Canadiens vs Blue Jackets game thread

The Habs haven't lost 3 games in a row since Saturday, December 6 when they were thumped 4-1 by the Dallas Stars after losing games to the Chicago Blackhawks and Minnesota Wild. Since then, the Habs have gone on a run of 20-6-1.

Tonight's opportunity to move on again after a tough couple of losses will come against a team with a very small chance of making the post-season. The Columbus Blue Jackets are coming to Montreal on a two-game winning streak, but sit 10 points out of the last playoff spot held by the Boston Bruins. With Sergei Brobovsky still out of the lineup, the Jackets' chances seem less likely, but the Habs will still have to be at their best if they are going to win tonight, as the Jackets proved their resiliency in a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night in which Brandon Dubinsky and Sidney Crosby dropped the gloves.

Although the Habs were defeated in a shootout on Thursday against the Florida Panthers, they played a good game creating 59 shot attempts, and limiting the Panthers 43, below their Corsi-For average of 53.7. The Habs new-look defense will want to maintain a similarly stingy stance against the Blue Jackets, who have trouble scoring but are equipped with a couple of armour-piercing bullets in the their arsenal by the names of Nick Foligno and Ryan Johansen.

The Habs will go with the same lineup as Thursday, with Alex Galchenyuk still out with the flu.

The puck drops at 7:00 PM EST.

Scratched: Mike Weaver
Injuries: P.A. Parenteau (concussion), Sergei Gonchar (lower-body), Alexei Emelin (upper-body), Alex Galchenyuk (virus)

Scratched: Jordan Leopold, Jack Skille
Injuries: Sergei Brobovsky (groing), Nathan Horton (back), Boone Jenner (back), Jeremy Morin (accelerated heart rate), Ryan Murray (high ankle sprain), Dalton Prout (undisclosed)

Check out the enemy over at The Cannon.

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