Canadiens vs Lightning: Game thread, roster, lines, and how to watch

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Montreal Canadiens are off to a great start this season.

They’re scoring goals, receiving fantastic performances from their goaltenders, and they’ve only dropped one point of a possible 14. Add to that a league-leading +14 goal differential and a score adjusted Corsi for of 53%. Simply put, the Habs are on fire.

Tonight represents the biggest challenge of the year for the NHL’s top team, as they face a team many have projected to win the Atlantic Division. The Lightning are off to an equally impressive start, owning a 5-1-0 record, and a +9 goal differential. As you would expect, Steven Stamkos leads them in scoring, with five goals and four assists in six games.

Even though the Canadiens are unbeaten in regulation, they’ll be hungry for a win versus their divisional rivals, seeing as many will perceive this game as a real measuring stick as to whether or not this team is a legitimate contender.

Last night saw Michel Therrien blend the lines midway through the game, meaning it’s unclear whether or not we’ll see any changes to start tonight compared to the lineup that was iced versus the Islanders.

We do know that Carey Price gets the start, whereas rookies Mikhail Sergachev and Daniel Carr will once again watch the game from the press box.

Puck drop is 7:30pm ET

How to watch:

Canada (English): Sportsnet 360

Canada (French): RDS

US: SUN

Online: GCL, NHL.TV

Scratched: Mikhail Sergachev, Daniel Carr

Injured: Zach Redmond (foot)