We hear it all the time, and yet somehow it never loses its allure. At least, that seems to be the case when discussing the Montreal Canadiens. The expression “a challenge awaits… rings truer than ever if you consider the Habs’ next opponent. Tonight, they host the reigning Stanley Cup champions and winners of eight games in a row: The Chicago Blackhawks.
The Hawks are a team whose penalty kill is 11th in the league with an 81.6% efficiency. They’re ranked 7th for goals per game (2.84) as well as goals against (2.36). Their power play is clicking at 22.2%, placing them in the 4th overall position in the league.
Montreal has not fared as well, except for their penalty killing which is at a respectable 84.5%, good for 6th in the National Hockey League. They’re somehow in the top 10 when it comes to goals scored per game (9th- 2.79 GPG), are 11th with a goals against average of 2.47 and their power play is 16th overall with a 18.1% conversion rate. Their lack of ability to score with the extra man advantage will cost them dearly against a nearly-perfect Chicago Blackhawks team. They possess a powerful attack with highly-skilled players, defensemen who are regularly Norris Trophy candidates and can help the forwards score goals, and a Stanley Cup-winning goalie whose coach was Montreal’s very own Stephane Waite. To call the Hawks the Habs’ “biggest challenge yet… would be an understatement.
They will face this team twice over the course of the next 4 days, with a stop in St. Louis to visit the Blues on Saturday night. They play three games in four nights, and are going to need their goalies to be in perfect form if they hope to beat the potential repeat champions.
Devante Smith-Pelly will be a healthy scratch tonight, and Michel Therrien alluded to the fact that it is merely coincidental that a player involved in a controversy would sit out the next game. While I respect DSP’s wrist shot and that he did indeed lose the weight he promised to over the course of the offseason, he has not been as effective lately and I believe the head coach when he says that it’s not deliberate.
The good news is that defenseman Jeff Petry will make his return tonight. He was sorely missed, as his complete skillset at both ends of the ice will provide a spark that is much-needed for an ailing Habs team. With Petry jumping back into the mix, one has to hope that Therrien will finally start doing what he set out to do at the beginning of the year: manage Andrei Markov’s ice-time more efficiently. A few months ago, we could have argued that Markov is a top-10 defenseman in the NHL. The script has changed for the 37-year-old, who seems to be playing way over his head by averaging a little more than 22 minutes a game. With a younger Mark Barberio stepping up and showing that he can compete and provide assists on goals and a Nathan Beaulieu who’s steadily improving game in and game out, it would be time to consider perhaps benching Markov on back-to-back games. After all, the Habs boast 8 NHL-ready defensemen, including Jarred Tinordi and Greg Pateryn, who can surely fill in the slots when called upon.
I expect the Hawks to win both of their matches against the Habs. One look at this lineup, and it’s clear to see why fans fail to be optimistic. Should the home team win, one has to hope that it will be the first step in stringing together a few victories. As Beaulieu has mentioned in the past, winning one game requires luck. Winning two in a row requires skill.