The Montreal Canadiens managed to win a contentious Game 1 against the Ottawa Senators without him, but with tempers rising, they’re likely glad to see Max Pacioretty in the lineup for Game 2.
That said, a player sidelined with an upper-body injury since April 5 would be wise to “keep his head up” even more than everyone else though, right?
It’s always a little nerve-wracking to place a seemingly vulnerable player into the playoff pressure cooker, yet if Pacioretty is anywhere near full-strength, the Canadiens regain a key component.
The 26-year-old set a new career-high for points with 67 and continues to come close to the 40-goal mark, capping out this time at 37.