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Defenceman Jordan Harris returns to the lineup, whereas ahead Jesse Ylönen will substitute Brendan Gallagher and Jake Allen begins in internet.
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Defenceman Arber Xhekaj will probably be a wholesome scratch for the Canadiens after they play the Penguins on Saturday in Pittsburgh (7 p.m., CBC, Citytv, TVA Sports activities, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).
Xhekaj performed the earlier two video games after getting referred to as up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. Xhekaj had no factors and 6 penalty minutes in these two video games, together with two minor penalties in Thursday’s 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on the Bell Centre. After the sport, head coach Martin St. Louis mentioned he wasn’t proud of Xhekaj’s penalties.
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Jordan Harris, who was a wholesome scratch the earlier two video games, will take Xhekaj’s place within the lineup in opposition to the Penguins. Ahead Jesse Ylönen, who was a wholesome scratch the earlier three video games, will take Brendan Gallagher’s spot. The NHL suspended Gallagher for 5 video games on Friday, following his five-minute main penalty for elbowing Islanders defenceman Adam Pelech within the head throughout the third interval of Thursday’s recreation.
Jake Allen will probably be in aim for the Canadiens. This will probably be Allen’s third begin within the final seven video games because the Canadiens proceed with their three-goalie rotation, together with Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau. Allen allowed three targets on 27 pictures in his final begin, a 4-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday evening on the Bell Centre. Allen has a 5-9-2 report with a 3.46 goals-against common and a .900 save share.
This would be the Canadiens’ remaining recreation earlier than having fun with a bye week within the schedule. They gained’t play once more till Tuesday, Feb. 6, after they go to the Washington Capitals.
When requested by reporters in Pittsburgh after Saturday’s morning skate why Xhekaj was popping out of the lineup, head coach Martin St. Louis famous the workforce has seven wholesome defenceman and it’s a aggressive league.
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“You by no means need to be out of the lineup and it simply makes you hungrier to be taking part in,” Harris advised reporters in Pittsburgh after the morning skate. “It’s like getting back from summer time break once you haven’t performed in a bit of bit. There’s nothing worse than watching your personal workforce play, however I believe there’s issues you could study. You possibly can study your self, you possibly can study concerning the workforce, study what you are able to do higher as a participant. I believe it’s important to take all these issues into consideration and simply be sure you’re ready and doing the precise issues in order that once you come again it’s as seamless as potential.”
Harris has 1-5-6 totals and a minus-4 differential in 29 video games this season.
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Xhekaj spoke with reporters after apply Friday in Brossard earlier than the Canadiens flew to Pittsburgh.
“I believe I began off fairly properly and as soon as I received two penalties there I used to be sort of hurting the workforce a bit of bit,” Xhekaj mentioned about his efficiency in opposition to the Islanders. “So I received to determine the way to keep out of the field.
“They let me play and so they need me to play my recreation,” Xhekaj added concerning the Canadiens’ teaching workers. “However they don’t need me to place the boys on the penalty-kill. A few of these calls possibly within the minors they wouldn’t name that. However I believe they’re calling that now, so I received to discover a steadiness and never take too many penalties.”
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Xhekaj mentioned he apologized to the teaching workers for his second penalty in opposition to the Islanders. The primary penalty he took was at 14:44 of the primary interval for high-sticking and the second was at 13:40 of the second interval for interference.
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“I reached out to (the coaches) and I apologized for that (second) penalty,” Xhekaj mentioned Friday. “There was no want for that. We had been up 3-0 and I sort of made a nasty turnover on the blue line and received a penalty on that. These two (penalties) are positively preventable. They had been nice. They only mentioned shake it off and right now is a brand new day and have a very good apply and don’t give it some thought an excessive amount of.”
In 19 video games with the Canadiens this season, Xhekaj has 1-2-3 totals and is plus-2. In 17 video games with the Rocket, he had 3-8-11 totals and was plus-3.
“I’m younger, I’m studying and I’m at all times trying to enhance my recreation,” the 22-year-old Xhekaj mentioned. “Clearly, there’s occasions the place you must perform a little extra within the offensive zone and there’s occasions I believe the place much less is extra. I’m nonetheless figuring it out. I believe I’m younger.”
Saturday’s recreation would be the 1,000th within the NHL for former Canadien Lars Eller, who’s now with the Penguins. He will probably be honoured throughout a pregame ceremony.
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