Canadiens @ Flyers Round 1 Game 5: Game thread, rosters, lines, and how to watch

Eastern Conference Quarter-finals: Game 5

Montreal Canadiens @ Philadelphia Flyers

How to watch

Start time: 8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT
In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the US: NBCSN
Streaming: Sportsnet Now

After an offensive explosion in Game 2, one of the few games all year the Montreal Canadiens netted five goals, they have now failed to score any in two games. It’s been a frustrating experience for the players and the people watching them, a complete shutdown at the hands of the Flyers.

If Montreal wants to see a Game 6, it will have to find a solution to the puzzle the Philadelphia Flyers have presented. Kirk Muller’s main solution was to try every player with every other player in Game 4, but nothing created the desired result. He even sat Brendan Gallagher down for a few shifts, something the sparkplug winger has probably never experienced in his hockey-playing career, with a drive that usually gets him double-shifted, not missing his regular turns.

He’ll want to have a major impact in tonight’s game, and a first goal of the post-season is at the top of his list of things to accomplish. Work ethic isn’t something he struggles with, and he’s been the Canadiens’ best forward at getting shots and scoring chances around the net. For he and his team, they need to convert some of those into goals to stave off elimination.

UPDATE: Charles Hudon takes Alex Belzile’s place in the lineup, and will play his first NHL playoff game.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Scratches: Alex Belzile, Cale Fleury, Christian Folin, Noah Juulsen, Michael McNiven, Gustav Olofsson, Ryan Poehling, Cayden Primeau, Dale Weise

Philadelphia Flyers projected lineup