Boston Bruins
Game 47: Boston Bruins @ Montreal Canadiens Lines, Preview
Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Boston Bruins Game Day Preview:
Boston Bruins (37-5-4, 78 pts) vs Montreal Canadiens (20-24-3, 43 pts)
TIME: 7:00 P.M. ET
TV: NESN, SN
Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub
Boston Bruins Notes
-Fourth line center Tomas Nosek is out for at least a month after suffering a displaced fracture in his left foot. Billerica native Marc McLaughlin has been called up from Providence to take Nosek’s spot on the roster after a solid AHL season that followed an excellent training camp for the former Boston College captain.
–Fourth line center Joona Koppanen, replacing Nosek in the Bruins lineup, picked up his first NHL point on a Nick Foligno goal in Boston’s Sunday night win over the San Jose Sharks.
—Boston Bruins defensemen are riding a five game goal-scoring streak highlighted by two highlight reel goals from Hampus Lindholm and Charlie McAvoy in Sunday’s shutout win over the Sharks. It’s the first time since the 2013-14 season that the B’s have enjoyed five straight games with goals from their blueline group.
-Goalie Jeremy Swayman will be getting the start for the Black and Gold and is riding a hot stretch in January where he’s 4-0-0 with a 0.99 goals against average and .967 save percentage.
Montreal Canadiens Notes
-After competing against them for years, Canadiens head coach Marty St. Louis is highly respectful of the Boston Bruins veteran players headed into his first matchup coaching against them.
“Those guys are rare to be high level players later in their careers,” said St. Louis. “The leadership qualities that they bring. They pull everybody in. The tree is so strong that you just have to follow.”
Martin St-Louis s’adresse aux médias avant le match de mardi contre les Bruins au Centre Bell.
Martin St-Louis is addressing the media ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Bruins at the Bell Centre. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/np0eQI2DaH
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) January 24, 2023
-It’s expected that Sam Montembeault is going to get the start between the pipes for the Habs with Jake Allen injured and unable to play. Montembeault is 4-4-0 with a .921 save percentage in eight games during the month of January.
-Kirby Dach took a maintenance day at practice on Monday, but is expected to play against the Boston Bruins after taking part in the morning skate at the Bell Centre.
Forwards
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Craig Smith
Pavel Zacha-David Krejci-David Pastrnak
Taylor Hall-Charlie Coyle-Trent Frederic
Nick Foligno-Joona Koppanen-AJ Greer
Defense:
Matt Grzelcyk-Charlie McAvoy
Hampus Lindholm-Brandon Carlo
Derek Forbort-Connor Clifton
Goalies:
Jeremy Swayman
Linus Ullmark
Montreal Canadiens Lineup:
Forwards
Rem Pitlick-Nick Suzuki-Josh Anderson
Mike Hoffman-Kirby Dach-Jesse Ylonen
Rafael-Harvey Pinard-Alex Belzile-Michael Pezzetta
Christian Dvorak-Evgenii Dadonov
Defense
Mike Matheson-David Savard
Joel Edmundson-Justin Barron
Jordan Harris-Arber Xhekaj
Jonathan Kovacevic
Goalies
Cayden Primeau
Sam Montembeault
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While this might fall under the heading of “if it ain’t broke…”, I’m thinking it might be time to try Taylor Hall on the first line, with Marchand and Bergeron. While he was producing, it was great to have the mismatches of Hall on the third line. But he’s been floundering for more than a dozen games. And Craig Smith, for all his efforts, simply doesn’t belong in the top six.
Hall is defensively responsible…certainly wouldn’t be a defensive liability…
It’s a thought.
Following upon that thought: Hall played one shift on the Bergeron line against the Habs, perhaps for the first time, ever. He seemed invigorated and the line had a decent chance at a goal. Maybe a coincidence, maybe not. But a few minutes later, Hall broke the 3rd longest scoring drought of his career on the PP. Taylor Hall seems to need to be “managed” like a thoroughbred horse. He has all the talent in the world. But for whatever reason, falls into an “ennuie” offensively, regardless of the situation. Be that as it may, Craig Smith is a “drive… Read more »
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