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

Usually when two teams play each other three times in a week it’s because their locked in a post-season series. Granted, these two teams know each other very well in the playoffs, but this is just some twisted schedule-making in the regular season which sees the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens face off against each other. Again.

The Canadiens (19-21-6) came up short in the last two meeting this past week against Boston. Last Saturday they came back in a valiant effort to salvage a point, but it was the pesky Brad Marchand who wound up sealing the shootout victory to help the visitors take the game.

Wednesday night was a different matchup altogether. This time playing in Boston, it was the Habs who scored on their first shot when rookie blue-liner Jakub Jerabek spun and launched a shot that eluded Bruins netminder Tuukka Rask 31 seconds into the contest. From then on however, it was all Beantown. They wound up scoring four unanswered goals and took the game 4-1.

Boston (26-10-8) rolled into Brooklyn the following night and took quick care of the Islanders by a 5-2 score, led by Patrice Bergeron’s third career (second this season) hat trick. Backup goaltender Anton Khudobin got the win for the Bs.

Friday night, Montreal faced the Metropolitan Division-leading Washington Capitals and managed to halt the goal-scoring touch of Alex Ovechkin. Instead it was Montreal’s captain, Max Pacioretty, who played a solid game, notching two goals and an assist. His empty-net goal with 1:18 left to play wound up as the game-winner. In the last seven games, the Habs captain has six goals.

The Bruins are a real threat to all teams that face them these days. It seems they are nearly unbeatable, and it will take more than 60 minutes if you are to grab two points from them. In the last 15 games they have gone an incredible 10-0-5, having not lost in regulation since December 14.

Tonight’s game will be a challenge for both squads, and it’s sure to be an exciting one as these two teams rarely disappoint. We can expect all-star goaltender Carey Price between the pipes for Montreal against Rask for Boston.

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM EST / 4:00 PM PST

How to watch

In Canada: Sportsnet, Sportsnet Now (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the US: NHL Network
In the Bruins region: NESN
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/NHL GameCentre Live, NHL Center Ice

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders

Scratches: Daniel Carr, Joe Morrow

Injuries: Shea Weber (foot), Phillip Danault (concussion), Andrew Shaw (lower body), Ales Hemsky (concussion-like symptoms)

Boston Bruins projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders