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

Montreal Canadiens vs. Nashville Predators

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 Predators region: Fox Sports Tennessee
Streaming: NHL.tv/NHL Live

The absence of Tomas Tatar has had a major impact on the Montreal Canadiens. Without the top point-producer in the lineup, the Canadiens have managed one goal in two games. Claude Julien has brought his short-term solution — inserting Artturi Lehkonen on the top line in Tatar’s place — to an end, and made the first real shake-up since the regular season began.

Paul Byron is now a top-line forward. Brendan Gallagher is a second-line winger. Charles Hudon gets two quality linemates as he seeks opportunities to let his powerful shot fly. Nearly everything’s a bit different, and that’s the proper way to go about the final games of a season that will have no playoff berth at the end; see how differerent players work together, and maybe discover something to take into the next year.

The juggled lines are backed by more familiar groups. The defence has seen no changes, and Carey Price is once more in net after Charlie Lindgren earned the start on Saturday night.

Predators fans are becoming more familiar with Juuse Saros in Nashville’s net. He’s been called upon for the brunt of the action over the past six weeks as Pekka Rinne has struggled, and is a big reason why the Predators are even still in post-season discussions.

Not surprisingly based on the lineup you see below, Nashville hasn’t scored many goals of late, relying on Saros’s strong play to earn them points. If the lineup shuffle does yield results for the Habs, the result could be a win in the return to the Bell Centre.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders

Nashville Predators projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders