5 Things to Know: Sharks vs Habs
The Sharks are 4-4-1 with two losses halfway through their six-game road trip. With back-to-back games, they take on the Montreal Canadiens at 4 p.m. PT on Tuesday, October 20 at the Bell Centre.
Here are 5 things to know ahead of the game:
- Montreal Canadiens Outlook (4-3-1)
While the Habs are ranked 7th, below the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division, they boast a young core featuring talent like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Lane Hutson.
"They definitely create a lot of rush chances with their speed so we gotta be good with the puck, make sure we're putting it in spots where they can't just turn it up quick," Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson told the media ahead of Tuesday's game.
Shutting down Montreal's transition game and limiting power-play opportunities are a must for San Jose tonight. The Habs are coming off of a rested couple of days, last playing against the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday, winning it 4-3 in overtime.
Last season the Sharks swept both of their head-to-head meetings, winning 7-5 and 4-2.
- San Jose Sharks Outlook (4-4-1)
The Sharks are 1-2-0 in their last three, and have taken five of their first nine games of the season into overtime or shootout. Team Teal will likely turn to their depth in goal as they play in back-to-back nights.
Yaroslav Askarov got last night's start, making 29 saves on 31 shot attempts. Alex Nedeljkovic has made three starts, 2-0-1, holding stats for 2.20 goals against and .92 save percentage.
- Captain Celebrini's Hot Start
Macklin Celebrini is tied for 18th in scoring in the NHL with nine other players, holding three goals and eight assists. With Celebrini on the ice at even strength, the Sharks have been controlling almost two-thirds of all shot attempts, per Hockey-Reference.com.
Holding a 63.5 Corsi For score through seven games played, Celebrini's line will be vital to wearing down the Canadiens.
Montreal forward Juraj Slafkovsky said Tuesday morning that the Canadiens are getting better at winning pucks back and spending less time in their own zone. While it's a small sample size, the Sharks may look to capitalize by trying to keep the puck in the Habs' zone through a full sixty.
- Special Teams Setup
San Jose has been maximizing both primary and secondary assists on their power play setups, with six power-play goals and 12 power-play assists compared to Montreal's four and seven. Playing in the second half of a doubleheader, keeping penalties to a minimum and watching out for how energy levels hold up against Montreal's rested squad will be important.
- Lineup Changes and Injuries
Sharks center Alexander Wennberg is considered day-to-day, but may be out for the game against Montreal, with an upper body injury. Normally centering the third line with Mason Marchment and Tyler Toffoli, Wennberg's absence may force San Jose to reshuffle its middle group.
For the Habs, Florian Xhekaj and Ivan Demidov are both on injured reserve. Mike Matheson, a top-four d-man, skated with the team, but he remains out. For the blueline, Adam Engstrom is playing and David Reinbacher is a healthy scratch.
