Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes seeking consolation – NHL Preview
As the end of the National Hockey League (NHL) regular season comes closer, both Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes are hoping to win their remaining games and end the season on a positive note.
Since both teams are already eliminated from the playoff contention, a victory will provide them consolation while a defeat will only add to their frustration and misery.
Canadiens and Hurricanes will face each other on Thursday, April 05, 2012, at PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Here is a look at both teams.
Canadiens
Canadiens are placed at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with 75 points after 80 games and have two more games to play in the regular season.
In their last game, Canadiens outsmarted the Tampa Bay Lightning to snap their four-game losing streak.
Against Lightning, Canadiens were tied 1-1 after first period, but they scored two goals in the second to gain a strong advantage.
In the final period, Canadiens scored twice while giving away only one goal to win the game.
Canadiens’ left wing, Max Pacioretty, said after the game:
"It was a lot of fun. It's important for us to show our fans that we're not that far from being a contending team.”
He added:
"We have a good core group of players. We don't need to shake things up too much to be competitive."
Hurricanes
They are ranked at 12th spot in the Eastern Conference with 80 points after 80 games.
Out of their last six games, Hurricanes have only won two. Their recent victory came against Ottawa Senators. Before the win, Hurricanes had lost two straight games.
Against Senators, Hurricanes scored two goals in the second period, while they gave away a goal in the final.
Hurricanes’ goaltender, Cam Ward, said after the game:
“It's important to finish the season strong even though we're out of the playoffs. Guys are still out there sacrificing and sticking up for one another. At times, it was chippy out there and the guys came up with some big blocks."
Hurricanes also have two more games to play in the regular season.
Predictions
Hurricanes have a slight edge.
The sum of goals scored by both teams might stay under six.
If Canadiens win, the winning margin will be less than two goals.
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