Game 39: Montreal Canadiens @ Colorado Avalanche
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In Canada: CityTV, Sportsnet East (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the Avalanche region: Altitude
Streaming: ESPN+, Sportsnet+
A game in Denver has often been difficult for the Montreal Canadiens. After getting a win in the Colorado Avalanche’s arena back in 2014, they went 10 years without winning another one until finally breaking that streak last season with a 2-1 win. Montreal actually swept the season series in 2023-24, coming away with two one-goal victories.
Tonight’s game will probably look more like the 4-3 win Montreal had at home last January than that 2-1 score, because the Avalanche have one of the league’s best offences at their worst, and they’re currently playing at their best with six consecutive wins. The top line is going to be particularly tough to slow down, not just the leaders of Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen, but former Canadiens winger Artturi Lehkonen as well, who has 14 goals in only 27 games played, recently netting a hat trick versus Utah HC. Defence will be important for the Canadiens, but they also have to find a way to score some goals on Mackenzie Blackwood if they want to end this road trip with a win.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| #13 Cole Caufield |
#14 Nick Suzuki |
#20 Juraj Slafkovský |
| #55 Michael Pezzetta |
#77 Kirby Dach |
#35 Alex Newhook |
| #51 Emil Heineman |
#71 Jake Evans |
#40 Joel Armia |
| #17 Josh Anderson |
#28 Christian Dvorak |
#11 Brendan Gallagher |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| #48 Lane Hutson |
#8 Mike Matheson |
| #21 Kaiden Guhle |
#45 Alexandre Carrier |
| #72 Arber Xhekaj |
#47 Jayden Struble |
| Starter |
Backup |
| #75 Jakub Dobeṧ |
#35 Samuel Montembeault |
Injured: David Savard
Ill: Patrik Laine
Colorado Avalanche projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| Artturi Lehkonen |
Nathan MacKinnon |
Mikko Rantanen |
| Jonathan Drouin |
Casey Mittelstadt |
Ross Colton |
| Joel Kiviranta |
Parker Kelly |
Logan O’Connor |
| Jere Innala |
Juuso Parssinen |
Oskar Olausson |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| Devon Toews |
Cale Makar |
| Samuel Girard |
Josh Manson |
| Keaton Middleton |
Sam Malinski |
| Starter |
Backup |
| Mackenzie Blackwood |
Trent Miner |
