[open thread] Buffalo Sabres vs. Montreal Canadiens

       vs        

7:30PM TV:MSG Radio:WGR55

The Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres have already played five times this season with Buffalo holding a 3-2-0 record.  The last time the two teams met however was November 24.  In that game Jocelyn Thibault posted a shutout in a 3-0 Buffalo Sabres victory.  The Sabres have won the last three meetings between the two teams and have outscored the Habs 11-3 in those games.  The power play will be important in tonights contest.  Montreal has the number one power play in the entire league while Buffalo is number seven in penalty kill.  It will ultimately be that match up that will decide tonights game.

The Canadiens will start Carey Price in goal tonight against Buffalo.  Price is now the anointed starting goalie in Montreal at just 20 years old because of the trade of Cristobal Huet on Tuesday.  It's interesting that both Buffalo and Montreal are in the thick of the playoff race in the Eastern Conference yet they both would have been considered to sell away assets at the deadline.

Only six points separate the Habs and Sabres in the Standings and Ottawa is one point ahead of Montreal and seven ahead of Buffalo.  If you are like me and interested in what the opponent is saying about tonights game, go check out Four Habs fans and feel free to comment.  All I ask is please don't embarrass the rest of the Sabres fans.  

If you haven't registered for a free account yet please do so now and join us for some riveting conversation about the trade and the game.

Buffalo Leaders

Goals:Thomas Vanek 26
Assists:Jason Pominville 39
Points:Jason Pominville 58
Plus/minus:Derek Roy +14
PIM:Andrew Peters 85

Canadiens Leaders

Goals:Alex Kovalev 29
Assists:Andrei Markov 37
Points:Alex Kovalev 63
Plus/minus:Alex Kovalev +8
PIM:Tom Kostopolous 102

Projected Sabres lines

MacArthur-Connolly-Pominville
Vanek-Roy-Bernier
Paille-Gaustad-Kotalik
Peters-Mair-Kaleta

Tallinder-Lydman
Spacek-Kalinin
Paetsch-Pratt