ALS’ SIGNING SPREE GOES ON
Popp adds veteran Logan
Bell Centre, Tuesday, 7: 30 p. m., Sportsnet East, RDS, TSN- Radio 690
Coaches will tell you that every game is important, but this matchup is crucial for the Canadiens for reasons that go beyond the current battle between these teams for first place in the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. The Canadiens are currently on top with a two- point edge over the Lightning and a game in hand. But the Habs haven’t had much success against the Lightning with only one regular- season win in their last six meetings ( 1- 32). This season, the Canadiens lost 7- 1 in Tampa on Oct, 13 and 4- 2 at the Bell Centre on Jan. 6. And the Canadiens haven’t looked like a first- place team in the past week. They lost three out of a four on their Western U. S. swing with the
lone win Saturday against the lowly Arizona Coyotes.
Where’s the offence?: The Canadiens don’t need a lot of scoring as long as Carey Price is leading the NHL in goals- against average ( 1.89), save percentage (. 936) and wins ( 37), but some help would be appreciated. The Habs managed only six goals in four games out west and one of those was an empty- netter in the 2- 0 win in Arizona. The Canadiens rank 22nd in goals per game at 2.59 and the power play ranks 25th. Max Pacioretty leads the offence with 31 goals and 57 points and is a leagueleading plus- 37. Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher, P. K. Subban and Dale Weise are all having career seasons, but there has been no secondary scoring.
The other guys: Scoring has not been a problem for the Lightning, which has averaged a league- leading 3.18 goals a game. Tyler Johnson leads the pack with 24 goals and 40 assists for 64 points, while Steven Stamkos has 36 goals and 61 points. Nikita Kucherov has
25 goals, while Ryan Callahan, who came from the Rangers in the Martin St. Louis deal, has 21. Ben Bishop has decent numbers in goal with a 2.39 GAA and .913 save percentage, but since coming to the Lightning he has never lost in regulation to the Canadiens and has allowed only eight goals in six games.
Injury update: Defenceman Alexei Emelin has been cleared for contact after a shoulder injury, but the Canadiens will give him a few more days. P. A Parenteau says he’s 120 per cent healthy after concussion problems, which means he’ll be a 120 per cent healthy scratch. Defenceman Matt Carle is out of the Tampa lineup following abdominal surgery. Coach Jon Cooper was hoping to have him back for this game, but he’ll wait until the weekend. J. T. Brown is dayto- day with an upper- body injury. Defenceman Mattias Ohlund has missed the entire season following knee surgery.