April 12, 2023: Canadiens at Islanders — 5 issues it is best to know

Article content material

Listed here are 5 issues it is best to find out about Wednesday’s sport between the Canadiens (31-43-6) and the Islanders (41-31-9) in New York (7 p.m., SN1, RDS, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

Article content material

Two video games left: That is the second-to-last sport for the Canadiens, who will wrap up their season Thursday evening when the Boston Bruins go to the Bell Centre. The Canadiens are in twenty eighth place within the general NHL standings, one level behind the Twenty seventh-place Arizona Coyotes, who’ve just one sport left. The Coyotes wrap up their season Thursday evening at residence towards the Vancouver Canucks. The Canadiens can’t end the season decrease than twenty eighth within the standings or greater than Twenty seventh. Samuel Montembeault will begin in purpose for the Canadiens of their closing two video games.

Article content material

Article content material

Article content material

Matheson on a roll: Defenceman Mike Matheson picked up an help in final Saturday’s 7-1 loss to the Maple Leafs in Toronto. With 8-26-34 totals in 46 video games, Matheson has set profession highs in assists and factors regardless of lacking 34 video games due to accidents. Within the final 30 video games, Matheson has 7-20-27 totals. Since 1995, probably the most factors any Canadiens defenceman has had over a 30-game span is 31. PK. Subban did that in the course of the 2012-13 season.

Article content material

40 assists for Suzuki: Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki additionally picked up an help in Toronto, giving him 40 assists this season to match the profession excessive he set final season when he had 21-40-61 totals. Suzuki has already set profession highs in targets and factors this season with 24-40-64 totals regardless of lacking common linemate Cole Caufield for the final 34 video games due to season-ending shoulder surgical procedure. Caufield nonetheless leads the Canadiens with 26 targets, two greater than Suzuki.

Article content material

Harvey-Pinard will end season in Laval: Rafaël Harvey-Pinard has been loaned to the AHL’s Laval Rocket for the remainder of the season and scored a purpose within the Rocket’s 4-0 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Monday evening at Place Bell. Goalie Cayden Primeau, additionally loaned to the Rocket, made 41 saves for the shutout, enhancing his file in Laval to 17-15-6 with a 3.04 goals-against common, a .908 save share and three shutouts. It was an enormous win for the Rocket, who now maintain the fifth and closing playoff spot within the North Division with a 31-29-10 file, one level forward of the Cleveland Monsters, who maintain a sport in hand. Laval has two video games left, each at residence, towards the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday and the Syracuse Crunch on Friday. On Tuesday, the Canadiens recalled ahead Joël Teasdale and goalie Frédéric Allard from the Rocket on an emergency foundation. Teasdale, an undrafted 24-year-old, will make his NHL debut towards the Islanders.

Article content material

Article content material

Islanders nonetheless alive: The Islanders are nonetheless clinging to the ultimate wild-card playoff spot within the Japanese Convention after a 5-2 loss to the Capitals Monday evening in Washington. The Islanders are nonetheless one level forward of the Pittsburgh Penguins — who misplaced 5-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday evening — and are one level behind the Florida Panthers, who maintain the primary wild-card spot and have clinched a playoff spot. Wednesday’s sport is the final of the common season for the Islanders, who want one level to clinch a playoff spot. Brock Nelson leads the Islanders in scoring with 34-39-73 totals, adopted by Mathew Barzal (14-37-51) and Anders Lee (27-22-49).

[email protected]

twitter.com/StuCowan1