Game 74: Montreal Canadiens vs. Florida Panthers
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Panthers region: Bally Sports Florida
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
After nearly six months of regular-season play, the NHL is suddenly in a rush to wrap things up. The Canadiens will play the final ninth of the campaign in the span of a little more than two weeks: nine games in 15 days.
This week Montreal will host the two teams from Florida, the team that usually begins its vacation in that state around the beginning of May each year, and the NHL’s best team, the New York Rangers. The Canadiens have gotten used to not only playing such teams over the last several weeks, but matching their level in what Brendan Gallagher says is the team’s preparation for next year when he and his team hope to be in more direct competition with such clubs.
The Florida Panthers are first up, bringing their 3-0 record in the season series to Montreal with the opportunity for the sweep for the second consecutive year. However, they have more important things to focus on at the moment as they have won just two of their previous nine games and need to get the ship righted before the post-season arrives.
| Canadiens | Statistics | Panthers |
|---|---|---|
| 28-33-12 | Record | 47-23-5 |
| 44.7% (29th) | Scoring-chances-for % | 55.0% (3rd) |
| 2.68 (28th) | Goals per game | 3.20 (13th) |
| 3.33 (25th) | Goals against per game | 2.48 (2nd) |
| 17.6% (23rd) | PP% | 25.2% (5th) |
| 76.7% (24th) | PK% | 82.1% (9th) |
| 0-2-1 | Head-to-Head Record | 3-0-0 |
Last night, the Panthers gave up five goals in the first 40 minutes to the Toronto Maple Leafs before getting the score to 5-4 in the third period. In the end, the result was an all too familiar one for them, a regulation loss. They’re in no danger of falling out of the playoff picture, or even a seeded position in the Atlantic Division, but it’s a bad time for a team to lose its way.
Montreal came close to breaking the seven-game losing streak versus the Panthers when the teams met in Florida on February 29, but now need to be prepared for a desperate team that isn’t going to take anyone lightly at this stage. It’s bound to be physical game as the Panthers try to battle their way out of this slump. The Canadiens will need their defencemen at their best to deal with the inevitable pressure, which means having Arber Xhekaj staying on the line he’s learning to toe, and Kaiden Guhle, who will be back in the mix after serving his one-game suspension, maintaining his solid 200-foot play.
Guhle is trying to extend a personal three-game point streak, but Juraj Slafkovský and Nick Suzuki had their runs stopped with a shutout at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night. The two forwards both had goals in the 4-3 shootout loss in Sunrise a month ago, and remain the two hottest forwards on the team. It’s not an easy assignment for the top line, matching up with the opponent’s best and still required to lead the team offensively, but it’s a challenge Slafkovský, Suzuki, and Cole Caufield have been meeting. They will have a big say in whether the Habs end their run of losses to Florida tonight or need to add that to their checklist for next year.
