It’s no secret that the Montreal Canadiens of the last 3 or so games haven’t been the ones we saw for the first 9. In the loss against the Bruins, the Canadiens were solid, but dropped the ball at the beginning of the third.
Games against Buffalo, Toronto, and Tampa Bay though, showed quite a few faults, including some mental mistakes that lead to major 3rd period collapses.
The Florida Panthers may be just what the doctor ordered to get the Canadiens back on track. The Canadiens dominated the Panthers in their first meeting this season, winning 4-1 in a game that wasn’t really that close.
The Panthers are also one of the few teams who are a weaker possession club at home than on the road, a big deal for the Habs, who thus far aren’t too hot on the road.
Another factor that plays into Montreal’s favour is that the Panthers have decided to start Jose Theodore tonight. Theodore has outplayed Scott Clemmensen this year, but his record against the Canadiens is downright embarrassing with an .861 save percentage and 4.62 GAA.
Can the Canadiens get back into the win column without causing heart palpitations among their fans tonight?
