About the Canadiens - 12-27-08
A preview of the Canadiens.
Record: 18-9-6
Leading Scorer: Alex Tanguay 26 points (10 goals 16 assists).
Last Game: 3-2 home overtime loss to the Hurricanes, Sunday. Tanguay had a two assists for Montreal.
Last Game against the Penguins: 5-4 home loss Feb. 21. Evgeni Malkin and Ryan Whitney each had a goal and two assists.
Canadiens Player We Would Bet Money On Scoring: Robert Lang (No. 20, with Matt D'Agostini and Alex Kovalev). He has eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games against his former team.
Ex-Penguins on the Canadiens: Tom Kostopoulos, RW; Alex Kovalev, RW; Robert Lang, C; Georges Laraque, RW.
Ex-Canadiens on the Penguins: Andre Savard, Assistant Coach; Michel Therrien, Head Coach.
Useless Canadiens Trivia: This stat is somewhat stunning to us; The Canadiens have not met the rival Maple Leafs in a playoff series since 1979.
Best Canadiens YouTube Video We Could Find: Maurice Richard once beat up Sean Avery:
-Actually, Avery played Rangers defenseman Bob Dill in the 2005 Richard biopic, "The Rocket." Either way, it's satisfying seeing Avery on the business end of a couple of punches, staged or not.
Notes:
-Laraque is expected to be put on injured reserve due to a groin injury.
-With Laraque hobbled, the Habs recalled forward Kyle Chipchura and Max Pacioretty from Hamilton of the AHL.
-In addition to Laraque, forwards Saku Koivu and Christopher Higgins are dinged up.
-Koivu didn't even make the trip to Pittsburgh due to an undisclosed injury.
-The Penguins' players went all Ebenezer Scrooge on Michel Therrien's Christmas.
-Goaltender Carey Price has thrived in Montreal's pressure cooker.
-Marc-Andre Fleury and Carey Price are expected to start in net.
-With the Canadiens celebrating their centennial, the club has set up a pretty nice site dedicated to its history.
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(Photo: Ryan Remiorz/Canadian Press)