Martin St-Louis is using the same 18 players tonight at PNC Arena, which means that Arber Xhekaj and Joe Veleno will be watching Game 2 against the Hurricanes from the press box.
This choice on a Saturday night is based on what worked just two days ago. The Canadiens beat Carolina 6-2 in the first game of the Eastern Conference Final.
Jayden Struble will keep his place on the third defensive pair. Oliver Kapanen remains in his spot on the lower line. The same players are sticking to the same strategy.
Brendan Gallagher is also out of the lineup. At 34 years old, he has only played in 3 playoff games this spring and isn’t being considered for the lineup at the moment.
Struble ended Game 1 with a plus-2 rating. He played almost 15 minutes and didn’t seem stressed by the loud crowd in Carolina.
That’s why he remains in the lineup. His ability to move, control the space, and get the puck out of the zone all work well against a Hurricanes team that is known for its aggressive pressure.
Why Xhekaj’s time on the ice in Game 7 made the choice for tonight easy
The hint came earlier in the playoffs. Xhekaj only played for 1 minute and 52 seconds in Game 7 against the Sabres, and being benched showed exactly what his coach was thinking.
He did score 2 points in 13 playoff games and had a plus-5 rating during that time. The stats aren’t the issue. It’s the matchups that matter.
Carolina doesn’t use heavy players that need a tough defense. They play fast. St-Louis prefers speed over playing rough.
Veleno’s regular season stats tell a similar tale. He had a minus-12 rating in 61 games and never secured a regular spot in the bottom six.
The Canadiens have the home-ice advantage after winning Game 1, and they won all three regular-season games against the Hurricanes before stealing the first game on Thursday.
That’s four wins in a row against Carolina this year. Rod Brind’Amour’s team hasn’t figured out how to win this matchup yet, and tonight is their chance to show they can do it.
Kapanen scored 22 goals this season and is a valuable player who contributes both offensively and defensively as a center on the lower lines. His performance in Game 1 might not have shown up on the scoreboard, but his playing time showed that he’s an important part of the team.
Now the situation changes. Carolina can’t risk going down 0-2 before heading to the Bell Centre.
If the Canadiens win tonight, the series would pretty much be over. If they lose, all of St-Louis’s recent choices will be discussed and questioned for the next two days on the radio.
Xhekaj is waiting. Veleno is waiting. The locker room is quiet, the coach sticks to his plan, and the game starts at 8 p.m. with Montreal just two wins away from the Cup Final.
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