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

Montreal Canadiens @ Los Angeles Kings

How to watch

Start time: 10:30 PM EST / 7:30 PM PST
In Canada: TSN2, TSN Direct (English), RDS, RDS Direct (French)
In the Kings region: Fox Sports West
Elsewhere: NHL.tv / Rogers NHL Live

The bad news is that Montreal missed out on a good chance to gain some separation in the Eastern Conference wild-card race on Saturday night. The good news is they had finally managed to win a few games on the road just before that.

The quest to make it three consecutive victories away from home passes through the Staples Center tonight, with the Western Conference’s worst team attemping to stand in their way. While that may be a challenge for a team that recently went 10 games in a row without a victory, the Kings did manage to defeat Montreal at the beginning of the season, in fairly convincing fashion as well.

Montreal makes one lineup change for the game. Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been given the night off to rest for the final playoff push. Directly into his third-line centre role slots Jordan Weal for his debut with the Canadiens, taking on his first NHL team. With Joel Armia on his right side and Jonathan Drouin on his left, he’ll have some help in any defensive duties while also having a chance to create a bit of offence. It will likely be a temporary position, but one for him to make an impressions for a potential spot down the road.

Carey Price once again aims to tie for first place on the franchise wins list, making his eighth consecutive start and 15th straight appearance for the Canadiens. You’d have to think that a rest day is coming for him as well when the team rolls into Anaheim on Friday, but for now he has work to do, both for his own standing in the team’s history and in helping his club stay in the post-season conversation.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Los Angeles Kings projected lineup