Stanley Cup Qualifiers: Game 1
Montreal Canadiens @ Pittsburgh Penguins
How to watch
Start time: 8:00 PM EDT / 5:00 PM PDT
In Canada: CBC, Sportsnet (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the US: NBC
Streaming: Sportsnet Now
Carey Price will stare down Matt Murray at the opposite end tonight, and both goaltenders have been left with something to prove to their fanbases.
Phillip Danault brings all the knowledge he’s gained over the past few years while developing into a top-line centre in an attempt to contain Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, with a full night’s work ahead of him.
Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi get their first taste of NHL post-season play, needing to shake off any nerves and match their more experienced counterparts on the opposite side.
Shea Weber and Jeff Petry go toe-to-toe with a disciplined defensive team, but also one that runs out of quality options before it gets to the third pairing.
Artturi Lehkonen, Jonathan Drouin, Paul Byron, and Joel Armia are tasked with playing the best hockey of their lives to outduel some proven goal-scorers on the Penguins’ roster, and they all have the skill sets to punish their opposition.
Enough talking. Let’s see how these head-to-head battles play out in the first game of the Stanley Cup Qualifier.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Tomas Tatar | Phillip Danault | Brendan Gallagher |
| Jonathan Drouin | Nick Suzuki | Joel Armia |
| Paul Byron | Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Artturi Lehkonen |
| Jordan Weal | Max Domi | Dale Weise |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Ben Chiarot | Shea Weber |
| Brett Kulak | Jeff Petry |
| Xavier Ouellet | Victor Mete |
Goaltenders
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| Carey Price | Charlie Lindgren |
Scratches: Jake Evans, Cale Fleury, Christian Folin, Charles Hudon, Noah Juulsen, Michael McNiven, Gustav Olofsson, Ryan Poehling, Cayden Primeau
Injured: Alex Belzile
Pittsburgh Penguins projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Jake Guentzel | Sidney Crosby | Conor Sheary |
| Jason Zucker | Evgeni Malkin | Bryan Rust |
| Patrick Marleau | Jared McCann | Patric Hornqvist |
| Zach Aston-Reese | Teddy Blueger | Brandon Tanev |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Brian Dumoulin | Kris Letang |
| Marcus Pettersson | John Marino |
| Jack Johnson | Justin Schultz |
Goaltenders
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| Matt Murray | Tristan Jarry |
