Canadiens at Maple Leafs
THE STORY: Two of hockey's most historic rivals meet to open the season Thursday when the Montreal Canadiens visit the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens are looking to rebound from a disappointing first-round exit at the hands of the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Boston Bruins last season, while the Maple Leafs hope to reach the postseason for the first time since before the 2004-05 work stoppage. The goaltending matchup will likely be the most intriguing one of the night, with emerging star Carey Price guarding the Montreal net against Toronto's James Reimer. Price played in a club-record 72 games last season but will likely see a diminished workload this year with the acquisition of backup Peter Budaj. Reimer will face immense scrutiny as the Leafs' unquestioned top guy after a sensational rookie campaign.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS
ABOUT THE CANADIENS: Head coach Jacques Martin believes the Canadiens are an improved bunch over the club that placed sixth in the Eastern Conference and nearly knocked off the Bruins in the opening round. He may wind up being correct, but only if Montreal can find a way to score more goals. A full season of F Mike Cammalleri and the acquisition of F Erik Cole over the summer will aid in that regard, but youngsters like Lars Eller and Max Pacioretty will need to be stronger if Montreal hopes to improve on its 23rd-ranked offense.
ABOUT THE MAPLE LEAFS: More roster shuffling has Toronto confident it can end a postseason drought that has now reached six seasons. The arrival of talented but injury-prone center Tim Connolly should help, while Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski are expected to shine in the final years of their respective contracts. Other minor moves (David Steckel, Cody Franson, Matthew Lombardi) should give Toronto the depth it has been lacking in recent seasons.
OVERTIME:
1. Montreal allowed 29 preseason goals, tied with Florida for the most in the league.
2. Toronto's 22 goals in the exhibition campaign was the most in the Eastern Conference.
PREDICTION: Montreal 3, Toronto 2. These two teams always play tight, entertaining games and Thursday's should be no exception. With referees usually calling more penalties early in the season, the Canadiens' historically strong power-play should make the difference in this one.