Montreal Canadiens @ Buffalo Sabres
How to watch
Start time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
In Canada: TSN2, TSN Direct (English), RDS, RDS Direct (French)
In the Sabres region: MSG-B
Elsewhere: NHL.tv/Rogers NHL Live
The Buffalo Sabres are the NHL’s hottest team at the moment. They’ve won seven games in a row, starting with their last meeting with the Montreal Canadiens, and sit well within a playoff position as a result.
They’re getting major contributions from Jack Eichel and newcomer Jeff Skinner, while the third member of the top line, a 35-year-old Jason Pominville, has been no slouch either. They’ve posted 25, 23, and 18 points, respectively.
On defence, Rasmus Ristolainen leads the way with 12 points, but his time as the Sabres’ top defender is rapidly coming to a close. Rasmus Dahlin is just a single point back after getting on the scoresheet six times in his past six games, and he been getting 22 minutes a night on a regular basis over the last couple of weeks.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi remains ahead of him in the rookie scoring race, and that standing should be helped by his promotion to the top power-play unit. His vision and passing should be a welcome addition to the special-teams unit, especially when it comes to gaining the zone to get set up.
Canadiens fans may see the debut of defenceman Brett Kulak tonight. After spending the first part of his career in the Calgary Flames organization, he’s now on Montreal’s active roster with a chance to crack a blue line that hasn’t been up to snuff. Management is hoping he can help the team out, and perhaps contribute to getting the first win over the Sabres in three tries this season.
Montreal Canadiens projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Tomas Tatar | Phillip Danault | Brendan Gallagher |
| Jonathan Drouin | Max Domi | Andrew Shaw |
| Charles Hudon | Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Artturi Lehkonen |
| Nicolas Deslauriers | Michael Chaput | Kenny Agostino |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Jordie Benn | Jeff Petry |
| David Schlemko | Victor Mete |
| Mikey Reilly | Brett Kulak |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| Antti Niemi |
| Carey Price |
Buffalo Sabres projected lineup
Forwards
| Left Wing | Centre | Right Wing |
|---|---|---|
| Jeff Skinner | Jack Eichel | Jason Pominville |
| Conor Sheary | Casey Mittelstadt | Kyle Okposo |
| Tage Thompson | Vladimir Sobotka | Sam Reinhart |
| Evan Rodrigues | Johan Larsson | Zemgus Girgensons |
Defencemen
| Left Defence | Right Defence |
|---|---|
| Jake McCabe | Rasmus Ristolainen |
| Rasmus Dahlin | Zach Bogosian |
| Nathan Beaulieu | Casey Nelson |
Goaltenders
| Goaltenders |
|---|
| Carter Hutton |
| Linus Ullmark |
