Canadiens vs. Rangers: Game preview and how to watch
Start time: 7:15 PM EDT / 4:15 PM PDT
In Canada: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Rangers region: MSG
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
“An immature performance.”
That was how Nick Suzuki described his team’s 4-1 defeat to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, October 17. Few would disagree with the captain’s assessment. Facing a team coming off a 6-2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs the night prior, the Canadiens looked disjointed and disengaged. Facing a goalie with a “higher” goals-against average than save percentage, the Canadiens opted to pass rather than shoot time and time again.
Suzuki’s comments put himself and the team under the spotlight for their next game against the New York Islanders. Their actual performance—echoing a common theme so far this season—received mixed grades.
On the plus side, the Canadiens fought back admirably from a two-goal deficit. The penalty-killing likewise stood firm against an Islander onslaught. Cayden Primeau kept the Habs in the game when the Islanders tilted the ice in the third period. Logan Mailloux tallied his first NHL marker, while Oliver Kapanen and Emil Heineman kept the Canadiens alive in must-score situations during the shootout. Finally, Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson continued doing everything that management and fans have come to expect from them.
On the other hand, the Canadiens lost the game 4-3. The first line, outside of Caufield’s brilliance, was average at best. The second line was nonexistent. Primeau’s heroics came only after he allowed two goals on the first five shots that he faced. Finally, Justin Barron did little to stem the torrent of voices questioning his continued presence in the lineup.
The Canadiens can both view the Islanders game as a missed opportunity and a stepping stone to better things. However, slow and steady may not be enough for Tuesday as the New York Rangers visit the Bell Centre.
Canadiens Statistics Rangers 2-3-1 Record 4-0-1 44.2% (29th) Scoring-chances-for % 49.8% (16th) 2.67 (25th) Goals per game 4.80 (1st) 3.33 (18th) Goals against per game 2.00 (3rd) 21.7% (13th) PP% 31.3% (4th) 90.9% (2nd) PK% 89.5% (4th) 1-2-0 Head-to-Head Record (23-24) 2-0-1The Rangers arrive in Montreal having taken nine of a possible ten points, dropping only a 6-5 overtime decision to the Hockey Club in Utah. More than that, the Blueshirts have won each of the other four games by three or more goals, punctuated by their most recent match: a 4-1 win in Toronto over the Maple Leafs. The offence is driven by Artemiy Panarin’s league-leading 12 points, but five other players are also at point-per-game or better. In goal, potential 12-million-dollar man Igor Shesterkin and backup Jonathan Quick bear matching .935 save percentages. Both also have goals-against-averages around very close to 2.00.
The Rangers have deployed their personnel in a remarkably consistent manner—after all, why fix what isn’t broke? Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere comprise the top line, with Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and Reilly Smith rounding out the top six. Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko form the third trio. The defence is headed by K’Andre Miller and Adam Fox, followed by Jacob Trouba with Braden Schneider, and AHL graduate Zac Jones with rookie Vincent Mancini. Matt Rempe may draw headlines, but the enforcer has only slotted into two games so far, alternating with Jonny Brodzinski. Ryan Lindgren and Jimmy Vesey sit on injured reserve.
To make things more complicated for Montreal, Juraj Slafkovský did not practice on Monday, with head coach Martin St-Louis later commenting that the Slovak winger was “uncertain” for Tuesday’s tilt. Mike Matheson likewise missed practice as he continues to recover from the injury that caused an early exit against the Kings, while Kaiden Guhle’s status is unclear.
Slafkovský’s absence opens the possibility of Kirby Dach skating with Suzuki and Caufield on the top line, which is what the Canadiens experimented with in practice on Monday. At the same time, Kapanen slid into Dach’s place on the second trio and Michael Pezzetta—who has yet to make his season debut—moved into the vacancy on the fourth line. With Matheson’s absence, all six defenders with the Canadiens took the ice, although assumedly one (perhaps two if Guhle is ready to go) of Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj, or Barron will be left aside when Matheson dresses for the actual game. Samuel Montembeault has been announced as the starting netminder for the Tricolore.
The New York Rangers are a better team than the Montreal Canadiens, both on paper and in practice. They have a better roster than the Canadiens in all three areas, and are enjoying a far superior run of form at present. That’s just the simple reality. Unlike their prior three games, Montreal will not be primarily measured on the result, but on their effort, poise, and decision-making. If they are to have a chance, the Canadiens will have to show more maturity and consistency than what they’ve presented thus far this season.
