Pre-Game Talk: @ Montreal, Sat 7pm ->>> 4 POINT GAME

[PromisedLand]

I know it is early to start the pre-game but lets get it rolling

4 point game; gotta beat Montreal in regulation and maintain home ice advantage. Leafs are up 3 points on both Boston and Montreal with a game in hand.

One of the "most important games" this season this saturday

We all know that babcock changes his line combinations for home vs away games. Since this is an away game what lines do we see Babcock going with?

I expect

Hyman-JT-Mitch
Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander
Marleau-Kadri-Kapanen
Lindhom-Goat-Brown

Muzzin Rielly
Gardiner Zaitsev
Dermott Hainsey

P.S. I hope babcock flips Zaitsev and Hainsey at least for the away games; Gardiner-Zaitsev pairing is just not working

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[HOF Paul Henderson]

I am super pumped for this game. If the Canadiens beat the jets tonight they are only 1 point back.

 

[Paradoc]

Big, big game for playoff purposes. Cannot afford to start to slow or show lack of effort.

 

[Brown Dog]

The most important thing about this game is that I'm going!!!

Making the pilgrimage from Burlington with the family. We'll be decked out in our jerseys and doing our best to get "Go Leafs Go" going amongst those filthy Canadiens fans.

Truly a bucket list experience. I can't wait!!

 

[I Believe]

Win this and I don't care what happens against the Rangers on Sunday.

 

[BertCorbeau]

I expect a better full effort than last night.

Need to show up and play hard in this one

 

[Cor]

Habs vs Leafs with a playoff feel?

I'm game

 

[Burnie97]

Win this and I don't care what happens against the Rangers on Sunday.

I know what you are saying... more important game forsure due to the standings, and rivalry... but I'm greedy... win both.

Can't wait for this game. It's great to be this far into the season and have a relevant game between these teams.

Go Leafs Go

 

[Warden of the North]

Ill be driving back from my in laws (Ajax to Muskoka) so I'll have Bowen and Ralph to me company on the radio. Excellent. Should be home for the third period.

 

[HamiltonNHL]

I don't care about this game. I want the Habs in the playoffs. If winning helps that, I want to win. If losing helps, bring it on.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Habs tend to dominate puck posessiopo and Price has been lights out lately. Knowing the Leafs, we'll spend most of the game in our own zone.

Need to be aggressive in all 3 zones against them

 

[Mugzy97]

The start of 3 games in 4 nights.

 

[Torontonian]

The start of 3 games in 4 nights.

6 games in 11 night for this road trip as well.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

Win this and I don't care what happens against the Rangers on Sunday.

I do, I'l be there at MSG...

 

[HockeyDBspecialist]

MAN

I won't miss that game, it will be so freaking intense!
( I wish for the same playoff match up, rivalry hockey is good hockey.)

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Habs are one annoying team. they don't have that much high end forward talent, but they play with a lot of structure and pace. they're also getting elite goaltending now. they'll be a tough out in the playoffs if they keep that up. Also, Kotkaniemi is very impressive

 

[Nineteen67]

This will be a tough one. Montreal gets in the way and they skate.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Been a while since a game between these two teams carried these kind of ramifications regarding the playoff picture. Hope we can take the wind out of their sails and take this in regulation. Though I'll take a W of any kind really.

 

[Thread The Needle]

I'm just happy that we have meaningful games vs. The Habs again.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Habs tend to dominate puck posessiopo and Price has been lights out lately. Knowing the Leafs, we'll spend most of the game in our own zone.

Need to be aggressive in all 3 zones against them

I'll be very disappointed if the Leafs don't come ready to play and compete for a full 60.

 

[BTP]

As usual, show up and play right we can smoke any team in the league. so lets show up and play thx.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Take this game in regulation and create separation on 2nd in the division again with games in hand. Is this the biggest game against the Habs since that last game of the year we had to win to have a chance to get in....and then got crushed by rando backup the next day? It has been a whole lot of meh for as long as I can remember.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Habs are outplaying Winnipeg badly. if the Leafs don't show up, it'll be ugly

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Habs are outplaying Winnipeg badly. if the Leafs don't show up, it'll be ugly

Habs play eerily similar to last years Vegas team. The lineup is entirely underwhelming but they give you absolutely zero time because they are flying and get elite level goaltending.

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]

Habs play eerily similar to last years Vegas team. The lineup is entirely underwhelming but they give you absolutely zero time because they are flying and get elite level goaltending.

yeah, good comparison. also remind me a lot of this year's Islanders. great teams and built perfectly to give a team like the Leafs trouble, even though the Leafs have a lot more talent.