Flight problems around the league had the Canadiens wondering whether their game against the Avalanche might get caught in the mess, but the latest word is encouraging.
The concern came from the fact that NHL officials travel on commercial flights, and the disruptions across the United States created real uncertainty for a night with 14 games on the board. Bruce Garrioch flagged the issue this morning, noting that the league can’t play without its officials in place.
That was enough to raise eyebrows in Montreal, where the Canadiens have been rolling lately and didn’t need a scheduling headache interrupting their rhythm. But the panic eased quickly.
NHL insider John Shannon reported that all referees have made it to their assigned cities for tonight’s slate. He added that there are still some adjustments needed for the linesmen, but he doesn’t expect anything major to come from it.
So while there is still a bit of uncertainty on that front, the Canadiens-Avalanche matchup now appears set to proceed as planned.
Montreal also has plenty of hockey business to handle on the ice. The team already confirmed that Chris Kreider will miss six to eight weeks with a leg injury. The Canadiens enter the night sixth overall in the NHL with 28 points through 19 games, which has them second in the Atlantic Division.
Their 12-3-4 record has been built in part on strong road work, with seven road wins in nine games. At home, though, they’ve been less sharp, sitting at 5-2-3.
Colorado will make the test tougher. Jared Bednar’s Avalanche are 11-6-3, good for third in the Central Division and 11th overall in the NHL.
The numbers show the challenge clearly: Colorado’s +18 goal differential tops Montreal’s +10. For now, though, the main off-ice issue seems to be under control, with the referees in place and the rest of the travel situation looking manageable.
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