaningless waste-of-words "analysis".

[kinot-2]

PP,,, c'mon, PP. 

[Noob616]

Domi > Eichel

[kinot-2]

i wonder if HTL went to the game,,, only 1/2 hour away. 

[habs_93]

We could easily be up 3 or 4 right now.

[kinot-2]

1 minute ago, habs_93 said:

We could easily be up 3 or 4 right now.

SOG pretty much even but we've had the best opportunities. 

[H_T_L]

8 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

i wonder if HTL went to the game,,, only 1/2 hour away. 

No. Just got home from work

[H_T_L]

Looks like i called the Niemi in net 

[kinot-2]

2 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

Looks like i called the Niemi in net 

But which one, Annti or Kotka?

 

[H_T_L]

1 minute ago, kinot-2 said:

But which one, Annti or Kotka?

 

JK plays net too?? Wouldn't surprise me. LOL

[H_T_L]

No changes yet to our 4th line i see.

[H_T_L]

God i hate the Buffalo announcer.

[H_T_L]

I'm 1:30 behind the play

[maas_art]

2 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

No changes yet to our 4th line i see.

Im hoping this is simply that Julien was trying to be nice, playing DLo in front of the Sabres where he spent 4 years - and next game we'll have Hudon back, but who knows.