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

Montreal Canadiens @ New York Rangers

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 Rangers region: MSG
Elsewhere: NHL.tv / Rogers NHL Live

Montreal took the opportunity of a game versus one of the NHL’s lowest-ranked teams to give Christian Folin his Canadiens debut. The defenceman looked good versus the Detroit Red Wings, not making any glaring mistakes and coming in with the mindset of putting pucks toward the net, finishing with four shots. He was rewarded for the approach with the first assist with his new team.

Tonight, it’s Jordan Weal’s turn to don the sweater for the first time. Starting off with his third team this season after beginning in Philadelphia and recently being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes, he will be hoping for a similar debut, though Claude Julien would just be happy if he was able to finish the night without being on the ice for a goal against. Weal’s puck-carrying skills have been documented, and it will be interesting to see how effective he can be for the bottom trio.

Without Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes, the Rangers don’t enjoy the depth at forward that Montreal is currently carrying, and their defence has had a difficult time all season long. Yet with a number of prospects now on the team, they’re no longer thinking about the poor results of this season, but looking forward to better ones in 2019-20.

The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning have required overtime to knock off the Rangers in their previous two games. While the New York team isn’t much of a threat for a playoff position this year, they’re proving capable of spoiling that hope for those above them, and the Canadiens will have to be wary.

UPDATE: With Paul Byron able to go, Weal’s debut will have to wait until at least tomorrow, when the Habs head back to the Bell Centre.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

New York Rangers projected lineup