Game 26: Montreal Canadiens vs. Nashville Predators
Start time: 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Predators region: FanDuel Sports Network South
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
After winning the first match of a five-game homestand, Martin St-Louis has had the easy task of keeping his lineup intact for a visit from the Nashville Predators. Patrik Laine has one game of experience under his belt, and he and his teammates heard and felt what it’s like to do well at the Bell Centre. They should be favoured to send the crowd home happy once again tonight, because it’s not just a bad Nashville Predators team they play tonight, but a frustrated one.
Three Habs players announced as participants in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off — Laine, Joel Armia, and Samuel Montembeault — should still be riding the high of their selection. Montembeault in particular looked like a man reborn on Tuesday versus the New York Islanders, more engaged and focused in the game, and playing a major role in the win with some important saves. Nashville doesn’t score many goals, but they can load up a power-play unit and look dangerous in two-minute intervals, so he’ll have to be sharp.
There was a time when Steven Stamkos was the top target for the defence when Montreal played his old team, the Tampa Bay Lightning, but even in the past few years he hasn’t found the scoresheet, held goalless in his last six meetings. He still has the skill to put the puck in the net, but his offence is something the Habs can contain if they stick to the game plan in the defensive zone.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| #13 Cole Caufield |
#14 Nick Suzuki |
#35 Alex Newhook |
| #20 Juraj Slafkovský |
#77 Kirby Dach |
#92 Patrik Laine |
| #17 Josh Anderson |
#28 Christian Dvorak |
#11 Brendan Gallagher |
| #51 Emil Heineman |
#71 Jake Evans |
#40 Joel Armia |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| #48 Lane Hutson |
#8 Mike Matheson |
| #72 Arber Xhekaj |
#58 David Savard |
| #47 Jayden Struble |
#52 Justin Barron |
| Starter |
Backup |
| #35 Samuel Montembeault |
#30 Cayden Primeau |
Scratched: Michael Pezzetta
Ill: Kaiden Guhle
Nashville Predators projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| Filip Forsberg |
Ryan O’Reilly |
Gustav Nyquist |
| Jonathan Marchessault |
Mark Jankowski |
Steven Stamkos |
| Tommy Novak |
Fedor Svechkov |
Luke Evangelista |
| Zachary L’Heureux |
Colton Sissons |
Cole Smith |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| Roman Josi |
Alexandre Carrier |
| Brady Skjei |
Nick Blankenburg |
| Adam Wilsby |
Luke Schenn |
| Starter |
Backup |
| Justus Annunen |
Juuse Saros |
