Date: December 21, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, QC
Recent Performance
The Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens face off in the second game of a back to back, home and home series. The Red Wings are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Canadiens in the game on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, despite goals from Patrick Kane, Joe Veleno, and Tyler Motte, Detroit couldn’t maintain their third period lead. This defeat places them at 13-15-4 on the season, positioning them sixth in the Atlantic Division with 30 points following that thrilling matchup Friday night in Detroit. The Canadiens edged out the Red Wings 4-3, overcoming a third period deficit with a late power play goal by Patrik Laine improving Montreal’s record to 13-16-3 placing them one spot back from the Red Wings in the Atlantic Division.
Detroit Red Wings: The Wings dropped to 13-15-4 on the season with 30 points, sitting sixth in the Atlantic Division with 30 points. Despite a solid performance from Patrick Kane, who scored in consecutive games, Detroit struggled defensively in the third period last match.
Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens improved to 13-16-3 with 29 points, now one spot behind the Red Wings in the standings. Patrik Laine has been on fire since joining the Habs, tallying seven goals in eight games, all on the power play.
Key Players to Watch
Detroit Red Wings
- Lucas Raymond: Leading the Red Wings with 33 points (13 goals, 20 assists), Raymond will be pivotal in breaking down Montreal’s defense. On Friday night he was left off the scoresheet and posted a -1 rating.
- Patrick Kane: The veteran winger continues to find his scoring touch, contributing consistently with 4 points in his last 3 games for Detroit.
Montreal Canadiens
- Patrik Laine: The NHL’s power play specialist, Laine’s goal scoring ability has added a new dimension to Montreal’s offense since his return he has 7 goals all on the power play. Since his return the Canadiens have gone 7 for 25 on their power play.
- Cole Caufield: With 30 points (17 goals, 30 assists) this season, Caufield remains a constant threat in all situations for the Canadiens. He will be on the top line tonight with Suzuki and Slafkovsky.
Team Insights
- Special Teams: Montreal’s power play has surged with Laine in the lineup, now operating at 22.5% (12th in the NHL), while Detroit’s penalty kill has struggled operating at 67.4% (31st in the NHL), allowing crucial goals late in games. The Montreal penalty kill has also been solid sitting at 81.7% (10th in the NHL) while Detroit is struggling to find consistency with a 67.4% penalty kill rate (31st in the NHL). We have two teams with very different results so far this season both on the man advantage and penalty kill.
- Goaltending: Detroit’s Alex Lyon is expected to start after Cam Talbot played Friday. Montreal could go with Sam Montembeault, who has been steady between the pipes this season but reports are saying Cayden Primeau may get the nod tonight in net.
Alex Lyon: 5-4-1 with a 2.88 goals against average and .903 save percentage.
Cam Talbot: 6-7-1 with a 2.78 goals against average and .914 save percentage.
Cayden Primeau: 2-3-0 with a 4.69 goals against average and .836 save percentage.
Sam Montembeault: 11-13-3 with a 2.93 goals against average and .901 save percentage.
- Recent Trends:
- Detroit has only found 3 wins in their last 10 games, struggling to find consistency on defense and their special teams.
- Montreal has gained momentum this month with 5 wins in their last 9 games dating back to December 1st.
Game Outlook
With both teams battling for positioning with one another in the Atlantic Division and playing each other back to back in a home and home series, expect a hard fought game. The Red Wings will look to tighten their defensive play and capitalize on chances created by their top six forwards. The Canadiens, fueled by their home crowd, will aim to replicate Friday’s success, especially on the power play.
This Original Six clash promises another exciting chapter as these rivals continue their NHL campaign this season.
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