Pre-season game 5: Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators
Start time: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In the Canadiens region: TSN2 (English), RDS (French)
In the Senators region: TSN5 (English), RDS (French)
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, TSN+
The news is relatively good for Patrik Laine, who will miss just half the season with a knee sprain, and so the feelings going into the fifth pre-season game are more positive than they were after the fourth.
While we now know Laine will return this season, someone still needs to take his spot until around December, and so the tryouts for position are still very much alive. Oliver Kapanen is once more in the lineup looking to prove he belongs, but Emil Heineman, whose skill set was all but replaced when Laine arrived, is back in the picture as the potential second-wave shooting threat on the power play. The Habs need to figure out their special teams, and Heineman could yet be one part of the solution.
On defence, Logan Mailloux is becoming a regular fixture this pre-season as the coaching staff ensures everyone gets a good look at him. He’s back alongside Arber Xhekaj for this game, a duo that didn’t last long in Saturday when The Sheriff was sent off early for doling out his own justice.
The Senators have brought many of their best players to this contest, so there won’t be many AHL players trying to defend Montreal’s stars. It’s actually a stronger lineup than the Habs themselves will ice for the game, so in what could be the final auditions for many of the prospects they’ll have a good challenge under the Bell Centre lights.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| #89 Joshua Roy | #77 Kirby Dach | #40 Joel Armia |
| #51 Emil Heineman | #71 Jake Evans | #11 Brendan Gallagher |
| #27 Alex Barré-Boulet | #28 Christian Dvorak | #91 Oliver Kapanen |
| #55 Michael Pezzetta | #82 Lucas Condotta | #88 Luke Tuch |
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| #42 Adam Engström | #58 David Savard |
| #47 Jayden Struble | #52 Justin Barron |
| #72 Arber Xhekaj | #94 Logan Mailloux |
| Starter | Backup |
|---|---|
| #30 Cayden Primeau | #75 Jakub Dobeṧ |
