Canadiens vs. Oilers: Game thread, rosters, lines, and how to watch

Montreal Canadiens vs. Edmonton Oilers

How to watch

Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Oilers region: Sportsnet West
Streaming: NHL.tv/NHL Live, RDS Direct, Sportsnet Now, TSN Direct

Following a week of rest for the players but none for the general manager, there are now a few new faces in the Canadiens organization: a centre brought in as a rental, and a blue-chip prospect who will be a critical piece of the core for years to come. With the pandemic, we won’t be able to see either of them in action for a few days, but there will still be a debut in tonight’s game.

Waiting on the sidelines since the season began, Michael Frolik gets tapped tonight to help get the Canadiens up to 12 forwards (apparently quite an involved process). It will be his first game with the team after dressing in just two AHL games so far. He’s on the fourth line with Jake Evans and Corey Perry tonight, playing opposite the other depth piece Montreal brought in just days before the season’s start, and he’ll hope he can have a similar impact.

Still hanging on to their fourth-place spot they had at this time eight days ago, the Canadiens will face Mikko Koskinen in the Oilers’ net after Mike Smith played last night in Toronto. Since losing the starter’s role, Koskinen’s play has been stronger in the month of March. Montreal’s goal will be to make him look more like the outmatched goaltender he was in the first two months of the year, needing to do so by committee with several regulars missing from the formation.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Injured: Ben Chiarot (broken hand), Tyler Toffoli (lower body)
COVID unavailable list: Joel Armia, Eric Staal

Edmonton Oilers projected lineup