Canadiens @ Blue Jackets: Game thread, rosters, lines, and how to watch

Montreal Canadiens @ Columbus Blue Jackets

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 Blue Jackets region: Fox Sports-Ohio
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/Rogers NHL Live

With a lot of credit due to their goaltenders, the Canadiens have put aside a bit of rough play to start 2019 to head into Columbus on a three-game winning streak. Antti Niemi stopped 52 saves to win the latest contest, yet despite it being a road game with a home contest tomorrow, Carey Price will get the start versus the Blue-Jackets. The team hopes the starter’s incredible play over the last six weeks can give the Habs a chance versus the top team in the Metropolitan Division.

Much of Columbus’s success has come from the great play of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson on the top line, with Zach Werenski and Seth Jones doing their usual work on the blue line. Despite not having the last change, Claude Julien and Dominique Ducharme will be working hard to get Phillip Danault’s line out as much as possible to face those players.

The Blue Jackets may be able to find success as Montreal’s coaching staff gets deeper into the forward lineup, especially with the absence of Paul Byron taking away a major threat of a counter-attack. It will require more of a full-team approach to turn defence into offence this evening, serving as a challenge for a team that is sitting right on the edge of being a playoff contender and one just on the outside looking in come mid-April.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders

Columbus Blue Jackets projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders