Game #19

Canadiens vs. Ottawa

Scotiabank Place – Feb.25/2013 – 7:35pm

About the Canadiens

….The Canadiens have won three games in a row on the road.  They are looking for a fourth  straight road win for the first time since March 5, 2011.

….The Canadiens have  earned  at least  a point in  seven of the last eight meetings between  the  clubs  back to the  beginning  of last season  (4-1-2). Their record over that span at  Scotiabank Placeis 4-1-2.

….Over the last two-plus  seasons the Canadiens are 9-2-3 against the Senators; 4-1-2 at Scotiabank Place.

….Andrei Markov has ten points in his last 13 visits including an assist January 30^th which was his  first  game at  Scotiabank place since Jan. 30,  2010.    All 10 of his points this season have come on the power play.   Only two points in his last 12.

….Tomas Plekanec has 19 points in his last 19 games  against Ottawa.  At Scotiabank Place he has 13  points in his last ten.

….Since he  joined  the Canadiens last season Erik Cole has 7 goals and  1 assist in eight games against the Senators.  Including his time at Carolina he has eight goals and five assists in his last 12 games against them.

….Rookie Alex Galchenyuk is third on the Canadiens with  12 points.  (Plekaec and Pacioretty have 13)   He is third in NHL rookie scoring.  He leads all  rookies with a plus-9  rating.

….A reflection of the Canadiens play this season while at even strength, only two players are on the minus side of the plus/minus statistic;  Andrei Markov at minus-2 and David Desharnais minus-3.     The leaders are  Galchenyuk plus-9; Prust plus-8; Gallagher plus-7; Gorges and Diaz plus-6.

….Carey Price is  7-0-2 with a 1.41 GAA in his last nine games agaisnt Ottawa.  Career he is 13-5-2 vs. the Senators.

...37 year old Francis Bouillon will play in his 500th game wearing a Canadiens sweater.  It will be the 695th game of his career.  He played 195 over three seasons for Nashville before returnig to Montreal this season.

….The Canadiens  have allowed one goal for fewer in five of their last seven games  and  have limited  opposition to less than 20  shots in three of their last five.

…..In four of their last five games the Canadiens have allowed six first period opposition shots or less.

….The Canadiens are 10-0-1 in games outside the Northeast Division.  In games against Northeast Rivals they are 2-4-1 -losing twice to Toronto and once to both Boston and Ottawa and to Buffalo in a shootout. Northeast opponents have outscored the Canadiens 21-15 in seven games.

From The Ottawa Side –

….. The Senators have four straight wins and can tie the Northeast-leading Canadiens in points with a regulation win at home Monday.

…..The Senators are seeking their first five-game home win streak since a run of seven from Jan. 19-Feb. 11, 2010.   They have managed the win streak while playing without seven regulars.

…..Nine players on the current Senators roster started the season with the team’s AHL affiliate in Binghamton New York.

….. Senators are second in the NHL with a 88.7 success rate on the kill.

……The Senators have lost nine  of their last 13 against the Canadiens.

…..This is the final game of a four game home stand for the Senators. The have won all three games so far.

…..Daniel  Alfredsson has scored 104 points in 87 games against the  Canadiens.   He needs seve to reach 1100.

…..Ben  Bishop is 1-0-1 with a 1.41 GAA in two career starts versus the Canadiens.  He was named the NHL’s third star of the week Monday.

…..Craig Anderson sprained his ankle in Thursday’s shootout win over the NY Rangers  and reportedly won’t return until at least the start of a five-game road trip in Boston on Feb. 28th.

…..The current goaltending backup is  highly regarded prospect Robin Lehner, up from Binghamton of the AHL where he had a gaudy record of 18-10-2, with a goals against average of 2.12 and a save percentage of .938 .

…..Almost 40% of last year’s Senators offensive output is out of their lineup right now including Erik Karlsson, who is going to miss the season,  Jason Spezza, Milan Michalek and Peter Regin.   

….. Spezza was on the ice before players took part in the morning skate for the first time since  his  back  surgery.  He  is still considered a longshot to return to  the Ottawa lineup before the end  of the season.

Statistics 

This Season – Canadiens (12-4-2) 1st in Eastern Conference and Northeast Division.      Ottawa  (11-6-2)   6th in East.   Third in Northeast Division.

Last Ten Games: Canadiens 6-2-2; Ottawa 6-3-1

Last Time Out-  Ottawa edged Toronto 3-2 Saturday.  Canadiens shutout the NY Rangers 3-0.

Home/Away – Canadiens  on the Road (4-1-1)      Ottawa at Home (8-1-2)

Season Series: Third of four meetings.  Each team has won on home ice. Scotiabank Place Jan.30  Ottawa-5 Canadiens-1  Peer Bujaj gives up five on 27 shots. Ryan White given a double minor for unsportsmanlike conduct.  Alfredsson and Zibanejad  scored while he was in the penalty box to break open a 1-1 tie.  Plekanec scored for the Canadiens.  Bell Centre Feb. 3- Canadiens-2 Ottawa-1.  Erik Cole gave the Canadiens their 2-1 midway through the first period  and Carey Price did the rest stopping 32 of 33 shots. Desharnais scored  other goal for  the Canadiens.  Silfverberg for Ottawa. Silfverberg was also handed a questionable goaltender interference penalty early in the third period nullifying a goal scored by Andre Benoit which would have tied the game.  Max Pacioretty returns to the lineup eight days after an appendectomy.

Goaltenders – Canadiens  - Carey Price 14GP (10-3-1)1.97GAA    .923save% 2 shutouts   Ottawa – Ben Bishop- 5GP (3-2-0)  2.47GAA   .921save%.   (Robin Lehner up from Binghamton where his record was – 18-10-2,  2.12 GAA   .938save%.)

Special Teams – Power Play- Canadiens ranked  10^th  16/86  18.6%   Ottawa ranked 17th  11/65  16.9%.  Penalty Killing – Canadiens ranked15th  14/80  82.5%.   Ottawa ranked 3^rd   8/71    88.7%.

Who’s Hot –Canadiens Alex Galchenyuk has two goals, two assists last four games.       Ottawa – Colin Green -  goal and two assists vs. Toronto

Injuries – Canadiens –LW-Rene Bourque (flu); C- Petteri Nokelainen (IR-back)   Ottawa  C-Jason Spezza (IR back surgery);  LW- Milan Michalek (sprained knee); D- Erik Karlsson (IR-achilles); G-Craig Anderson  (sprained right ankle); . D-Jared  Cowen   (IR-hip); LW-Guillaume Latendresse (IR-whiplash); C-Peter Regin(IR-upper body).

Probable Ottawa Lineup 

Forwards

Jakob Silfverberg-Kyle Turris-Daniel Alfredsson

Colin Greening-Mika Zibanejad-Erik Condra

David Dziurzynski-Zack Smith-Chris Neil

Kaspars Daugavins-Derek Grant-Jim O’Brien

Defence

Eric Gryba-Marc Methot

Patrick Wiercioch-Sergei Gonchar

Mike Lundin-Chris Phillips

Goal

Ben Bishop

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