Jets at Canadiens
THE STORY: Two teams struggling to score goals clash Sunday afternoon when the Montreal Canadiens host the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre. Montreal enters with a three-game losing streak during which it has scored four goals. The Canadiens have dropped three of four at home, netting a total of one goal in the losses. Winnipeg, which has lost eight of 12 overall, is concluding a six-game road trip. The Jets are 2-3-0 on the trek and have averaged a whopping one goal per contest. They have managed two goals or less in nine of their last 11 matches.
TV: 2 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS
ABOUT THE JETS (24-23-6): Bryan Little scored Winnipeg's lone goal in a 2-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday. It was Little's first tally in 15 games. No one is more frustrated with the team's lack of scoring than coach Claude Noel, who all but lost control following Thursday's loss. "Don't ask me the same dumb question again," he told the media. "Are you concerned about the one goals? Do I like the one goal we get every game? No. Would I like to see it change? Yes. Do I coach that way? No. That's what we have. But there's still a way to win the games."
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (19-24-9): Maybe Sunday will be the day Scott Gomez finally scores his first goal of the season. The veteran has been limited to 21 games due to injury but has registered only seven assists. He has gone 51 contests without a goal dating to Feb. 5, 2011, when he tallied against his former team, the New York Rangers. It was Gomez's only goal in his last 62 games. Right wing Aaron Palushaj recorded two shots on goal in just under 8 1/2 minutes of ice time in Saturday's loss to Washington after being recalled from Hamilton of the AHL a day earlier. Palushaj, who appeared in 15 games earlier this season and three in 2010-11, still is searching for his first NHL point.
OVERTIME:
1. Montreal's Peter Budaj faced two penalty shots on Saturday, stopping one. Budaj has allowed five goals on eight penalty shots during his career.
2. The Jets franchise is 1-6-1 in its last eight visits to Montreal.