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Carrier won't be in the lineup for the Canadiens in Game 5
Photo credit: RDS.ca
Tom Wilson's game-changing hit on Alexandre Carrier in Game 4 sparked a third-period surge for the Washington Capitals, who scored four unanswered goals to rally for a 5-2 win and take a commanding 3-1 lead in their first-round series against the Montreal Canadiens.
Alexandre Carrier will not be in the lineup for the Canadiens in Game 5 on Wednesday night in Washington.
Here's a clip from Wilson's bone crushing hit on Carrier.
Ian Oland from RMNB writes that Carrier missed practice on Tuesday and the Canadiens listed him as day-to-day. Carrier also got clipped in the first period of Sunday's Game 4 as Ovechkin attemped to deliver a big hit. He's taken a beating this series.
Ovi went for the big hit on Carrier but missed and nearly ended up in the Habs bench
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged to reporters that the defenseman was caught in no-man's land, with several factors contributing to the highlight-reel hit.
«He's close to the red. I don't think he does the same thing 10 feet from the red to the blue line. He's just trying to gain territory, and he's not afraid to put his body on the line to do that. I think there's a perfect circumstance for where Wilson was on the ice, where the puck was, the type of player [Carrier] is.» - St-Louis
Oland also writes that Wilson has been a major factor in the series so far, contributing offensively with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) in four games, while also disrupting the Canadiens with his physical style of play, racking up 16 hits and drawing five minor penalties.
When asked how to contain his impact moving forward, St. Louis acknowledged the challenge and emphasized the need for discipline and smarter decision-making to avoid playing into Wilson's strengths.
«Well, try to get in his way a little bit, to help our D's. Having the puck more, especially in the O-zone where he can't play to his strength when that happens, so you've got to be calculated there. I think if you're more in possession and space, I feel like you kind of eliminate the forecheck. That takes some high execution. That's the plan, you can do it. You saw it in Game 3. I don't think you're going to eliminate Wilson. He's gonna have pockets in the game where he's gonna be Wilson, you know? Try to minimize those instances.» - St-Louis
The Capitals will have a chance to close out the series on home ice on Wednesday night in Game 5.
Previously on Washington Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 30 | 33 ANSWERS Carrier won't be in the lineup for the Canadiens in Game 5 Will the Capitals close out the series against the Canadiens on Wednesday in Game 5? | ||
| yes | 29 | 87.9 % |
| no | 4 | 12.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
