The Montreal Canadiens are on a roll.
The Canadiens (13-12-3) have won their last five straight, topped off with an impressive 10-1 thrashing of the Detroit Red Wings last Saturday night. Montreal has been on fire, with key contributions coming from an offense that took advantage of a struggling Detroit team on two separate occasions.
Leading on the scoreboard in this stretch has been Alex Galchenyuk, who has two goals and six assists since the team’s last loss. Paul Byron has four goals and two assists, which includes his first career hattrick last game against Detroit, while Brendan Gallagher added four goals and an assist to his season totals as well.
What’s even more impressive is that there are eight more players who have four points during this streak, which shows the Canadiens are a team that, at its best, can have contributions coming from all lines.
Among those eight is forward Jonathan Drouin who was skating yesterday at practice, but hasn’t been officially cleared for a return to the lineup just yet. He is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest.
Carey Price seems a lot like the Carey Price of old recently. Boasting a .962 save percentage and 1.20 goals-against average in his last five starts, his current season stats of a .905 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.94 should be getting to more respectable numbers in the near future..
The Habs are preparing for perhaps the toughest opponent they’ve seen since their current run began. The St. Louis Blues (17-8-2), though winless and having offensive struggles in their last three games, are still one of the league’s most dangerous teams to prepare for. With Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz both above the 30-point mark and Vladimir Tarasenko just a point away on the season with 29, they have the talent to overcome any adversity.
If the Habs can pull of a win tonight at home, it’ll go a long way in establishing the Canadiens’ position in the Atlantic Division.
Puck drop is at 7:30 PM EST
How to watch:
In the Canadiens region: TSN2, TSNGO (English), RDS (French)
In the Blues region: FS-MW
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/NHL GameCentre Live, NHL Center Ice
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Max Pacioretty | Phillip Danault | Andrew Shaw |
| Charles Hudon | Tomas Plekanec | Brendan Gallagher |
| Alex Galchenyuk | Jacob de la Rose | Paul Byron |
| Nicolas Deslauriers | Byron Froese | Daniel Carr |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Jordie Benn | Shea Weber |
| Karl Alzner | Jeff Petry |
| Victor Mete | David Schlemko |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| Carey Price |
| Antti Niemi |
Injured: Ales Hemsky (concussion-like symptoms), Al Montoya (concussion), Nikita Scherbak (lower body), Artturi Lehkonen (lower body), Jonathan Drouin (lower body)
Scratched: Joe Morrow, Jakub Jerabek
St. Louis Blues projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Vladimir Sobotka | Paul Statsny | Vladimir Tarasenko |
| Jaden Schwartz | Brayden Schenn | Alex Steen |
| Magnus Paajarvi | Patrik Berglund | Samuel Blais |
| Scottie Upshall | Kyle Brodziak | Dimitij Jasken |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Jay Bomeester | Alex Pietrangelo |
| Joel Edmunson | Colton Parayko |
| Carl Gunnarsson | Robert Bortuzzo |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| Jake Allen |
| Carter Hutton |
Injured: Robbie Fabbri (knee), Zachary Sanford (shoulder)
Scratched: Vince Dunn, Chris Thorburn,and Oskar Sundqvist.
