Max Pacioretty won’t be playing for the Montreal Canadiens against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at the Bell Centre, as his wrist injury suffered on a hit from Colton Orr is keeping him out of action.
It’s not very often that injuries that don’t require hospitalization keep Pacioretty out of games, so of course this can seem a little worrying to Habs fans. However I think we should look at this a little bit differently; Pacioretty was hurt in game one of the NHL season, and the Canadiens follow that up with just one game in seven days. If there was ever a time to get injured, it’s now.
The Canadiens can afford to go without him for one game if that allows him to heal and get right back into action, and we all know he’s a quick healer.
What to look for tonight
Ryan White and Michael Bournival both get into the lineup tonight, which means that either Travis Moen or Brandon Prust will take Pacioretty’s spot on the third line. My vote would go to Prust, but Moen was pretty excellent in game one, so he may get the nod.
David Desharnais and Danny Briere struggled without Pacioretty against the Leafs, which doesn’t bode well for their line tonight. Look for the EGG line and the Plekanec line to provide the offense.
More from Eyes On The Prize:
- Avant match : Flyers – Canadiens
- What can we reasonably expect from Danny Briere in Montreal?
- Nathan Beaulieu called up to Montreal, Hamilton Bulldogs announce 2013-14 roster/
