Canadiens Lineup
Forward strains
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Kirby Dach
Anthony Richard – Jonathan Drouin – Josh Anderson
Mike Hoffman – Christian Dvorak – Brendan Gallagher
Michael Pezzetta – Jake Evans – Juraj Slafkovsky
Defence pairings
Jordan Harris – David Savard
Joel Edmundson – Justin Barron
Arber Xhekaj – Chris Wideman
Goaltenders
Sam Montembeault – Jake Allen
Scratches
Evgenii Dadonov, Joel Armia, Johnathan Kovacevic
Accidents
Carey Price (knee), Paul Byron (hip), Sean Monahan (lower-body), Mike Matheson (lower-body), Kaiden Guhle (lower-body)
Sport Report
The Canadiens’ longest freeway journey of the season mercifully recreation to an end tonight in Nashville. As freeway journeys for NHL teams go, it was hardly basically probably the most onerous with a Christmas break planted squarely in the midst of seven video video games away from the Bell Centre.
On December nineteenth, Montreal began the journey with a 3-2 win in Tempe courtesy of a Mike Hoffman further time intention. It was more than likely a recreation that the company didn’t must win as a result of the Coyotes dominated play territorially at Mullet Enviornment.
The Canadiens spent almost the entire journey having fun with with out the puck. Consequently, the win in Arizona was their closing; the Habs went on to lose six straight video video games. That they had been outscored 34-14 collectively in seven video video games.
There are too many players who don’t have the expertise or the inclination to work together with out the puck corresponding to Jonathan Drouin, Mike Hoffman, Cole Caufield and Juraj Slafkovsky. And Marty St. Louis added yet one more to the lineup for tonight’s recreation: Anthony Richard.
Richard took the place of Joel Armia. The 29-year-old Armia is commonly a aim of criticism for Habs followers. Whereas his offence has been non-existent this season, his possession recreation, puck retrieval and defensive contributions is likely to be further helpful to a workers that’s leaking targets than an AHL veteran.
Richard found himself considerably underwater in shot makes an try tonight 5 CF – 18 CA (5v5).
With a recreation plan, the Canadiens had been down by two targets early in opposition to Nashville. And with no system to lean on, the players’ confidence of their very personal abilities (and that of their linemates) is reasonably fragile correct now. There may very well be no comeback on this recreation.
The Habs is likely to be anxious to go away the losses and the distractions of the freeway journey behind them as they return to Montreal.
A whole lot of fulfilling being had in Nashville with the entire moms. Painted denim jackets, dinners with our boys, good excursions, made our private chocolate clusters at GooGoo Cluster. Previous couple of hours with the boys…such an beautiful 5 days. Can’t thank @CanadiensMTL adequate. #GoHabsGo
— Amanda Suzuki (@AmandaZukes) January 3, 2023
Up Subsequent
When a fragile workers hits powerful, uneven waters, it’s key to have an expert hand on the tiller. Sadly the fogeys at current behind the bench don’t match that profile. So it might be as a lot as administration to make strikes to shake up the roster.
Reportedly, defenceman Kaiden Guhle has been positioned on injured reserve.
The Canadiens will spend almost the entire month of January close to residence. The Habs begin a four-game homestand by web internet hosting the New York Rangers on Thursday on the Bell Centre.
Plus
▲ Cole Caufield, Jordan Harris, Kirby Dach
Minus
▼ Joel Edmundson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jonathan Drouin, Anthony Richard, Christian Dvorak, Sam Montembeault, Josh Anderson, Justin Barron, Marty St. Louis
Sport Preview
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