Canadiens vs. Maple Leafs: Game thread, rosters, lines, and how to watch
The Habs take another stab at their first home win of the season as they welcome the division rival Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Montreal Canadiens have stumbled out of the gate to start the season. They’ve been performing better than the results on the scoreboard indicate, but have still been unable to register a win since the season opener. The goals have been few and far between. and the defence is still gelling together after an off-season of change.
By contrast, the Toronto Maple Leafs, who’ve not had much to cheer about in recent years, have taken the new NHL season by storm, roaring out to an early 3-1-0 record and playing an impressive team game. Auston Matthews is on pace for a great sophomore season, and the Habs will need to limit his offence in tonight’s game.
Neither team’s output is sustainable in the long term, and in the length of an 82game season, the two teams could end up being close to one another when playoff spots are being clinched. The Canadiens certainly hope the winds of change will begin blowing at the Bell Centre tonight so they can gain some confidence and calm a nervous fanbase.
Puck drop is at 7:00 PM EDT / 4:00 PM PDT
How to watch
In Canada: CBC (English), TVA Sports (French)
In the USA: NHL Network
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/NHL Game Centre Live, NHL Center Ice
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Max Pacioretty | Jonathan Drouin | Alex Galchenyuk |
| Artturi Lehkonen | Tomas Plekanec | Ales Hemsky |
| Paul Byron | Phillip Danault | Andrew Shaw |
| Charles Hudon | Jacob de la Rose | Brendan Gallagher |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Victor Mete | Shea Weber |
| Karl Alzner | Jeff Petry |
| Joe Morrow | Jordie Benn |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| Antti Niemi |
| Charlie Lindgren |
Toronto Maple Leafs projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Cogliano | Rickard Rackell | Jakob Silfverberg |
| Nick Ritchie | Antoine Vermette | Corey Perry |
| Chris Wagner | Derek Grant | Logan Shaw |
| Nicolas Kerdiles | Dennis Rasmussen | Derek Boll |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Cam Fowler | Josh Manson |
| Francois Beauchemin | Brandon Montour |
| Jaycob Megna | Kevin Bieksa |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| John Gibson |
| Reto Berra |