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Canadiens vs. Bruins Pre-Game & Thread

Probably not what fans in Halifax were hoping to see at the HMS tonight, as the Habs are dressing a minimum number of veterans for the second straight night. But this is the preseason, so it can be expected.

This will be the third preseason meeting between the two clubs in Halifax since 2007 and it will be the Habs 6th preseason visit to the Maritimes since 2005.

The first encounter between Chara and Max Pacioretty will likely have to wait until likely the regular season. Pacioretty did not make the east coast trip, while Chara will play tonight. The two teams will meet again Monday, where Pacioretty is scheduled to play and Chara is not.

CANADIENS LINEUP

Forwards

Erik ColeScott GomezBrendan Gallagher

Andrei KostitsynBrian WillsieAaron Palushaj

Mathieu DarcheAndreas EngqvistMike Blunden

Olivier ArchambaultDany MasseAlexander Avtsin

Defense Pairings

Nathan BeaulieuHal Gill

Alex HenryMorgan Ellis

Yannick WeberAlexei Yemelin

Goaltenders

Peter Budaj

Nathan Lawson

BRUINS ROSTER

Forwards: Gregory Campbell, Jordan Caron, Chris Clark, Zach Hamill, Nathan Horton, Brad Marchand, Daniel Paille, Benoit Pouliot, Max Sauve, Tyler Seguin, Shawn Thornton, Trent Whitfield

Defensemen: Joe Corvo, Zdeno Chara, Zach McKelvie, Adam McQuaid, Steven Kampfer, David Warsofsky

Goaltenders: Anton Khudobin, Tuukka Rask

More after the jump

After the morning skate, coach Jacques Martin emphasized how games like this are important to evaluate the younger players.

“This is a time to evaluate the players that are on the bubble,” Martin said. “There’s two types of players, the one’s who have played in the AHL, and have the potential to earn a spot on the team, and the younger guys (Beaulieu, Gallagher, Ellis) who have had a excellent camp. We want to see how the players compete.”

Martin also said they team will reduce the roster to a more “manageable group” on Tuesday.

Andrei Kostitsyn will again be on the point during the Canadiens power-play. He has struggled there early in the preseason, but Kostitsyn said that he use to play there in Russia and is adjusting to it again.

An ex-Hab who will dress for the Bruins tonight, and not tomorrow, is Pouliot, who was featured in today’s Boston Herald. Another player worth watching in the Bruins roster is Tyler Seguin, who beefed up by 10lbs in an attempt to improve on his rookie season.

RDS’ Renaud Lavoie notes that Michael Bournival should be ready to play tomorrow, and that David Desharnais has the gree light to resume skating tomorrow.

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