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GDT: Canadiens @ Tampa Bay Lightning - Thurs Mar 31 - 7:30 pm ET

northernlou

Idi Admin
Preview: Montreal at Tampa Bay
7:30 PM ET, Thursday, March 31, 2016
Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida


The Montreal Canadiens already have made an impact on the Eastern Conference playoff race this week, and they will have a big hand in deciding the Atlantic Division champion over the final five games of the season. The draft lottery-bound Canadiens begin a stretch of four contests against the division co-leaders when they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

Montreal rallied to defeat Detroit 4-3 on Tuesday, hampering the postseason chances of the Red Wings, and will take on the Lightning and Florida – who are even in points for first in the Atlantic – two times each over the final 10 days of the campaign. Tampa Bay currently holds the tiebreaker against the Panthers with six contests left after winning four of its last five games, but has been ravaged by injuries and is depending too much on Ben Bishop. The goaltender posted his third shutout in six games Monday as his team was getting outshot by league-worst Toronto 34-18. “You don’t want to play this off-and-on game this close to the playoffs,” Tampa Bay forward Alex Killorn told reporters. “You want to be building yourself up so you’re playing your best hockey.”

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Sportsnet East, RDS (Montreal), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)

ABOUT THE CANADIENS (35-36-6): Captain Max Pacioretty still has a chance to reach 30 goals for the third straight season and fourth in five campaigns after netting three in his last three contests to push his total to 27. While defenseman P.K. Subban (neck) still is questionable, the Canadiens could get energetic forward Brendan Gallagher (groin) back in the lineup either Thursday or Saturday at Florida. Alex Galchenyuk has notched four points in his last four games to raise his career-high total to 52 – five fewer than Pacioretty for the team lead.

ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (44-27-5): Valtteri Filppula returned in the 3-0 win over Toronto on Monday, but fellow forwards Ryan Callahan and Nikita Kucherov still are questionable with lower-body injuries while defenseman Anton Stralman (broken fibula) is out indefinitely. Captain Steven Stamkos is riding a six-game point streak and Ondrej Palat’s run is at five as he has registered eight goals in 13 games this month. Defenseman Victor Hedman, who will see his ice time rise even more with Stralman sidelined, has recorded seven points in his last six games.

OVERTIME

1. The Lightning dropped both of their previous two meetings with Montreal this season after winning nine of 11 in 2014-15 - including the playoffs.

2. St. Cloud State G Charlie Lindgren was signed by Montreal as a free agent Wednesday and will finish the season with the team after G Ben Scrivens was placed on waivers.

3. Tampa Bay RW Erik Condra has notched four points in the last four games after recording six in his first 45 contests with the team.

Trends

Canadiens are 4-1 in the last 5 meetings.
Canadiens are 5-21 in their last 26 road games.
Canadiens are 1-7 in their last 8 Thursday games.
Lightning are 7-1 in their last 8 Thursday games.

http://www.covers.com/pageLoader/pageLoader.aspx?page=/data/nhl/matchups/g2_preview_8.html
 
Can you believe these people exist? ....

Alex ‏@Habscentral
Desharnais scores first #habs goal. Suck it haters.

Like it somehow makes his existence and TOI relevant :lol
 
Where was this courage and conviction when it mattered?

Now they're just f*cking uno the tank.

Idiots.
As predicted, MT f*cked up the 2001 Habs Kovalchuk chase by getting a 7-game win streak the final 3-weeks of the season, he's f*ckin it up yet again.
 
First NHL shutout for Condon

tumblr_n85lhn2el21sabf2ro1_500.gif
 
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