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Habs-Flames, Price for 100, 10 Habs Questions |
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The Habs got in another workout ahead of opening the Bell Centre tomorrow with what they hope will amount to their second win of the season. With the Calgary Flames as their opponents, that will be a tough task.
The success of the Flames is still largely married to the performances Jarome Iginla and Miikka Kiprusoff can offer this season, but their character--as a big, tough and strong-skating team-- should offer the Canadiens a legitimate competition, in a Bell Centre atmosphere that's sure to be explosive at the start of the game.
The Flames may not boast the deepest offense, nor do they have the most prolific defense, but they do have a work-ethic that's typical of any team Brent Sutter's ever coached. On top of that, they come to town having lost both contests they've participated in thus far.
Though the statistics are based on a rather small sample, it's noteworthy that only three Flames have avoided starting the season as minuses. That said, none of the three are pluses either (Moss, Hagman and Horak--all at even).
The Flames powerplay has converted once through two games and the penalty kill has allowed two goals on eight opportunities given.
Last time these teams met, the Canadiens were embarrassed in a shutout loss at McMahon Stadium, in Calgary, to the tune of 4-0.
Their only other meeting of the season came a month earlier on January 17th-- a 5-4 overtime win for Montreal, at home. In case your memory's failing you, it was the game that P.K. Subban scored his first and only NHL overtime winner (edit: Subban also scored an OT-winner in the Canadiens final home game of last season--against the Chicago Blackhawks). It was a game the Canadiens were winning 4-0 before Calgary nearly mounted the most impressive come-from-behind victory in the history of their franchise.
Of Note:
-Hal Gill missed today's practice for personal reasons, and his status for tomorrow is unconfirmed.
-Lars Eller will play his first game of the season on Andreas' Engqvist's wing. Call-up Aaron Palushaj will play on the right side of this line.
-Powerplay composition at practice saw Tomas Plekanec back on the point with P.K. Subban.
-As everyone has already discovered, Carey Price is one win away from the 100-milestone.
-Andrei Markov is in Florida for an examination with the surgeon who performed his knee operation.
10 Habs Questions:
1) How games will Price start this season, and how many wins will he get?
2) How would you arrange the powerplay with Andrei Markov still on the sidelines?
3) How many goals will Mike Cammalleri score this season, provided he returns within the two-week timeframe the Canadiens have outlined for his rehabilitation?
4) Who will play more games this season, Raphael Diaz or Alexei Yemelin?
5) Who will score more goals this season, Erik Cole or Brian Gionta?
6) How many points will Scott Gomez finish with?
7) Who would you like to see the Canadiens pursue for fourth-line and penalty killing duty (after losing Blair Betts in a failed waiver-claim)?
8) What's the biggest hole Pierre Gauthier needs to fill between now and the trade deadline?
9) Where does Lars Eller fit best in a healthy Canadiens lineup?
10) Will Tomas Plekanec match, best, or fail to match career-highs in goals/points this season?
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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