Game 17 – Canadiens vs. Leafs: A Second In A Row In Toronto?

The Montreal Canadiens kicked off their season with a 3-2 road win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, and on Saturday night, the locals will have a chance to get their revenge. In September, Jakub Dobes was in net and played like the netminder we saw in the playoffs. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since then, and you have to wonder whether he’ll be back in net after backstopping the Habs to a 5-4 win over the Utah Mammoth on Thursday.

Montreal didn’t practice on Friday, but the Habs did travel to Toronto; there won’t be a morning skate, but the team will hold a media availability at their hotel at 11:30 AM. We may know then who’ll be in net and whether there will be any other lineup changes. Martin St-Louis very rarely changes a winning formula, so at this stage it appears unlikely.

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The Canadiens have 23 points in 16 games, putting them second in the Atlantic Division thanks to a 7-1-2 record in their last 10 games. Nick Suzuki’s return on Thursday night was a big boost for the Tricolore, and they’ll be pumped up for this Saturday night rivalry meeting. Meanwhile, the Leafs are sixth in the Atlantic with 18 points in 17 games and have a 5-4-1 record in their last 10 games. Toronto hasn’t played in three days since losing 3-2 to the Mammoth on Tuesday.

Dobes has a 4-0-1 record against the Leafs with a 1.39 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage in five starts; those are some very good numbers. Meanwhile, Jacob Fowler has never faced them, but he’s the kind of goaltender who would relish a Saturday night battle against a divisional rival. St-Louis has no wrong choice there.

As for the Leafs, Sergei Bobrovsky was in net when the two teams met in September, and he has a 16-11-1 record against the Canadiens with a 2.58 GAA and a .912 SV. However, the veteran has lost his last three starts and has a 3.27 GAA and a .889 SV in 11 games, winning only three. As for Anthony Stolarz, he has a 5-2-0 record against the Sainte-Flanelle with a 2.27 GAA and a .920 SV.

Up front, Chris Kreider is the Habs' most productive player against the Leafs with 26 points in 33 games, but none came as a Hab. Suzuki ranks second with 23 points in 32 games, and alternate captain Josh Anderson rounds out the top three with 21 points in 42 games. Lane Hutson is on a six-game points streak (six assists), while Arber Xhekaj is on a three-game point streak (a goal and two assists). 

John Tavares has missed the last nine games, but he returns on Saturday. With 55 points in 64 games against Montreal, his teammates will certainly appreciate his presence. Auston Matthews is their second most productive player with 47 points in 41 games, followed by William Nylander with 40 points in 41 games. Kirill Marchenko, who was good against the Habs in September, is currently week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Jack Roslovic is on a seven-game points streak with five goals and seven assists, while Matthews has points in the last five games: three goals and five assists. 

The teams have split the last 10 duels evenly, but the Canadiens have won the last four meetings. Saturday’s tilt will be the second of four between the divisional rivals this season. The game is set for 7:00 PM, and you can catch it on TVA Sports in French and Sportsnet in English. Tom Chmielewski and TJ Luxmore will be the referees, while  Kyle Flemington and Shandor Alphonso will be the linesmen. Luxmore will be reffing a second Habs game in a row. 

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