clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Les Canadiennes Game #3 Preview: Montreal @ Toronto Furies

It's Halloween in Toronto and there are few things as scary as Les Canadiennes' offence.

By Gunnar Carlsson
Shanna Martin

After sitting last weekend out, Les Canadiennes de Montreal are back in action tonight, taking on the Toronto Furies at 7:30 EDT in Toronto. Acquired over the summer from the Furies, forward Jordanna Peroff will be facing her old team for the first time.

Les Canadiennes are off to a great start; undefeated after winning two games against the Brampton Thunder. The Furies currently sit in fourth place with a 1-2-1 record after four games. Toronto is coming off a particularly bad 6-3 loss to the Thunder — a game in which they allowed 59 shots against. The Furies defence will need to be much better tonight if they want to contain Montreal.

Both teams will be missing some of their best players. Les Canadiennes' Marie-Philip Poulin and Lauriane Rougeau, as well as Fury Natalie Spooner, are in Sweden getting ready to represent Canada at the 4 Nations Cup.

Poulin already has five points in just two games. Les Canadiennes won't be able to completely replace a player of her calibre, but they do have a great amount of depth up front. Noémie Marin and Emmanuelle Blais, both of whom spent time on the first line last season, are great options to play in Poulin's place.

That leaves room for one of the team's offensively talented rookies like Leslie Oles or Katia Clement-Heydra to fill in on the second line. Or, head coach Dany Brunet could choose to keep the second line together and have Oles or Clement-Heydra play with Caroline Ouellette and Ann-Sophie Bettez. Either way, their depth gives them plenty of options.

Montreal has fewer options on the blue line. They only have seven defenders on their roster. With Rougeau out there will be little suspense surrounding who will play this weekend.

While the Furies won't have Spooner (arguably their best player) forward Kelly Terry is expected to return from injury. She'll be a huge addition for the team and will take Spooner's place on the first line with Emily Fulton and Alyssa Baldin, who have six and five points to begin the season, respectively. Toronto has had some early struggles, but this first line can do a lot of damage.

Charline Labonté, who has played great thus far, will likely get the start. She posted a shutout in her first ever game as a Canadienne and has allowed just two goals in two games this season. Christina Kessler has played all four of the Furies' games and is expected to start as well. Despite letting in six goals last game, she still has a great .940 SV% this season.

How to watch

The game will be played at the MasterCard Centre in Etobicoke. If you're in the GTA, you can pick up tickets for just $15. If not, this game will be broadcast online via CWHL Live. If you haven't already, you can pick up the streaming package covering the entire CWHL season — with 12 more Les Canadiennes games, including tonight's — for just $19.95.

More From Eyes On The Prize