The Canadian will play the 81st and penultimate game of his miserable season on Wednesday evening when he visits the Rangers in New York.
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Martin St-Louis’ men will try to avoid suffering a 10th straight defeat. Striker Cole Caufield has also said that his club’s last two games were his priority.
At a press conference, the maverick revealed that he had received an invitation to represent the United States at the next Ice Hockey World Championship, from May 13 to 29, in Finland.
“I want to focus on the last two games [du Canadien]Caufield said, adding that he was still hesitant to extend his campaign.
The Wisconsin native will play his first career game at Madison Square Garden.
“All the rinks we play on are special, but this one is legendary. It’s going to be a really special opportunity for me,” Caufield said.
Absentees and a ghost
As for the Blueshirts, they have lost their last two meetings, so they can no longer hope to dislodge the Carolina Hurricanes from the top of the Metropolitan section. Rangers, however, are guaranteed to finish in second place. It remains to be seen whether they will open the playoffs against the Washington Capitals or the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Against CH, Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant indicated that forwards Andrew Copp and Artemi Panarin would get an evening off. Kaapo Kakko will however make a return to the game.
The second overall pick in the 2019 draft has missed his team’s last four games and has only played four games since Jan. 21. In 41 games so far in 2021-22, he has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points.
Kakko will evolve on a trio with Alexis Lafrenière and Filip Chytil against the Habs.
The CH well alone in the last row
In addition, the Montreal team took a step closer to last place in the National League standings on Tuesday night, by virtue of the Arizona Coyotes’ 5-3 victory against the Minnesota Wild. The Habs thus have a greater chance of being awarded the first overall pick in the next draft.
The Coyotes have 53 points, against 51 for the Canadian, who has an appointment with the Florida Panthers on Friday in his last game of the season.
The Coyotes will face the Dallas Stars on Wednesday and the Nashville Predators on Friday.