Avalanche @ Canadiens Preview

The Montreal Canadiens will be looking for a little retribution tonight against the Colorado Avalanche.

In their only other meeting this season, the Avalanche easily dispatched the Canadiens 4-1 at home.  This time Montreal has home-rinkadvantage.  However, the Avalanche will be again starting Jean-Sebastien Giguere, who made 29 saves against the Candiens in their last face off.

Patrick Roy is a Canadiens legend.  The former goalie will be making is return to Montreal, but this time he will be on the opposing end of the court.  While a lot of the narrative heading into this game is based around him, he is trying his hardest to make it about his players.

I tried to have a simple approach to this game. I don’t want to put myself ahead of the players, I want to stay at the same level as them. I’m trying just to focus on coming here and seeing our players play a great game. It’s not about me, it’s about them.

-Patrick Roy, Avalanche coach

Both teams have a solid record coming into this game and both have their eyes set on a tournament run. The Avalanche are closer to making that a reality than the Canadiens.

The Avalanche are coming into this game after a 3-1 win against the Ottawa Senators.  They are currently on a Canadian road trip and their game against the Canadiens will be their second.

The Avalanche are currently clinging to a one-point lead over the Chicago Blackhawks in the Central Division.  They are eight points behind the St. Louis Blues.  Colorado  has only lost to the Blues and Anaheim Ducks.  Both of which are leaders in the Western Conference.

The Canadiens are also coming in hot, however.

Montreal may have hit the turning point of their season.  They currently sit in third of the Atlantic Division.  But they managed to overcome a three-goal deficit with four minuets left to play to beat the Ottawa Senators, 5-4, this past Saturday.  They then beat the Buffalo Sabres 2-0 on the road.

Only one-point separates Montreal from the last guaranteed Stanley Cup spot in the Atlantic Division.  It is a close three-way race between Montreal, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs.  And as the season winds down, every game matters more and more for Montreal.

Montreal are the favorites to win this one.  The game starts at 7:30 p.m.