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

Montreal Canadiens vs. Anaheim Ducks

How to watch

Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Ducks region: Bally Sports SoCal/San Diego
Streaming: ESPN+, NHL Live, RDS Direct, TSN Direct

It was quite obvious on the recently concluded road trip that what the Montreal Canadiens lacked more than anything else this season was composure on the defensive side of the puck. The goaltenders (the Habs used three of them to try to contain their opponents) were called upon to make some incredible saves on most shifts, with their teammates offering little resistance to plays close to the net.

The coaching staff has proven unable to communicate whatever fixes they’ve come up with to address the issues, and with all of the players who started the season back in ths mix following injuries and COVID absences, there can be no excuses for going half a season without any improvements. The flaws seem to be mostly tactical with players unsure where to play.

In contrast, tonight’s opponent is a disciplined defensive group that doesn’t often surrender many chances, and several of their blue-liners are also good point-producers. Each team has some capable forwards who are on a bit of a roll right now, but tonight’s game will likely be decided by the quality of the performances on the back end.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Anaheim Ducks projected lineup