Game 12: Get back to back wins, climb back into relevancy

Photo Credit: AP / Graham Hughes

The Rangers beat the worst team in the NHL the other night. It’s a start. The kids shined, but it wasn’t perfect. That said, it’s a game that can be used as a stepping stone. Up next is an equally bad Montreal club that is the only team in the East worse than the Rangers at the moment (Buffalo doesn’t count). So if the Rangers are to build on their win, this is the team to do it against.

Ondrej Pavelec, who was good but not solid, gets the start over Henrik Lundqvist. Surely that will stir some controversy. That said, it’s probably just Alain Vigneault trying not to change anything when there’s a win. I’m sure we’ve all heard that before. At this point it doesn’t matter. Just get points.

Habs Systems

Claude Julien is one of the top coaches in the game. He gets his team to play consistent team defense, and it has worked in Montreal. He starts with an aggressive 2-1-2 forecheck early and then a more conservative 1-4 or 1-1-3 lock later with a lead. In the defensive zone, the he keeps it simple with a low zone collapse, defending in layers depending on puck location. On special teams, it’s again simple with an umbrella power play (perhaps a little 1-3-1 sprinkled in) and a wedge+1/diamond force penalty kill where they pressured for turnovers.

For more on these systems, check out our Hockey Systems page.

Habs Lines

Max Pacioretty-Jonathan Drouin-Brendan Gallagher
Charles Hudon-Tomas Plekanec-Artturi Lehkonen
Alex Galchenyuk-Phillip Danault-Andrew Shaw
Paul Byron-Jacob de la Rose-Ales Hemsky

Jordie Benn-Shea Weber
Karl Alzner-Jeff Petry
Victor Mete-Mark Streit

PP1: Drouin-Galchenyuk-Pacioretty-Gallagher-Weber
PP2: Hudon-Lehkonen-Shaw-Mete-Streit

Carey Price gets the start.

Rangers Lines

Rick Nash–Mika Zibanejad–Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider–David Desharnais–JT Miller
Jimmy Vesey–Kevin Hayes–Jesper Fast
Michael Grabner-Boo Nieves-Pavel Buchnevich

Ryan McDonagh–Brendan Smith
Marc Staal–Kevin Shattenkirk
Brady Skjei–Nick Holden

PP1: Nash-Miller-Buchnevich-Zibanejad-Shattenkirk
PP2: Hayes-Desharnais-Kreider-Zuccarello-McDonagh

Ondrej Pavelec gets the start.

Scratches/Injuries: Paul Carey (healthy), Steven Kampfer (healthy)

Crazy Prediction: Pavelec pitches the shutout, everyone proclaims him to be the heir to Hank.

Game time is 7pm. Be sure to follow on Twitter for gifs, and on our Snapchat for in-game.