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

Montreal Canadiens vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

How to watch

Puck drop: 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
In Canada: CITY-TV, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Now (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the Lightning region: FOX Sports-Sun
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/Rogers NHL Live

Tampa Bay is often credited as being one of the most complete teams in the NHL, with strong goaltending, an elite defenceman heading a good blue-line corps, and four lines of forwards capable of contributing each night.

The offence hasn’t been quite as prolific as we’ve seen in previous years. Yet with an opening month of the season filled with point-per-game performances (78 players hold that mark at the moment), the Lightning have three players qualifying for that distinction, being led both in points (14) and goals (7) by Brayden Point.

Montreal counters with a point-per-game forward of their own in Max Domi, with fellow off-season addition Tomas Tatar close on his heels. The Canadiens are closely matching the offensive output their division rival is producing, and giving up the same number of goals to boot.

The teams are very closely matched in many aspects of their game. The biggest difference is on special teams, with Montreal in the bottom half of both categories, and the Lightning in the top 10 of each, including having the NHL’s best penalty kill.

You can expect the power play to be a non-factor for Montreal tonight, so if they are to leapfrog the Lightning in the standings, disciplined play at five-on-five will have to be the focus.

Montreal Canadiens projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders

Tampa Bay Lightning projected lineup

Forwards

Defencemen

Goaltenders