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Thrashers-Canadiens Preview

Nov 2, 2009 - 7:13 PM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (5-4-1) at Montreal (7-7-0), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Montreal Canadiens have thrived in games that have lasted past regulation this season. They've rarely needed to put in that type of extra effort to handle the Atlanta Thrashers at home.

Winners of five straight at the Bell Centre, the Canadiens look to continue their success there against the Thrashers on Tuesday night.

Montreal (7-7-0) is undefeated at home since losing its first two, winning its last contest at the Bell Centre 5-4 against Toronto in a shootout Saturday.

Four of the Canadiens' wins at home and six overall have been in overtime or a shootout.

"Our fans like OT and shootouts I guess," said winger Michael Cammalleri, who joined Scott Gomez to score for Montreal in the shootout versus the Maple Leafs.

The Canadiens beat the Thrashers (5-4-1) in a shootout in the teams' last contest, 2-1 at the Bell Centre on Oct. 20.

Four of the teams' 19 meetings at Montreal have lasted past regulation. The Canadiens are 2-0-2 in those matchups, 7-0-2 at home versus the Thrashers since the start of 2005 and 14-3-2 against them there all-time.

Montreal scored a total of 16 goals in three straight regulation home wins against Atlanta entering this season.

The Canadiens broke out of a scoring slump in their last contest. They had scored a combined three goals in two straight losses before getting scores from Glen Metropolit, Guillaume Latendresse, Hal Gill and Roman Hamrlik against Toronto.

Metropolit has eight points (two goals, six assists) in eight games after posting 17 in 76 last season.

Defensively, though, Montreal has been struggling, surrendering 13 goals in its last three.

Jaroslav Halak started two of those games, including the matchup against Toronto. He improved to 5-0-0 at home despite allowing four goals in the final two periods of regulation.

Halak is 5-2-0 with a 2.85 goals-against average, splitting time with Carey Price (2-5-0, 3.44 GAA). Coach Jacques Martin has yet to announce a starter for this contest.

"Ask any goalie and they'll tell you they just want to play," Halak said. "No matter who plays on Tuesday, we just have to get as many wins and points as we can right now. I'm not too worried about."

Atlanta got an outstanding effort Saturday from Ondrej Pavelec, who stopped 50 shots in a 5-1 win at Ottawa.

Pavelec has made the most of Kari Lehtonen's absence due to back surgery, going 4-3-1 with a 2.60 GAA. Pavelec, 22, had played in 19 NHL games entering this season and was hardly expecting to be the Thrashers' No. 1 goalie.

He made 34 saves in regulation before surrendering shootout goals to Gomez and Brian Gionta in the last matchup with Montreal. It was his first appearance against the Canadiens.

Pavelec's strong play versus the Senators was the main reason the Thrashers were able to snap a four-game losing streak. Atlanta also found a way to finally get off to a strong start offensively, leading 2-0 after two periods.

Opponents scored the first goal in seven of the Thrashers' previous nine games.