Montreal Canadiens: Top 3 reasons they could upset the Pittsburgh Penguins
Can the Montreal Canadiens upset the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs?
The Montreal Canadiens probably weren’t expecting to be in the Stanley Cup Playoffs when the season was put on hiatus in mid-March. They were looking at a third straight year without playing after the regular seasons. However, the NHL’s 24-team format has given them a second chance, as the Habs are the 24th ranked team in the NHL.
Because the Canadiens are the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference, their road to the Stanley Cup will be very tough. In the first round, they’ll have to play the Pittsburgh Penguins, who will be fully healthy for the first time in a while.
This year’s postseason will surely be full of surprises. It will be like one fans have never seen before. So why can’t the Canadiens beat the Penguins? Here are three reasons the Habs have what it takes to pull off a massive upset.
Best Of 5 Games
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Usually, the Stanley Cup Playoffs feature best of seven games series. But this year, the NHL understandably wants the postseason to end at a reasonable time. So the play-in round will be a best of five games series.
In a best of seven series, the Canadiens would have a much lesser chance of beating the Penguins four times before the Pens beat them four times. However, a best of five series makes it far easier for Montreal to pull off an upset.
Furthermore, the Canadiens, much like the Penguins, are fully healthy for the first time in quite some time. They’ll be getting several key players back, including Jonathan Drouin, and they might even be able to have Max Domi, assuming it’s safe for him to play.
Carey Price
It has been a while since Carey Price could be called the best goalie in the world. Back in 2014-15, that’s precisely what he was after winning the Vezina Trophy and the Hart Trophy. However, he hasn’t been the same since. An injury in 2015-16 seems to have gravely affected him.
But still, Price is one of the most talented goalies in the world. And reportedly, teams didn’t want to play Price in the play-in round, though the Penguins deny that, obviously. But still, maybe there’s some logic behind this.
Price has been quite solid in the postseason throughout his career. Let’s take a look at his postseason save percentages as of late.
- 2013-14: .919% save percentage
- 2014-15: .920% save percentage
- 2016-17: ..933% save percentage
On The Road
The Canadiens have been better than you think on the road. Their road record is the 16th best in the league. Meanwhile, the Penguins have the 17th best road record. However, where they have been noticeably better is on the power play, as they have the third-best mark in the league away from home.
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It remains to be seen where this series will be played. But one thing’s for sure – it will not be in Montreal. The Canadiens play noticeably better on the road, which might work in their favor.