Sabres at Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens hope to get two of their most important players back in the lineup Saturday,when they host the Buffalo Sabres for an Atlantic Division matchup. All-Star defenseman Shea Weber (lower body) and offensive whiz Jonathan Drouin (upper body) both missed Montreal’s 3-0 loss to Minnesota on Thursday but were back skating at the optional practice one day later.
“That’s part of hockey,” Canadiens coach Claude Julien told reporters after his team registered 41 shots against Minnesota. “Injuries happen during a season, and you have to manage it. (On Thursday), we still gave ourselves a chance to win.” Montreal’s Charlie Lindgren (5-1-0 career) is expected in net for the fourth straight contest - with former Hart and Vezina Trophy winner Carey Price still day-to-day with a lower-body injury - and will take on a Buffalo team that followed a big win against Washington with a disappointing 4-1 home loss to Florida on Friday. The Sabres have played better since starting the season with five straight losses, but they only have been able to post back-to-back wins once and mustered six shots in the first period against the Panthers while falling into a tie with them for last place in the Eastern Conference. Evander Kane notched an assist for Buffalo in the loss and leads the team with 16 points - five in his last five contests.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, MSG (Buffalo), Sportsnet, TVA (Montreal)
ABOUT THE SABRES (5-9-2): Buffalo is averaging just two goals per game since putting up five at Boston on Oct. 21, and that was the last time Jack Eichel scored as he’s gone seven contests without a tally. Jason Pominville (13 points) recorded two of his six goals in the season opener against Montreal and Ryan O’Reilly (12 points) posted a minus-3 rating on Friday. Nathan Beaulieu (upper body) returned to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 20 and fellow defenseman Josh Gorges (lower body) could be back as early as Saturday after missing nine games.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (7-9-1): Backup goaltender Al Montoya also is out with an upper-body injury, prompting Montreal to recall Zachary Fucale from Laval of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis, but Lindgren has been outstanding as he has posted a .961 save percentage. “I have zero issues of putting him in the net no matter what the situation is,” Julien told reporters. “As an organization, his teammates, everybody has good confidence in him.” Brendan Gallagher leads the team with 12 points, including 10 in his last 10 games, with Weber and Drouin next at 11.
OVERTIME
1. Buffalo RW Kyle Okposo scored his team’s only goal Friday and has two in four games after going scoreless his first 10 contests of the campaign.
2. Montreal LW Alex Galchenyuk has posted just two points - both assists - in his last four games but recorded 18 shots in that span, including eight on Thursday.
3. The Canadiens are 5-1-1 in the last seven meetings, including a 3-2 shootout victory in the season opener on Oct. 5.