Game Preview: Canadiens at Devils

The Matchup: New Jersey Devils (33-25-8) vs. the Montreal Canadiens (25-29-11 SBNation; Eyes on the Prize

The Time: 7:00 PM EST

The Network: MSG+

Woes of the Canadiens: The reason for the Canadiens struggles this year ultimately comes down to their lack of offense. Their leading scorer is Brendan Gallagher, who has 23 goals and 40 points in 65 games. Max Pacioretty has been uncharacteristically weak, with only 37 points through 64 games. Alex Galchenyuk and Jonathan Drouin are the only other forwards with over 30 points on the year.

Jeff Petry is the only defender with 30+ points. He has 10 goals and 21 assists, but he also has a +/- of -25.

Carey? Where?: Carey Price has been unusually bad this year. He has a 2.98 GAA, with a .904 save percentage. He also only has one shutout on the year. The NHL’s (former?) best goalie might be declining, though this decline is faster than expected. Hopefully, he can recover, but not against the Devils.

Devils Struggles: The Devils may be the most streaky team in the league. They haven’t not been on a losing or winning streak since December 14th. Currently, they are in the midst of a three game losing streak, where the offense not named Taylor Hall has disappeared. The Devils need a motivator, especially with such an important stretch coming up. A game against the Canadiens is a much-needed “easy” win, so the Devils should win this game.

Your Opinion?: Who do you think will win. What do you think the final score will be? Let me know in the comments below, and take care.