Canadiens vs. Senators: Playoff preview, picks

Habs rookie Alex Galchenyuk takes a shootout attempt on the Sens' Robin Lehner.

(2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (7) Ottawa Senators

Season series: Even. Both Senators and Canadiens went 2-1-1.

They have a history: Hard to believe, but this is the first time these two clubs will meet in the postseason. Northeast rivals since the division’s inception, the fan bases for the Habs and Sens should be able to gain entry into the enemy’s building, as the cities are separated by just a 90-minute drive. Three of their four 2013 regular-season games this season were decided by a single goal.

For the Canadiens to win: The team must forget about the last few weeks of the season. During this time, the Canadiens were sloppy, struggled to win hockey games and did not look like a playoff hockey game. The Canadiens must remember how they played in their last two regular season games, both wins over the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens have a lot of skilled hockey players that must come together at the right time to produce on a consistent basis to get this team to the second round for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

For the Senators to win: Sens goaltender Craig Anderson must continue to play the way he did in the regular season. Anderson finished the regular season with a 12-9-2 record, 1.69 GAA, a .936 save percentage and three shutouts. He has played well in the playoffs before, so there is no reason why he won’t be able to do it again. The team also must find ways to put the puck in the net. The Senators were 27th in the league in terms of goals scored this season, and come playoff time goals will be much harder to come by.

Matchup to watch: The goaltending duel between Carey Price and Anderson will determine who wins this series. When they want to, the Canadiens can put a lot of pucks on net and create pressure on opposing netminders. While the Sens’ offence was quiet in the regular season, they still have guys like Daniel Alfredsson, Kyle Turris, Milan Michaelk and a few others who can create plays and make life tough for Price.

Big question: Will the Senators’ offence be able to survive without Jason Spezza, who is not expected back any time soon?

Best bet: Canadiens in six.

Hockey Central insider predictions

Chris Johnston: Senators
Mike Keenan: Senators
Nick Kypreos: Canadiens
Brad May: Canadiens
Doug MacLean: Senators
Scott Morrison: Senators
John Shannon: Canadiens

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