The Pittsburgh Penguins play the Montreal Canadiens for the second time this season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue their second Canadian swing with their second matchup against the Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins squandered a two goal lead and lost in overtime during their first meeting in October.
The Canadiens (7-6-1) are coming off of two straight wins, and are looking to climb up the Atlantic Division standings. The Penguins (6-6-2) are also riding a two game winning streak as they try to regain ground in the Metro Division. Here's three things to watch for in this matchup.
1.) Evgeni Malkin Catching Fire
The Pittsburgh Penguins are getting a huge boost from one of their best players, Evgeni Malkin. With three points in the team’s last two games, Malkin has bumped his season totals to 15 points in 14 games. To top it off, he and his linemates had an absolutely dominant display against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The second line is clicking and the Penguins suddenly look like they may have the makings of a solid team again. Malkin’s surge needs to continue as the Penguins try to stack more wins.
2.) Marcus Pettersson and Kris Letang Finding Chemistry
The Penguins have been forced to shuffle their defensive pairings with PO Joseph out of the lineup. With the second and third pairings being tinkered with, the first pairing of Marcus Pettersson and Kris Letang is set and thriving. In their first two games together, they’ve managed to shut down Washington and Toronto’s offenses.
What stands out in their brief time together is their ability to move the puck quickly from the defensive to neutral zone. When Letang and Pettersson are on the ice, the transition game of the Penguins improves significantly. They’ll need to continue gaining chemistry and anchoring the blue line to keep the Pens in the win column.
3.) Montreal’s Top Line
The key for the Penguins to win this game is simple: shut down the Canadiens’ top line. The Habs ice one of the youngest and most talented first lines in hockey, comprised of Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki, and Kirby Dach.
These three forwards lead the team in scoring, with Suzuki ranking first in both goals and total points (nine goals, 17 points). While they do have some depth forwards to be aware of, the offense runs through their top line. The Penguins must limit their opportunities to have the best chance of extending their winning streak to three games.
The Penguins face-off against the Montreal Canadiens at 7:00PM at the Bell Centre.
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