How to watch
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2, TSN Direct (English), RDS, RDS Direct (French)
In the Blue Jackets region: Fox Sports Ohio
Streaming: NHL.tv/NHL Live
The Montreal Canadiens go into tonight’s meeting — the first of a back-to-back — knowing that they’ll be without both Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron perhaps until the start of the new year. The loss of a player who had scored at a 20-goal pace in each of the last three seasons and another who was playing well enough to get consideration on the top line is going to put the team under pressure to maintain the scoring it enjoyed to start the season.
Even with both players available, the Canadiens scored just two times versus a very aggressive Blue Jackets team last Tuesday. Montreal will now be expecting that forechecking pressure, and can plan their own strategy around it.
Joonas Korpisalo, who had been left on the bench in favour of Elvis Merzlikins a week ago because the coach thought he needed to settle his emotions a bit, is in tonight for a home start. Seeing the netminder smash a stick or two will be a good indication that the Habs are coping well with a few injuries up front.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Tomas Tatar |
Phillip Danault |
Brendan Gallagher |
Max Domi |
Nick Suzuki |
Joel Armia |
Artturi Lehkonen |
Jesperi Kotkaniemi |
Jordan Weal |
Charles Hudon |
Nate Thompson |
Nick Cousins |
Defencemen
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Ben Chiarot |
Shea Weber |
Victor Mete |
Jeff Petry |
Brett Kulak |
Cale Fleury |
Goaltenders
Goaltenders |
Goaltenders |
Carey Price |
Keith Kinkaid |
Injured: Paul Byron, Jonathan Drouin
Scratched:Christian Folin, Mikey Reilly
Columbus Blue Jackets projected lineup
Forwards
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Sonny Milano |
Pierre-Luc Dubois |
Emil Bemstrom |
Alexandre Texier |
Riley Nash |
Cam Atkinson |
Gustav Nyquist |
Boone Jenner |
Oliver Bjorkstrand |
Eric Robinson |
Alexander Wennberg |
Josh Anderson |
Defencemen
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Zach Werenski |
Seth Jones |
Ryan Murray |
David Savard |
Vladislav Gavrikov |
Dean Kukan |
Goaltenders
Goaltenders |
Goaltenders |
Joonas Korpisalo |
Elvis Merzlikins |