Opportunity Knocks, Can The Habs Answer? Habs Vs Sens Preview (streit)

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Opportunity Knocks, Can The Habs Answer? Habs Vs Sens Preview

By Brandon Smillie

Nov 29, 2017 • 2:29 pm

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Tonight the Montreal Canadiens host the Ottawa Senators in a game that should have a heck of a lot of importance for both clubs. The Canadiens find themselves sticking around in the Atlantic Division playoff mix, and bolstered by the apparent return to form of Carey Price, they are playing well. For the Senators, they come into tonight having lost six in a row (0-5-1) and outscored 21-to-8 over that skid.

For all the hype, and the mega-price Ottawa paid, Matt Duchene has been terrible.

In his first eight games with the Senators, Duchene has managed one goal, zero assists, and has a minus-10 rating. His one goal, by the way, came on the power play. Duchene has produced a lot of shots, though, with 27 through his eight games and has won 56.1% of his faceoffs, so he is at least doing something for Ottawa.

By comparison, Kyle Turris has two goals and five assists in his nine games with the Predators. The Predators, meanwhile, have gone 7-1-1 since this trade.

Time will tell if the deal Ottawa made will help them in their playoff quest this season but as of today, it looks like a complete disaster.

Montreal comes into tonight looking a bit rejuvenated, I would say.

With Price performing at a level we are accustomed to it seems the rest of the team has a bit of swagger back (something I mentioned repeatedly at my blogs earlier this season, that confidence comes from the net out with this team). Sure, they have given up some more shots lately but they are doing a better job limiting the high danger shots (the shots they kept giving up in the slot were killing them) and the team is playing better defense.

The shift in style seems to have helped Jeff Petry the most, as he looks like a different player from the one a couple weeks ago. And with Shea Weber on the shelf, Petry’s game couldn’t have picked a better time to get back on track.

With the turn in the Canadiens' play, a familiar tune has come out of the Hab-hating sports media. Back is the "Habs rely too much on Price" mantra after two good games. Really folks? This is what the media chooses to push when it comes to their Canadiens coverage?

There is a lot you can say about Montreal this season but their reliance on Price isn't relevant. Price was terrible until two games ago, Charlie Lindgren came in and played well and the Habs played better (as the advanced stats said they should with better goaltending). So, no I disagree with the narrative. The Habs haven't relied on Price this season. They were trying to win DESPITE him for almost 20 games and now that he has appeared to find his game it may have begun galvanizing this team's resolve as sometimes they will score in bunches and win/lose, but now when they get snake bit their goaltender will be able to keep them in the game until they work through it. That isn't relying solely on Price, that's playing as a team where different aspects of the team succeeding can help prop up the struggling aspects of the team, and vice versa.

Most Habs coverage sucks, but I'm sick of the "Habs rely too much on their best player and arguably the best player in the league". Take away Sergei Bobrovsky, Corey Crawford, Jonathan Quick, and Connor Hellebuyck from their respective teams and let's see how they play? All those teams are good, but those goalies are over the moon this season. Those teams would certainly struggle mightily but it doesn't mean they are bad teams. They would all be negatively affected by losing their No. 1 despite having better center depth and point-per-game players with all star defensemen. Enough with that garbage, every time I see it now I am assuming this journalist has no real angle aside from trying to toss shade at the Habs.

And no, I don't consider myself a journalist. I'm just a human, like you, with an opinion.

INJURY WOES CONTINUE

The team is still racked by injuries with Weber still out, David Schlemko not playing yet (but he looks to be in tonight), Artturi Lehkonen still apparently week to week along with Jakub Scherbak, and Jonathan Drouin possibly still feeling the lingering effects of a hand injury suffered a few weeks ago. But, with the division rivals also soiling the bed sheets right now it has allowed Montreal to stay on the trail of a divisional playoff spot.

The next three games will play a major role in the tone of the season going forward.

PLAYOFF WINDOW STILL OPEN, BUT IT MAY NOT BE FOR LONG

The Canadiens have a golden opportunity to reduce the pressure of Ottawa’s three games in hand over the Habs with a win tonight. Said win would put them three points up on the Sens and shift the pressure to them (who would have lost seven straight if this happens). Montreal would then have 25 points and enter a tie with the Detroit Red Wings for third in the Atlantic, with Detroit holding one game in hand.

Should the Habs win tonight the next two games should come with playoff-like intensity from Montreal as they play the Red Wings tomorrow in Detroit and Saturday in Montreal. Should the seemingly impossible happen and Montreal sweeps the remainder of the week, they could have 29 points and a possible four-point lead on the Wings for third in the Atlantic, and push the Sens and Bruins further away from playoffs (also somewhat neutralizing both teams three games in hand). The saying “tonights our biggest game of the year… is a overused cliche, but it is certainly true tonight… and possibly tomorrow… and possibly Saturday.

METE OUT, SCHLEMKO IN

Victor Mete finds himself the odd man out tonight with the return of Schlemko and the move is causing a polarizing reaction on social media. Some say Mete should play, some say he needs the break, some say he should go back to London and play in the World Jr’s this holiday.

I’m not sure what side of the fence I’m on here, but when looking at his usage you can see that the coaching staff is taking issue with his play. Last game against CBJ he played only six minutes. So, either he’s hurt (which doesn’t appear to be the case) or the staff has made a decision that he needs to watch the game a bit and refocus. Whether or not he is returned to Junior I don’t know, but I would agree that Mete hasn’t been standing out as prominently as he did before. Could it be Weber was helping his play? Well, most assuredly but that’s because he’s a good player that makes others around him better. Could Mete have hit that rookie wall and rather than let him twist in the wind, the staff sits him down for a bit to catch his breath? I definitely can buy that.

He’s just a kid remember, and just a human like any of us.

Sometimes things get difficult even though we know we can, and should, be better.

I wouldn’t sweat it. With the way he has played recently why not let him take a breather. His CF% has dropped to 51.4 and his CF% Rel is -1.0, which means the team is playing better when he’s not on the ice. Before he slips any further it makes sense to pull him back and let him rest and get hungry again, in my opinion anyways. Saying that, I’m not the biggest Morrow or Davidson fan so as a fan I would definitely want to see him play before them. However, thinking from a Hockey Club standpoint it makes sense to sit him now, especially if playing Morrow or Davidson is a sneaky way to build value for a potential deal.

Go Habs Go!

COLLECT THE BEST! COLLECT UPPER DECK!

2017-18 UPPER DECK BLACK DIAMOND IS OUT THERE IN THE WILD! CHECK IT OUT AT YOUR LOCAL HOBBY STORE! #COLLECTTHEBEST

Don't forget to check out Upper Deck products at your local hobby shops and online! This seasons Black Diamond is now available with the possibility of finding actual diamonds embedded in the cards! It’s a high end product for serious collectors so if you’re a big collector, or a new one, make sure you stop by your local shop and see if you can get yourself a box (or case).

I had the chance to crack open a Hobby box of the Toronto Maple Leafs Centennial set, as I was a big fan of the Canadiens version and I must say they did a great job from the design, subsets, and design of the Auto’d cards! Check out what I got here!

Was hoping for a Gilmour or Matthews auto for my collection but maybe next time!

Follow me on Twitter @BrandonSmillie where I mostly stick to hockey stuff.

If you have interest in advertising in this space message me through the HockeyBuzz PM system or through Twitter.

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