Canadiens @ Penguins: Game thread, rosters, lines, and how to watch

Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins

How to watch

Puck drop: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In Canada: CITY-TV, TVA, Sportsnet Now
In the Penguins region: AT&T Sportsnet - Pittsburgh
In the US: NHL Network
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/Rogers NHL Live

Not much was expect of the Montreal Canadiens entering the 2018-19 season, with the few changes to the on-ice personnel over the off-season seeming to reduce the offensive potential of an already challenged group. But a new approach from the coaching staff to fit the roster, with many of the skilled players buying in from the start, and the surprise debut of the team’s first-round pick, they raised some eyebrows with a solid outing versus Toronto on Wednesday, even it was in an overtime defeat.

The opponent doesn’t get any easier tonight, as the Penguins are just as dangerous as ever this year, proven with a seven-goal outburst on Thursday night versus the reigning Stanley Cup champions. However, the Pens did allow six goals in the game as well, and after being somewhat frustrated by the active sticks of the Leafs on opening night, the Canadiens could be seeing much better looks against a team heavily skewed toward offence.

The Montreal lineup remains the same as the one that won the possession game against Toronto, meaning that Karl Alzner, Tomas Plekanec, and Nikita Scherbak are once again watching from the press box. Should the Canadiens replicate their effort from game one and manage to leave PPG Paints Arena with a win, those players may have to wait until after the home opener on Thursday night to make their season debuts.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Pittsburgh Penguins projected lineup