Two top defensemen for Montreal were injured on Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, which could give the Leafs an even bigger edge over the Canadiens tonight.
Both Arber Xhekaj and Kaiden Guhle, two of the best young defensemen in the Canadiens' organization, aren't available for tonight's game. Guhle received a dangerous hit from Kucherov, and we don't know yet what happened to Xhekaj.
The Habs revealed that they've called up Justin Barron from the Laval Rocket to fill the void at the blue line.
Losing both defensemen would be a tough loss for the Canadiens. For tonight's game, it'll be especially hard.
Xhekaj brings a big physical presence at the blue line. When he's on the ice, opponents have to think twice before doing something to bother him.
At the beginning of the season, he even fought against Reaves in a major tilt.
As for Guhle, he's been constantly showing that he can defend against the opponents' top lines.
The Maple Leafs will need to capitalize on that occasion to have a big offensive night. This close to the playoffs, it's all about maintaining momentum. If hey can score five or six goals, it could give them a push for the playoffs.
More to come.
POLL | ||
Do you think the Canadiens made the right decision by making that emergency roster move? | ||
Yes | 210 | 61.2 % |
No | 133 | 38.8 % |
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