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A team that's won 7 in a row hosting one that's lost 4 straight. Generally, you would see an article that has some form of the words "something's gotta give here" in the write up. Yeah, I really don't know if this applies to this game. I don't think the Canucks, the worst scoring team in the NHL matching up against the team with the least number of goals surrendered per game suggests in any way that there's going to be a different outcome when the smoke clears on this one.
| Canucks |
CATEGORY |
Canadiens
|
| 4-4-1 | SEASON RECORD | 8-0-1 |
| 9 | Points | 17 |
| 4th | Division Position | 1st |
| Lost 4 | Streak | Won 7 |
| 1.78 (30) |
Goals For Per 60 (GF60) |
3.44 (4) |
| 2.56 (14) |
Goals Against Per 60 (GA60) |
1.44 (1) |
| 10.7 (26) | Power Play % | 21.9 (14) |
| 81.0 (18) | Penalty Kill % | 88.6 (6) |
| 48.5 (23) | Faceoff Win % | 48.4 (24) |
| 7.1 (29) |
Shooting % | 11.4 (4) |
| 47.8 (24) |
Corsi For % | 48.1 (22) |
| 98.2 (23) |
PDO | 106.9 (1) |
Stats from NHL.com and www.hockey-reference.com
THE OPPOSITION
To say Montreal's offseason was tumultuous is a massive understatement. There were calls for the firing of coaches and management after the team that got off to a start on par with this year's squad missed the playoffs, and yeah, it was all because they lost Carey Price to injury. Then there was some sort of trade over the summer, I think? You guys hear anything about that?
While the Weber/Subban debate will rage for the rest of the season and likely beyond, one thing's clear: Right now Montreal is looking like the beast in the East. They're dominating defensively, Price has been stellar since returning from the flu and they're getting balanced scoring including from newcomers Shea Weber and Alexander Radulov. Hell, they've gotten 4 from Torrey Mitchell so far!
There's a lot of pressure on coach Michel Therien and GM Marc Bergevin to get this team back into the playoffs in Montreal, and you can pretty much guarantee that missing the dance again this year and at least one of them are gone, most likely Therien. But there's little talk about it now, or of the extremely controversial trading away of PK Subban because of the torrid start to the season, something that this team desperately needed to calm the emotions from their fanbase.
THE CANUCKS
Shocking revelations yesterday that the Canucks are actively looking to acquire a '20 goal scorer' via some sort of trade. Except for all the other times over the last year that Jim Benning told the media that he was looking for a 20 goal scorer. And that, understandably set off alarm bells with the Canucks faithful, given Benning's penchant for trading away picks and prospects for at best, diminishing returns. And when you look at 20 goal scorers, you can only imagine what the asking price for one of these players would be...
20-goal scorers: pic.twitter.com/n4nAosnihT
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) November 1, 2016
One part of the problem is that they already went out and got a guy who should be able to be that 20 goal scorer in Loui Ericsson. He has yet to score this season. Also, Brandon Sutter, if he stays healthy should reasonably hit that marker. And yet here's the Canucks, with an entire team of guys who are supposed to be able to score and aren't, telling their fans that in order to make the playoffs, they need to add scoring. I had two reactions to this.
First:
And then...
There. I feel better, don't you?
So, it's been announced that Alexandre Burrows and Derek Dorsett are back in the lineup tonight
And Chris Tanev will be a game time decision. Ryan Miller starts against Price for the Habs. And a reminder this is an early game, so tell your boss you have diarrhea or something. It'll totally work.
GAME DAY BATTLE HYMN
Today is bonus day, as I am throwing cover tunes from each of the Big 4 of German Thrash (Sodom, Kreator, Destruction and Tankard) at ya...