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 Coyotes region: Fox Sports Arizona Plus
Streaming: NHL.tv/NHL Live
Just as the Canadiens got some relief when Jonathan Drouin returned to the lineup after a lengthy absence, the Coyotes may be getting some key additions back tonight as well. Both regular starting goalie Darcy Kuemper and number-one defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson are game-time decisions.
Kuemper has been one of the best goalies in the league this season, making up for a lack of offence from his own team by limiting opponents to even less. Ekman-Larsson typically helps out at the opposite end, though it has been a down year for the captain, well under his typical 40-point pace. He’s just one of the players having a difficult season on offence; frustrating for a club that doesn’t need many to come on top on a given night.
The Canadiens are capable of getting offence from any of their four lines, but we saw once again on Saturday night what happens when they come up against a team committed to limiting their space. The Habs will need to break through the defences of a Coyotes squad playing a shutdown road game if they are to run their winning streak to four.
UPDATE: Kuemper is indeed not ready to return after a setback at morning skate in Montreal this morning. Antti Raanta is expected to get the start instead.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Tomas Tatar |
Phillip Danault |
Brendan Gallagher |
Ilya Kovalchuk |
Nick Suzuki |
Joel Armia |
Jonathan Drouin |
Max Domi |
Artturi Lehkonen |
Nick Cousins |
Nate Thompson |
Jake Evans |
Defencemen
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Brett Kulak |
Jeff Petry |
Ben Chiarot |
Victor Mete |
Marco Scandella |
Xavier Ouellet |
Goaltenders
Goaltenders |
Goaltenders |
Carey Price |
Charlie Lindgren |
Arizona Coyotes projected lineup
Forwards
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
Taylor Hall |
Christian Dvorak |
Conor Garland |
Lawson Crouse |
Derek Stepan |
Phil Kessel |
Clayton Keller |
Nick Schmaltz |
Vinnie Hinostroza |
Carl Soderberg |
Brad Richardson |
Christian Fischer |
Defencemen
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Left Defence |
Right Defence |
Oliver Ekman-Larsson |
Ilya Lyubushkin |
Jakob Chychrun |
Alex Goligoski |
Jordan Oesterle |
Niklas Hjalmarsson |
Goaltenders
Goaltenders |
Goaltenders |
Antti Raanta |
Adin Hill |