Game 64: Montreal Canadiens @ Ottawa Senators
Start time: 7:30 PM EDT / 4:30 PM PDT
In Canada: Sportsnet (English), RDS (French)
Streaming: ESPN+, RDS, Sportsnet+
For the biggest game of the season to this point, the Montreal Canadiens have turned to Jacob Fowler to help them get the four-point swing over the Ottawa Senators. It couldn’t be any clearer that he’s not only the goalie of the future, but the one held in highest regard of the three NHL-calibre netminders in the organization.
Already with starts against the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Detroit Red Wings, and Buffalo Sabres this season, it’s the one remaining divisional opponent with an eye on making the post-season that he faces tonight. Ottawa is three points out of a playoff spot, though seven back of Montreal thanks to consecutive wins by the Habs to reaffirm their playoff standing in the last few days. Fowler isn’t going to be expected to steal this win — or hopefully that’s not the thinking with this recall anyway — but just make the routine saves to hold the Habs in it, something Samuel Montembeault has struggled to do for much of the season.
A win would also move the Canadiens into a tie with the Lightning for second place, with one more game played. So there are several things at stake in a match played on the national stage this evening.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| #85 Alexandre Texier |
#14 Nick Suzuki |
#20 Juraj Slafkovský |
| #15 Alex Newhook |
#91 Oliver Kapanen |
#93 Ivan Demidov |
| #76 Zachary Bolduc |
#71 Jake Evans |
#77 Kirby Dach |
| #17 Josh Anderson |
#24 Phillip Danault |
#11 Brendan Gallagher |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| #8 Mike Matheson |
#53 Noah Dobson |
| #21 Kaiden Guhle |
#48 Lane Hutson |
| #47 Jayden Struble |
#45 Alexandre Carrier |
| Starter |
Backup |
| #32 Jacob Fowler |
#75 Jakub Dobeš |
Scratched: Samuel Montembeault, Joe Veleno, Arber Xhekaj
Injured: Cole Caufield, Patrik Laine
Ottawa Senators projected lineup
| Left Wing |
Centre |
Right Wing |
| Drake Batherson |
Tim Stützle |
Claude Giroux |
| Brady Tkachuk |
Dylan Cozens |
Ridly Greig |
| Nick Cousins |
Shane Pinto |
Michael Amadio |
| Warren Foegele |
Lars Eller |
Fabian Zetterlund |
| Left Defence |
Right Defence |
| Thomas Chabot |
Artem Zub |
| Tyler Kleven |
Jordan Spence |
| Nikolas Matinpalo |
Nick Jensen |
| Starter |
Backup |
| Linus Ullmark |
James Reimer |
