Game 44: Potential first round matchup in Montreal

The Rangers are in Montreal tonight on the second of back to backs to face the Canadiens and Carey Price. This could be a first round matchup in April, as the Rangers are likely to finish fourth in the Metro with the top wild card with the Habs winning the Atlantic. I know, it’s premature. But I like to poke the bear sometimes too.

As for the Habs, they are mostly Carey Price. He always gives them a chance to win on any given night. Outside of him, they are top-heavy with not much depth. But they are without Alex Galchenyuk and Andrei Markov tonight. Even so, they are going to win the Atlantic for a reason. Plus the Rangers seem to struggle in the Bell Centre for some reason.

Habs Systems

Under Michel Therrien, the Canadiens play a 1-2-2 forecheck, but do use a 2-1-2 style from time to time based on the score and puck location. Though this team prefers to want to play passive and clog up the neutral zone. Like the Rangers, Montreal’s defensive zone system is to overload when the puck is along the boards and man-on-man when the puck is down low.

What’s interesting is that Therrien has said in the past that they overload the boards because of their team size and speed (note: small and fast). On special teams, the Habs play your standard umbrella powerplay. On the penalty kill, they rotate between a diamond force and a box depending on puck location. They really look to pressure the opposition all over the ice when shorthanded.

Habs Lines

Max Pacioretty-Philippe Danault-Alex Radulov
Artturi Lehkonen-Tomas Plekanec-Paul Byron
Sven Andrighetto-Torrey Mitchell-Brian Flynn
Daniel Carr-Michael McCarron-Chris Terry

Alexei Emelin-Shea Weber
Nathan Beaulieu-Jeff Petry
Mark Barberio-Zach Redmond

PP1: Pacioretty-McCarron-Radulov-Beaulieu-Weber
PP2: Andrighetto-Danault-Byron-Petry-Barberio

Carey Price gets the start

Rangers Lines

Chris Kreider –Derek Stepan –Mats Zuccarello
Michael Grabner–Kevin Hayes–J.T. Miller
Jimmy Vesey–Oscar Lindberg-Rick Nash
Marek Hrivik-Brandon Pirri–Jesper Fast