Canadiens @ Predators preview: One Grand Game
by Dirk Hoag on Nov 12, 2011 8:05 AM EST
in Nashville Predators Game Previews
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The Nashville Predators will celebrate a major milestone tonight with their 1,000th regular season game, and if you're in an historic mood, there's no better team to welcome into town than the Montreal Canadiens, the NHL's most storied franchise. The Preds have a number of events on the agenda to mark the occasion, starting at 3:30 p.m. on the Bridgestone Arena plaza, ahead of a 6:00 p.m. start for tonight's game.
Follow after the jump as we set the table...
Tale Of The Tape
| Montreal (6-7-2) at Nashville (8-5-2) | |||||||
| MTL Offense vs. NSH Defense | NSH Offense vs. MTL Defense | ||||||
| 5-on-5 | |||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| MTL Offense | 2.5 (11th) | 31.3 (7th) | 8.1 (14th) | 2.3 (12th) | 27.7 (5th) | 917 (15th) | MTL Defense |
| NSH Defense | 2.5 (16th) | 32.1 (30th) | 921 (13th) | 2.5 (11th) | 26.2 (26th) | 9.7 (5th) | NSH Offense |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
| Special Teams | |||||||
| MTL PP vs. NSH PK | NSH PP vs. MTL PK | ||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| MTL 5-on-4 | 2.6 (30th) | 59.4 (4th) | 4.4 (30th) | 4.7 (12th) | 34.7 (1st) | 864 (20th) | MTL 4-on-5 |
| NSH 4-on-5 | 3.7 (6th) | 57.0 (23rd) | 935 (2nd) | 5.4 (20th) | 41.9 (25th) | 12.9 (15th) | NSH 5-on-4 |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
Fortune has not looked favorably upon the Canadiens so far, as they're driving the Shots For & Against battle decisively both at even strength and on special teams, but they just haven't reaped the rewards yet. So don't be fooled by that overall record, this is a strong opponent coming into Bridgestone Arena tonight.
Montreal Canadiens
The Habs are represented within SB Nation by...
Alternative logo courtesy of Earl Sleek
The Canadiens' leading goal-scorer these days is Max Pacioretty, who suffered that horrific injury when Zdeno Chara ran him into a stanchion late last season. He seems to have made a full recovery, and is off to a fine start:
TSN reports that Andrei Kostitsyn is not expected to play due to injury, Scott Gomez is returning to play, Mike Cammaleri will be a game-time decision, and that Peter Budaj will get the start in goal. Their lines from Friday were as follows:
Forwards:
Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole
Moen - Plekanec - Gionta
Darche - Eller - Palushaj
Gomez - Nokelainen - Blunden
Defence:
Gorges - Subban
Gill - Diaz
Spacek - Weber
Emelin
Nashville Predators
It's a real shame that David Legwand appears likely to miss tonight's game, considering his status as The Original Predator. At least on other fronts, injured Preds have been returning to the lineup, such as Kevin Klein and Sergei Kostitsyn (even in limited action).
For now, of course, that puts the spotlight on Craig Smith, who stepped into Legwand's center position between Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist to such great success against Anaheim Wednesday night.
Don't be too surprised if Barry Trotz shuffles up those lines, however, as Mike Fisher and Sergei Kostitsyn get back up towards 100% he'll be focused on the best matchups he can create against Montreal, not necessarily just go with lines that are currently clicking.
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Let’s go Predators!
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
by cisar on Nov 12, 2011 11:05 AM EST via mobile reply actions
Personally, I love Emelin. Slim Shady and all that. He was great in 8 Mile.
World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer
by cisar on Nov 12, 2011 12:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
You just admitted that Trotz is stupid:
not necessarily just go with lines that are currently clicking.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 12, 2011 1:06 PM EST reply actions
I'ma be there tonight.
We’re gonna sting the Habs’ a$$eS with the ferocity of a thousand bees.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 12, 2011 1:07 PM EST reply actions
You know, Honey Badgers will attack bees.
R.I.P. Belak, Rypien, Boogaard, Lokomotiv.
Part Predator, part Lightning.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
Honey Badger's gonna recruit the bees to sting for him.
Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.
by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Nov 12, 2011 2:14 PM EST up reply actions
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Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats & analysis, and managing editor of On the Forecheck.
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