HABS. VS. AVALANCHE 5 THINGS TO WATCH
1 THE TUESDAY NIGHT MATCHUP
The Canadiens’ drive for a playoff spot stalled with a 4-1 loss to Boston on Saturday, leaving the team with a 3- 5- 2 record in their last 10 games. They are nine points out of the final wild- card playoff spot. Colorado holds one of the two wild- card positions in the Western Conference with 57 points after Monday night’s 4- 2 win in Toronto, but the race is extremely tight.
2 NATHAN VS. JONATHAN
Former junior teammates Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin will face each other. They led the Halifax Mooseheads to the Memorial Cup in 2013. MacKinnon was the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft that year, while Drouin was No. 3.
3 WHAT WAS AILING PRICE?
Carey Price wasn’t himself at the start of the season and TVA Sports said that was because the goaltender was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome, a debilitating condition that is difficult to diagnose and just as difficult to treat. It’s safe to say Price has recovered because he has handled a heavy workload since Nov. 25, when he returned from a 10- game stay on the injured reserve list.
4 PACIORETTY PICKS UP PRODUCTION
Max Pacioretty has been happy with his game the past month, but it is only in the past two weeks that he has regained the scoring touch that has allowed him to reach the 30- goal plateau in each of the past four seasons. Pacioretty has scored seven goals in the past seven games and has 15 for the season.
5 THE OTHER GUYS
The Avalanche finished last season at the bottom of the league. MacKinnon’s career season is part of the reason for this year’s rebound, but Colorado is also getting strong performances from 21-year- old Finn Mikko Rantanen ( 17 goals and 46 points) and Swede Gabriel Landeskog ( 16 goals and 34 points). Rantanen has great size at 6- foot- 4 and 211 pounds and is developing into a strong power forward in his second NHL season. Canadiens castoffs Sven Andrighetto and Mark Barberio are also enjoying career seasons, but Andrighetto will miss Tuesday’s game with a leg injury.