Even if we are in the playoffs and media access is more limited, the Penguins have not hidden their game in anticipation of Monday night’s meeting, the second in the series between them and the Canadiens.
The mandate to further disturb Carey Price and apply enormous pressure on Habs defenders – mainly Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot and Jeff Petry who skate the ice in profusion – is clear.
In the video above, see Claude Julien’s press briefing before the second game against the Penguins.
Claude Julien made sure to prepare his players accordingly. After Sunday recess, he arranged for his troop to have a short morning practice in the suburbs of Toronto.
“It’s been a good training. The guys are focused. We know what to expect and we are aware of what they [les Penguins] want to do ”, assured the coach of the Canadian, via videoconference.
“We will have to defend our territory. We know that they will be heading more to the net when they are going to throw. We will have to protect the enclave even more than in the last match, ”added Julien.
The Franco-Ontarian confirmed that he would not make any changes to his training and that he expected his troops to have a better game than in the initial meeting.
Murray in front of the net
As for the Penguins, Mike Sullivan stressed that he would once again trust Matt Murray to defend his team’s cage. The Ontarian gave up three times with 35 shots in the opening game.
The 26-year-old has nothing to be ashamed of, but recent history has shown so much that Sullivan isn’t the most patient being with his masked men.
You can talk to Marc-André Fleury, who had the same Murray’s starter stolen from him during the 2016 knockout round.
Moreover, Murray himself suffered the wrath of his coach during the season. His faltering performances made Sullivan trust Tristan Jarry. The latter even ended up at the All-Star game.
This did not prevent Sullivan from bringing Murray back in front of the net, in a system of alternation, for the last stretch of the season.
The ice could therefore be very thin under Murray’s skates.
Likely lineups for Monday night’s game:
Montréal
- Tomas Tatar-Phillip Danault-Brendan Gallagher
- Jonathan Drouin-Nick Suzuki-Joel Armia
- Paul Byron-Jesperi Kotkaniemi-Artturi Lehkonen
- Dale Weise-Max Domi-Jordan Weal
- Ben Chiarot-Shea Weber
- Brett Kulak-Jeff Petry
- Xavier Ouellet-Victor Mete
- Carey Price
- Charlie Lindgren
Pittsburgh
- Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Conor Sheary
- Jason Zucker-Evgeni Malkin-Bryan Rust
- Patrick Marleau-Jared McCann-Patric Hornqvist
- Zach Aston-Reese-Teddy Blueger-Brandon Tanev
- Brian Dumoulin-Kristopher Letang
- Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
- Jack Johnson-Justin Schultz
- Matt Murray
- Tristan jarry
