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7PM EST Habs @ Buffalo to clinch a playoff spot


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Pre-Game Notes: Montreal once again dropped out of the Northeast lead, giving up one point to the Bruins. They can temporarily take it back with a win against the Sabres, who have been giving the better teams in the East fits all half season long. Buffalo might be in the Northeast basement and the only team probably not to make the playoffs in the division but they still only sit six points out of a playoff spot. Montreal needs to pump some momentum into their tires because Saturday is a game against the Leafs and the last thing Montreal wants is the last two Leaf games to be pre-playoff matches.

Projected Sabres Lineup

9 Steve Ott - 19 Cody Hodgson - 42 Nathan Gerbe
26 Thomas Vanek ("A") - 63 Tyler Ennis - 21 Drew Stafford ("A")
82 Marcus Foligno - 12 Kevin Porter - 65 Brian Flynn
72 Luke Adam - 55 Jochen Hecht - 36 Patrick Kaleta

10 Christian Ehrhoff - 57 Tyler Myers
6 Mike Weber - 44 Andrej Sekera
27 Adam Pardy - 53 Mark Pysyk

30 Ryan Miller

Projected Canadiens Lineup

67 Max Pacioretty - 51 David Desharnais - 11 Brendan Gallagher
17 Rene Bourque - 14 Tomas Plekanec - 21 Brian Gionta ("C")
27 Alex Galchenyuk - 81 Lars Eller - 73 Michael Ryder
32 Travis Moen - 24 Jeff Halpern - 8 Brandon Prust

55 Francis Bouillon - 79 Andrei Markov ("A")
26 Josh Gorges ("A") - 76 PK Subban
44 Davis Drewiske - 40 Nathan Beaulieu

30 Peter Budaj

Nothing official yet on whether or not Bourque is back in the top six with Ryder on the third and Prust on the fourth but that's the whispers going around. Other important games to note: Islanders vs. Boston, Ottawa vs. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh vs. Tampa Bay.

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Big game tonight... I really want first in the division. Let the leafs and bruins beat the crap out of each other. If we want to go the distance, we need to avoid the big hitting, semi dirty teams as long as possible and stay healthy.

Boys have been a bit of a funk lately, its time to get it going again. gally, pacs, and DD need to get back on the score sheet in a big way. Pk needs to keep racking up the points too in the Norris race.

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I have to think that the Desharnais line is at the end of their rope. As much as he and Pacioretty have had chemistry in the past, they don't seem to have it this year and sooner than later they need to tinker. If it does come to that, here's hoping Desharnais doesn't cry to the media about it like he did last time. I think that line knows they're on notice and will respond - that line gets a goal tonight.

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I actually like the Galy-Eller-Ryder line best as far as offense potential goes. But I agree, D-D cannot continue to get more ice time than Eller, he is not the player he was at this time last year.

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I have to think that the Desharnais line is at the end of their rope. As much as he and Pacioretty have had chemistry in the past, they don't seem to have it this year and sooner than later they need to tinker. If it does come to that, here's hoping Desharnais doesn't cry to the media about it like he did last time. I think that line knows they're on notice and will respond - that line gets a goal tonight.

Wolvie - Pleks - Gally/Ryder

Chucky - Eller - Ryder/Gally

Bourque - DD - Gionta

Prust - Halpern - Moen/White

Pleks and Eller are making things happen, give them the wingers that can best put points on the board. Maybe DD needs a little doghouse time to snap him back.

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Some exciting news, tonight the Habs are playing an opponent who is more inept than them in the second period when it comes to goals allowed. Buffalo has allowed 47 2nd period goals, the most in the East. (The Habs are at 45 GA, tied for 2nd with the Pens in the Eastern Conference.) Interestingly enough, Montreal is only -4 in terms of GF/GA differential in the second frame, I wouldn't have guessed that. Buffalo is -13 if anyone's wondering.

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I keep hearing we need to replace DD with Eller, but at this point Eller hasn't proven that he can contribute offense on a regular basis.

When is the last time you've seen a 3rd line contributing offense on a regular basis ? He has 1 less point than DD this season.

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I keep hearing we need to replace DD with Eller, but at this point Eller hasn't proven that he can contribute offense on a regular basis.

I saw a stat, not sure where. Eller has the same amount of power play points as DD in 1/5th of the time.
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I keep hearing we need to replace DD with Eller, but at this point Eller hasn't proven that he can contribute offense on a regular basis.

DD is getting 2 wingers able to contribute to offense. He had a shot on the Ryder and Gionta line and put up 2 points that game. Chucky and Eller is going to have their first shot with a full scoring winger.

Last season Eller had Moen and Kostitsyn, a plug and a scorer. This season started as Moen and Armstrong. Then Chucky and Prust/Armstrong/Dumont. Yet DD has had 2 scoring winger and Eller is 1 point behind him. I was on the trade Eller bandwagon at the beginning of the season, but boy was I wrong. He's developing into a good two-way center, like Pleks. The kid has paid his dues with checking roles and plugs on his line, it's time he gets his shot as an offensive player. He's gonna get that starting tonight and until one of our top-9 gets injured.

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I keep hearing we need to replace DD with Eller, but at this point Eller hasn't proven that he can contribute offense on a regular basis.

Have to disagree there, Eller has done everything to earn dd's line mates and ice time.

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One thing that I was really impressed in that period was Galchenyuk's play in his own end. His positioning was perfect and he hustled back to cover Vanek on a potential 3-on-2. Solid work for sure...and a goal doesn't hurt.

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