This is the one and only encounter this season between the Dallas Stars and Montreal Canadiens. The two teams did meet up in the pre-season.
The Stars are struggling to grab the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, and have lost five of their last six games. The Boys from “Big D” are 3-5-2 in their last ten games.
Leading the Stars in goals this season, with 23, is Michael Ryder. Remember him? Mike Ribeiro should be another familiar name to Habs fans, and has seven points in his last seven games. One former Canadiens player who will not dress tonight is Sheldon Souray. The Dallas rearguard is out with a foot injury.
Much like the Canadiens did with Hal Gill last week, the Stars sent veteran rearguard Nicklas Grossman to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, in exchange for a second-round pick in 2012 and third-round pick in 2013. As with Gill, Grossman will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
Kari Lehtonen is 6-4-1 (2.68, .912) with one shutout in his career vs. Montreal.
Carey Price hasn’t had the best of luck against he Stars (2-2-0, 3.26, .876) . Peter Budaj has seen more of them, from his days with the Colorado Avalanche, and is 6-3-4 (2.42, .916) against Dallas.
Tomas Plekanec is a late scratch due to a virus he’s dealing with.
MONTREAL CANADIENS PROJECTED LINEUP
Forwards
Max Pacioretty – David Desharnais – Erik Cole
Mathieu Darche – Scott Gomez – Rene Bourque
Aaron Palushaj – Lars Eller – Louis Leblanc
Andrei Kostitsyn – [double shift] – Ryan White
Defensemen
Goalies
Carey Price – Peter Budaj
DALLAS STARS PROJECTED ROSTER
Forwards
Loui Eriksson – Mike Ribeiro – Michael Ryder
Steve Ott – Tom Wandell – Tomas Vincour
Eric Nystrom – Vernon Fiddler – Radek Dvorak
Ryan Garbutt – Jake Dowell – Adam Burish
Defensemen
Alex Goligoski – Stephane Robidas
Goalies
Kari Lehtonen – Richard Bachman
SBN Stars coverage at Defending Big D
