Photo credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
Martin St-Louis has confirmed his lineup decisions hours before Tuesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Patrik Laine will indeed watch tonight’s matchup against the Golden Knights from the press box. The 2nd overall pick from 2016 is being scratched, along with Jayden Struble, Joe Veleno, and Samuel Blais.
Whether the scratch for Laine is related to his readiness to return or another factor remains unclear, as the team has yet to provide further details.
One player’s misfortune is another’s opportunity in Montreal.
Arber Xhekaj is officially in the lineup to face Vegas’ heavy forechecking forwards.
Arber Xhekaj in the lineup tonight against the Vegas Golden Knights, but not Patrik Laine
Joe Veleno and Sammy Blais will join Laine in the stands. Jayden Struble is also sitting out, making room for Xhekaj’s physical presence.
In goal, it will be young Jakub Dobes tasked with stopping the bleeding. The 5th-round pick from 2020 will need all the help he can get from his defense.
Some lineup changes were expected after the last game, but none have materialized. The Canadiens’ head coach is choosing continuity over shake-ups.
Jayden Struble, the Habs’ second-round pick in 2019, will once again watch from the press box. It’s a tough pill to swallow for the young defenseman, especially after appearing to earn the coaching staff’s trust earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Arber Xhekaj keeps his spot on the third pairing. “The Sheriff” will suit up for a second consecutive game, something that has become rare lately.
Against a big, physical opponent like Vegas, Martin St-Louis’ decision makes sense. Xhekaj brings a dimension that Struble has struggled to provide consistently in recent games.
Fans have often questioned the handling of Xhekaj, but tonight, they got what they wanted. The atmosphere at the Bell Centre should be electric.
For now, number 72 has the final word and it’s up to him to make sure it stays that way.
Projected lines for tonight:
Caufield-Suzuki-Texier
Slafkovsky-Kapanen-Demidov
Gallagher-Danault-Anderson
Bolduc-Evans-Dach
Matheson-Dobson
Hutson-Guhle
Xhekaj-Carrier
Dobes
Puck drops at 7:00 PM live from the Bell Centre for a much-anticipated game.
Previously on Montreal Hockey Fanatics