Game preview and how to watch
Game 81: Montreal Canadiens @ New York Islanders
Start time: **6:00 PM EDT / 3:00 PM PDT**
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Islanders region: MSGSN
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The Islanders completed the majority of their road schedule early, leaving them with 10 of the final 12 games to be played on home ice, a chance to use that advantage to pull away from some division rivals and secure a playoff spot. They haven’t capitalized on that schedule however, with a 4-6-0 record to begin their final slate. A four-game losing streak led to the firing of head coach Patrick Roy, leaving little time for new head coach Pete DeBoer to turn things around with just four games to play in the season.
With a 3-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators yesterday, the Islanders were passed by the Columbus Blue Jackets and Washington Capitals, and sit fourth in the tightest remaining playoff race, the Metropolitan Division’s third seed. Now they need at least three points in their final two games just to match the total of the Philadelphia Flyers who currently hold the spot, and even two regulation wins may not be enough to claim a playoff berth.
Tale of the Tape
| Canadiens | Statistics | Islanders |
|---|---|---|
| 47-23-10 | Record | 43-32-5 |
| 48.6% (23rd) | Expected-goal share | 47.5% (26th) |
| 3.41 (7th) | Goals per game | 2.84 (24th) |
| 3.08 (19th) | Goals against per game | 2.88 (5th) |
| 23.2% (10th) | PP% | 16.8% (30th) |
| 78.0% (20th) | PK% | 81.0% (9th) |
| 1-0-1 | Head-to-Head Record | 1-1-0 |
| Cole Caufield (51) | Most goals | Bo Horvat (30) |
| Nick Suzuki (71) | Most assists | Mathew Barzal (52) |
| Nick Suzuki (99) | Most points | Mathew Barzal (71) |
After starting the season with several injuries at the forward position, the Montreal Canadiens were enjoying a healthy second half of the season. That had changed several days ago when first Alexandre Carrier went out, and then Kaiden Guhle was left on the sidelines with what was reportedly a minor injury. Last night the Habs were dealt a more serious blow when Noah Dobson blocked a shot with his hand, now set to miss at least two weeks, which will see him miss the first week of the post-season at minimum.
That was the full right side of their defence for much of the season, handing the team a major dose of adversity just before the playoffs are set to begin. If they were just minor issues for Carrier and Guhle that the team was being cautious with now that a playoff spot is secured, those players may be able to slot back in, but missing the third-most-used defenceman on the team and one of the top penalty-killers in Dobson will up the degree of difficulty for their first-round matchup.
These final two games are therefore a tryout for the younger blue-liners to emerge as the most trustworthy option for Martin St-Louis to start in Game 1. Montreal has added another contender into the mix, calling up David Reinbacher for the first time in the 2023 fifth-overall selection’s career. You couldn’t ask for a more playoff-like environment for the challenge, with the Islanders tonight and then the Flyers on Tuesday who may have the chance to lock down the last position with a win. High-energy, physical play from the opposing forwards is what every defenceman will be dealing with, needing to match that level to survive their minutes.
Tonight will feature the final start for Jacob Fowler, possibly of the season with Jakub Dobeš set to be the man for the post-season run. Fowler will be seeking his ninth win in his 17th start, and fourth in his last five outings to finish the year strong. He was in net for the 7-3 win over the Islanders when the Canadiens pulled away late to begin their eight-game winning streak, so he will be looking to beat them for the second time this season, likely needing to make many more than the 22 saves he had in the first win.
